Trayvon Martin Case Solved

You don't have the chance yet to read OTHERS, my novel manuscript in the hands of an agent. If you did, you'd likely cut through the noise surrounding this national news story and find clear elements of the problem.

It comes down to confrontation. How one confronts someone else, and how that defuses a situation or escalates tension to psychotic and potentially lethal levels.

Once you read OTHERS, you'll get it, and you can imagine your own peaceful non-story, along the lines of this:


George Zimmerman puts on a perky attitude, and approaches Trayvon Martin.

"Excuse me, Sir. We've had some dangerous people breaking into houses around here. Do be careful. I don't want you hurt, okay?"


What does that do?

First, it shows zero threat, and some apparent concern for the safety of the intruder.

The intruder, possibly just a kid passing through, does not feel threatened in the least. In fact, he realizes there is a pair of eyes on him who may be watching out for him. He could conclude that there are others watching, too. All stereotyped assumptions vanish.

If the intruder has any negative intentions, he now knows the situation is not good for secrecy or criminal action.

Only a total idiot would escalate that moment into something ugly. Chances are astronomical against any lawbreaking, crime, threat, or violence.

Apply that point of view to the facts of this case and the evidence is clear: What occurred wrong and what should have occurred right.

It's common human nature not to defuse but to escalate tension or give the appearance of such, to show who has control of the moment. Tone of voice, movement, appearance. Those instincts--let's call them habits--are unrelated to a moment of rational thought that would keep the scenario just another quiet moment in a mediocre day.

A ten-second non-story, everybody lives, nobody goes into hiding, and the world has one less reason to babble around the water cooler or charge up useless emotions and not accomplish what needs to be done.

What needs to be done is peace.

I learned this technique from others. I've tried it. Wow, does it work. Unfortunately, the times I've used that technique never made it to the news.

Let's start, right here, right now.

--Dave

Osama Publicity

Anyone who's gotten a taste of OTHERS can see that the death of Osama bin Laden could provoke interest in what the manuscript details.

Imagine how things may develop if nobody knew how he was killed. Furthermore, what if this should happen to many more terrorists, vicious dictators, drug cartel leaders, right down to local violent criminals?

Ones remaining would have much more to fear, because they would have no idea who their peacekeeping enemies would be.

Innocent citizens around the world would be unnerved, not knowing who is protecting them.

Peace being a human concept, however, it's imperfect, even in an imaginary-yet-plausible world.

How would this affect anyone who would reveal who these good-guy terrorists are, and how would peace and violence affect individuals on a personal basis if this came to fruition?

OTHERS examines the question at length, in multiple layers, using the kind of psychology and rational thinking found in our daily lives.

I know what you're thinking: Sounds like common sense, which sometimes isn't exactly common.

True. That's why this revolves around a precocious overachiever, someone who would have little reason to get involved, and unlike most of history's violent perpetrators, this main character happens to be female.

We'll see how this all plays out.

Intrigued? Drop me a note.

The First Step In a Bizarre Ramble

There is enough going on in OTHERS as well as my head so it's likely I'll post daily. I'm also counting on the innocent folks at this evening's reader's group to provide a little spray of ether down the carburetor, so this'll start up with all the roar and flame I'd like to see start this off.

Just as a note:

I call this OTHERS for a bit of a personal reason. I don't believe in writing for myself. I'd like to think that I've been enough of an observer of human beings to have a strong sense of what will appeal to them. I'd like to honor everyone who I've ever had contact with, who contributed in the most miniscule of ways, by writing a book that's huge. I can't write to please myself, first and foremost, except to know that I authored something that worked, and it provided a learning experience for all of us.


As you wend you way through the manuscript, also please understand that this is a story. I've seen an interesting facet of peacekeeping that, if brought to full flower, could result in a peaceful world. A truly peaceful one. Okay, imperfect, because people aren't perfect. But I don't have a fear that some readers will take the book to heart and go work over a few bullies and unsavory types. I anticipate that. To have an impact--which is what I'm gunning for, here--I have to assume that some will go overboard and put some elements of this into play. With all my hope, for good.

Stephen King didn't author CARRIE because he was in favor of bleeding at the prom. So, too, do I not cheer for some TAG-type organization to pull off some assassinations and localized grisly punishments to keep the violent at bay. I don't trust anyone I know to get it right, never mind the rest of those on Earth.

This is not a recipe book for peace, but it may be a recipe book for thoughtfulness on the idea of peace in a little-addressed way. An idea that, I believe, does take real form at times, in quiet and shadow. This may be best seen in the case of a bully who is jumped by persons unknown and not harmed, but WARNED IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS TO CUT THE CRAP! Once fascinating element of this is the idea that we can count all the assaults, the beatings, the murders, but all those prevented in some way are uncountable, and may already number far more than we can fathom. That, right there, is a cool thought. Intriguing.

Oh, and OTHERS just happens to also have a hero, female, precocious and whip-smart, who is just a little flawed. Just enough to get herself into crazy and very human and very dangerous trouble, but also just a little so there is still much left to admire, applaud, and charm. I wanted my lady hero to be real and accessible, to the point where she may be a role model, and some readers may actually wonder if she's a living person. Well, maybe you should check out her blog:

http://kynelleharris.blogspot.com/

And if you don't mind, I'll stop right here, and allow others to propel the discussion. Let's see just how fast the reading group contacts me for their free copy of OTHERS, then how long before they stir the pot of stew that ... well, I tried to use a worn metaphor, but I'm not up to that task. Or is it "down" to that task?

--Dave