Hail Readers,
Let me be clear. I’m against censorship. I’m against banning books. In any form. But I also support free speech and that means, yes Freedom of Speech for morons. As long as what you say or express does not endanger public health or safety. Feel free to make an idiot of yourself. Don’t expect me to watch or approve, but knock yourself out.
So that means while I don’t like censorship or banning books, people have the right to speak up and try to get books banned. Everyone is entitled to their opinions. Even morons. Sensing a theme? For as long as books have existed people have tried to get them banned. And mostly failed. Because of this we have a very rich book culture. And in fact, it could be argued its kind of a good thing as Mark Twain did so famously that ‘banning a single book ensures the sale of 100 of its mates.’ I’m paraphrasing but that’s pretty close. So if you’re going to ban books, and again, bad, but if you are…
Sometimes life just works out. Starting October 1st it’s Banned Books Week. My new novel Blood Riders just went on sale this past Tuesday. Do you see where I’m going with this? New book. Just out. Right in time for Banned Books Week.
I’m asking someone out there, just one of you, no wait, 10,000 of you, to raise a ruckus. Call your library and demand Blood Riders be removed from the shelf. March in protest at your local bookstore until they refuse to sell copies. Get in touch with your local media and demand Blood Riders be cast out of your town, heck tell them all my books should be banned and I should go into hiding. Blood Riders is a paranormal. That’s right, I said a paranormal. Vampires. Guns. Violence. Horses. Trains. I don’t even know where to begin on how much this novel is corrupting American values. If it should fall into the wrong hands? Chaos.
So please do what you can. First order a copy of Blood Riders from your favorite bookseller. Then read it. Become so outraged that you go back to your bookstore, buy all the remaining copies and give them to all of your friends. Have your friends read Blood Riders. When they also become outraged, begin a campaign to get the book banned. Write to your Congressman. Email your Mayor. If someone asks why you want to ban Blood Riders don’t say anything. Instead buy them a copy and ask them to read it then join your banning campaign.
To sum up:
1. Visit your local bookseller and buy all their copies.
2. Give them to your friends and have a group reading.
3. Start a ‘Ban Blood Riders’ movement in your community.
4. Call your media, elected leaders and make a “Ban Blood Riders” Facebook page.
Together we can do this!
Thank you,
Your Authorness,
Michael P. Spradlin
P.S. While you are in stores buying all the copies of Blood Riders to keep them from corrupting America, you might as well buy all the copies of The Monster Alphabet, my new picture book. After all. It has monsters. We can’t have that.
