Stay Weird

From Horror Writer Matthew Quinn:

Opportunity To Support Arts (And a Stifled Artist) In Brookings, South Dakota

I saw on Twitter feed of horror author/editor Doug Murano that his daughter’s teacher confiscated and tore up a drawing she made on the grounds that, “We shouldn’t draw monsters that could scare our friends.” Sufficient to say Murano is not pleased, has been in contact with the school, and will keep his fans posted about the results.

In the meantime, Murano had his daughter re-do the drawing in question and commissioned it as a $5 sticker. $1 from every sale will benefit the Brookings Arts Council in Brookings, South Dakota.

If anybody is interested in supporting the arts in a relatively small town that might need the resources and a young artist who has been treated unfairly, buy these stickers. I’m sure Franny (that’s her name) will be glad to know how many people value her work and imagination and that one authority figure shouldn’t squelch her vision.

(Check out the Harry Chapin song “Flowers Are Red” if you don’t understand how incredibly damaging this could be. This paper written by what looks like a teacher for the training of other teachers goes deeper–this song is warning.)

On a more positive note, I might commission stickers and other swag based on the cover art for my books to sell at events. Marlena Frankrecommends Sticker Mule. Matt Cowdery, who has done many of my book covers, has already given me permission to use his work.

From Juliette:

When I was about 10 years old a teacher yelled at me in front of all of the other children because he didn’t like a Christmas poem I’d written. He said it wasn’t happy enough. I tried to explain but he continued to yell and told me to be quiet. He wadded my paper in a ball and threw it out. Of course, being the shy child I was, I never told my parents about this. I never told them anything.

When I wrote my Christmas story “The Travelers” I thought about that time when I was yelled at for telling an original story that had meaning to me. I was yelled at for doing something different. I was yelled at for being different.

Now I’m tempted to write a story based on my early poetry writing experience but with a different ending. Maybe a much more satisfying ending.

I am so proud of Franny and her dad Doug. Also thank you to Matthew for sharing this story with so many.

Support the arts. Support your child, be they young or grown, and encourage them to be who they are, not who everybody else is. If we were all the same like would indeed be boring for all of us.

~ Juliette aka Vampire Maman

To learn more about Doug Murano and his books click here.

To learn more about Matthew W. Quinn and his books click here.