Yes. This is me.
Lord, grant me the strength to not smack stupid really, really hard in the face.
From time to time I give out Special Kind of Stupid Awards. This week I have a personal award I’d like to extend to the lovely gentleman at the Christian book store in McAlester, Oklahoma. You, sir, have exceeded my expectations and get a front row seat on the short bus to Shutty Town.
Do I sound harsh? Let me assure you I have calmed down quite a bit since yesterday afternoon. On my drive home I was seething. I was silent for the entire hour+ ride and that had my children worried. They know when my jaw is clenched so tight that the muscle is twitching that I am on the verge of tears. Once the tears come, safety returns, but until then it is a danger zone around me.
So what had me so upset? Let me explain.
I had to go to Lowes for some supplies and I don’t like driving all that way for just one reason. So we try to make a day of it and get things done. I decided we would pick up my nieces so they could spend their spring break up on the mountain and we had lunch. We also wanted to stop by a few leads I had for getting I Am Ocilla into some shops. As I’ve mentioned before, it is really hard getting POD books stocked on shelves. There was a coffee shop that had shown interest a few months back and there was a Christian book store. I didn’t necessarily think they would, but it never hurts to ask…or so I thought.
First we stopped at the coffee shop. My dorky writer eyes spotted this sign at the furniture store beside it and I had the good sense to snap that shot for all of you. Aren’t you glad I was prepared? I went in and asked the owner if he would be interested in carrying a local artist. I handed him my sell sheet and a copy of I Am Ocilla to look at. He took the time to read the sheet and flip the pages of the book. He wasn’t interested and that was fine. I understand and his “no” was kind enough.
We left and moved on to hunting down the Christian book store. It was located in a good place right across from the college and the hospital. My sister and I went in and I asked the man at the counter if they might be interested in carrying my girl. I handed him my sell sheet and a copy of I Am Ocilla. He scanned the sell sheet and crinkled his nose as he looked at the cover. He told me he didn’t know if they would be able to. As a matter of fact, he thought they would probably pass. No questions about the book other than…”Oh, it’s not a Christian book?”
I told him it was a Christian book and asked if they wanted to keep a copy to review. I’m fully aware of the gamble a retailer takes when they put your book on the shelf. If they have read it and love it, they are more likely to recommend it to their customers. So I thanked him for his time and left, leaving the copy.
My sister stayed inside and purchased a few items. When she came out she told me the man asked if her sister was into witchcraft. My mouth gaped. Seriously, it did. I may have drooled on myself. It felt like a punch to my gut. Was it the way I looked? I did brush my hair. I have no weird piercings and my makeup is fairly light. My clothes were clean and I bathed the night before. I even had matching shoes on. So why, oh why did this man say that?
It seems my sister asks him why he would say something like that. He answered the reason was because there were Dragons and Fairies and such in my book. This was the kick to my head. When my sister told me this it took every bit of will I had to not go back in and yank my precious book from his judgmental fingers. And it took all of my strength to restrain myself from going in and punching him in his pie-hole.
I know violence solves nothing, but my knee-jerk reaction was the thought of my fist in his mouth. That is the honest truth. So what stopped me? He’s stupid. He judged a book by its cover and didn’t give me or Ocilla a chance. The hippy at the coffee shop was kinder than the man that represents himself as my brother in Christ.
So again, what stopped me from going back in and at least taking back my book? God did. I am as sure of that as I am that my name is Diane and my hair is crazy. You cannot fight stupid with stupid. Period. That and everything happens for a reason.
I have heard talk in the Christian writing circles of this sort of thing and to be honest, I thought maybe it was an exaggeration. I was wrong. The strange stuff scares people. It makes them feel uncomfortable and out of their safety zone. They hear magic, dragons, fairies and elves and they think evil. This hurts me deep because I see God in all things. I want them to know that God cannot be boxed.
This is what I think. If talking vegetables can be used for God’s glory, then so can talking animals, Fairies, Giants, Elves, Dwarves, and Dragons. The Good News should never be confined and the fact that some don’t see that is a shame. I choose to not do stupid. Instead, I give the man at the book store my award, but with the hope he will give it back after he has given my girl a chance. Never know what God has planned.
Have you ever had an experience like this? One in which satan tries to use your brothers and sisters in Christ to be a stumbling block? How did you act…or react?
Peace, love and God’s will
My Dearest Youngest Daughter,
In the first place, why would a person into witchcraft take their book into a christian bookstore to try and sell it? Second of all why would he (Mr. stupid) ask your sister such a question? And last but not least, why did he not give the book back to your sister and simply decline. Methinks this gentleman must have a set of wooden racks in the back room that he has spent too much time in. LOL. All joking aside, I think we should pray extra hard for Mr. stupid.
Yep. Prayer is always best.
The thought behind this would be to bring awareness to Christians that there is more than one true God. Or that the one true God can be worshiped in many ways. I have known people who believe both of these aspects. I have a friend who used to be wicca. She said she reverted back to Christianity when she realized there was no power in wicca. DUH!!!
There is only one True God and there is only one Way to Him, but He is in all things if we choose to seek Him out. The Word of God should be etched into our hearts and this will give us discernment to see what is real and what is false.
Diane, I totally agree. There is POWER in GOD’s Holy Word!!!
Unfortunately, my experience is that the Christians are more judgemental, less accepting, and generally less friendly. I wish I couldn’t say that, but it has been true, multiple times, in my life. I too, have left books with those who, in my estimation, didn’t “deserve” a free copy. I’m glad you have a feeling it was for good when you did it because I have the feeling mine went straight into the garbage. Oh wait. Several DID turn up on Amazon and were sold as “Like New”. Sold after I gave it away, taking the loss out of MY pocket. Talk about a slap in the face.
Fun swimming with the sharks, isn’t it?
I do have the crazy-hair to help protect against the shark bites and I do have several other swimmers that have circle in a school with me.
I’ve experienced the same situation. My husband’s first children’s book is about a realistic Santa Kloss who lives in Norway. We’ve been told that Christians don’t do Santa, and secular readers don’t like seeing a nativity (there is one at the end of the book). My husband uses the term “Christ Day” instead of Christmas. At one school reading he was asked to say Christmas instead. Dan said – you do realize that Christmas is Christ Mass? She said no – don’t put a break in the word – say it this way. Then she demonstrated how to say the word. My husband did as she requested. Another school would not even let him in to read.
Christians are much more judgmental imo. At several Christian bookstores we have held book signings, we have been asked the same thing and had to learn how to market ourselves so Christians see that Papa (Santa Kloss) is a believer.
Prayer is the answer. Prayer for a closed mind to be opened. Prayer for God to work in their lives to His end. That is how we have chosen to handle this difficult issue.
PS: I don’t believe you are a witch and I have almost finished your book. I believe Christ is first and foremost in your life!!!
Thank you, Jan.
I had someone tell me I wasn’t a Christian because I like the Harry Potter books.
They weren’t kidding.
Nice when people know your heart like God does, right? We will have to laugh it off, nephew.
I’m a Christian and I totally liked the Harry Potter books. It was classic Good vs Evil!!! with the good winning. Some people need to see reality. I truly believe they were not kidding. But I will also bet they did not read the books, so they did not even know what they were talking about when they prejudged you Christopher.
Too true. And these people have a double standard, as well. Their problem with Harry Potter is “good witchcraft” and yet most still allow Oz into their homes, or Star Wars, or movies about talking veggies…
I’m proud of you, my friend. Not only for choosing your reactions carefully, but for gracing the world with your beautiful story. Ocilla will touch lives. Perhaps that’s why the religious spirit wants to shut her down so badly.
Keep going, Di. your readership needs you.
Thank you, Kathy. You always warm my heart. xxoo
I laughed at the piercings, and find it funny that he asked me, as well, since I happen to have two facial piercings.
I know, right? Thank you for the cheesecake today.
I’m sure that will happen to me once my book is out
At one of the churches my husband was a pastor at, one of his elders handed him an essay he had written. The thesis was fairies are evil. I wondered what the man would think if he knew what the pastor’s wife wrote 
I rarely told people what I wrote. They just knew I was a writer (and being a nice, quiet pastor’s wife, I’m sure they thought it was some bonnet book). Very soon, they will know…
Oh, you have a secret.
I hope they all have open hearts and see you are glorifying God in your work.
We’re not there anymore. But my husband and I talked about what we would do if whatever church we were at had a problem with what I wrote. Being the great man that he is, he would support me first
Although I don’t think that’s going to be a problem at our new church. They are already excited about my fantasy book coming out.
I hear ya, Diane. One of my sisters-in-law recently ripped into my 14yo child for reading Artemis Fowl, a YA fantasy series…the really stupid part was that the books were recommended to us by the *other* SIL, who is the most conservative Christian person in the family. So, Auntie Stupid (who has been that stupid before to others) just ruined yet another family relationship for herself.
Yep. We own all of the Atremis Fowl books. Peyton LOVED them. Eion Colfer is a funny guy and his writing is a wonderful good time. We can’t fix stupid and if we are strong, we can stop ourselves from smacking the tar out of them.
I’m not sure I will be that strong next time. It’s one thing when she does it to me, another when my kids are hurt by it!
That is a fact. I’m not sure my restraint would extend to my children’s protection. As a matter of fact, I am almost positive that I would annihilate anyone that tried to hurt my children.
I’m not sure how this rude man would have reacted to me. See, I am a witch. No piercings, hair brushed, and definitely not Goth. I’ve been a practising Pagan for 20 years now. He is sadly lacking in the common sense department.
I am very sorry you were spoken of in such a way, not least because this man demonstrates how lacking in knowledge he really is about what “normal” Pagans really look like.
Hi, nanlt,
Thanks for stopping by. It is the assumptions and lack of common sense and courtesy that get me. And he was rude but in a sneaking way that I think may be worse than straightforward rudeness. I can’t change him or anyone else. What I can do is not be that way myself and try to teach my children the same.
He also was extremely judgmental which goes against what he says he believes in – the teachings of Jesus. I feel sorry for his closed mindedness and unwillingness to explore new concepts.
Yes, ma’am. My thoughts exactly.
Anything “different” must be suspect. I have young children, and one adult child. I cannot teach them to be true to who they are if I pretend to be something I am not.