That was the statement that lit a fire under my sister. I consider my sister to be the kind-hearted one. The who stays objective, focused, cool and calm despite what may be thrown at her. I consider myself the one to protect her and defend her when it seems anyone is trying to rush over her and take her kindness and sereneness for weakness. But on this day, with this statement, I could not even rush in quick enough, I could not get a word in edge-wise. Instead I listened and was so proud of the way Polly handled it.
We were at one of our expos during the 2008 season and we had a woman come up who said she was a teacher at one school or another. She took our book, Sisters Are From Heaven, and begin to read through it. When she got to the end, she looked at us and begin to ask some questions. My sister was taking the lead, as we often would so that neither one of us got tuckered out with all the talk and bustling around from making contacts and sales. The lady said, 'this is a very nice book and I really like it, BUT the God..' and then she made this anguished face...'if you can take the God out I can get a lot of people to buy the book'. At first I do not think Polly truly understood what the woman was saying. Heck we were both tired and it looked as though it took a minute to register. I rose to my feet ready to defend, but then my sister begin to speak. She did not say much except 'Take God out? No way'. The woman tried to defend her point 'well you have to understand that in the school system we have a lot of diversity and different beliefs and some parents don't want to see the word God in the story'. I begin to think we were on Candied Camera or the women was going to say we were being Punked or something. My sister said 'well then they do not have to buy it. We will never take God out of our story, the book is called Sisters Are From Heaven, so it is clear what that means.' I don't think it was so much what Polly said, it was how she said it. It was stated matter of fact and not open for further discussion and the woman understood that. She placed the book back on the pedestal and shrugged and said 'well' and walked off.
I giggled to myself as she and I discussed the nerve of some people to even suggest taking God out of our story after all He has done for us. Nothing seemed more outlandish to us. Has anyone every asked you to take something out or add something to your book or short story that you did not want to do? If so, how did you handle it?
We were at one of our expos during the 2008 season and we had a woman come up who said she was a teacher at one school or another. She took our book, Sisters Are From Heaven, and begin to read through it. When she got to the end, she looked at us and begin to ask some questions. My sister was taking the lead, as we often would so that neither one of us got tuckered out with all the talk and bustling around from making contacts and sales. The lady said, 'this is a very nice book and I really like it, BUT the God..' and then she made this anguished face...'if you can take the God out I can get a lot of people to buy the book'. At first I do not think Polly truly understood what the woman was saying. Heck we were both tired and it looked as though it took a minute to register. I rose to my feet ready to defend, but then my sister begin to speak. She did not say much except 'Take God out? No way'. The woman tried to defend her point 'well you have to understand that in the school system we have a lot of diversity and different beliefs and some parents don't want to see the word God in the story'. I begin to think we were on Candied Camera or the women was going to say we were being Punked or something. My sister said 'well then they do not have to buy it. We will never take God out of our story, the book is called Sisters Are From Heaven, so it is clear what that means.' I don't think it was so much what Polly said, it was how she said it. It was stated matter of fact and not open for further discussion and the woman understood that. She placed the book back on the pedestal and shrugged and said 'well' and walked off.
I giggled to myself as she and I discussed the nerve of some people to even suggest taking God out of our story after all He has done for us. Nothing seemed more outlandish to us. Has anyone every asked you to take something out or add something to your book or short story that you did not want to do? If so, how did you handle it?
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