From the moment I began telling friends and co-workers that I was writing this novel, I have been met with resistance.
People have told me this isn’t a subject that most Ozarkers would be interested in.
They do not understand that if you write a book, it will probably be read by people all over the United States and in other countries, not just by people in your county or hometown.
I also face the looming fact that some of our politicians in Jefferson City may have the book banned because of some mild sex (heavy petting as it was called then) and the discussion of the issues of that time (Civil Rights, Vietnam, and the rise of the John Birch Society).
However, one incident has made me realize that the Ozarks and state of Missouri may really get hostile toward my novel over subject matter that you wouldn’t think would raise and eyebrow.
The Batmania of 1966.
Already friends and co-workers have scoffed at the idea of a novel that has the 1966 Batmania at the center of its plot, even though it was inspired by a true story that happened in the Ozarks, but I realized things could get really ugly two years ago, when someone with the Missouri State Highway Patrol hit the wrong button.
Here is what happened: The Highway Patrol was testing a system called the Blue Alert System, which is sends phone text messages, only seen by law enforcement, to alert other law enforcement members that backup is needed because a law officer has been injured or killed.
The system will only work if there is a description of the suspect, the suspect’s vehicle, and a location of the incident.
Sending the word “Test” or “Testing” will not work.
The Highway Patrol felt it was best to use something “fictional” or easy to distinguish from a legitimate bulletin about a dangerous criminal, even though nobody outside of law enforcement would see this message.
Or so they thought.
Someone at the Highway Patrol hit the wrong button and this message went out as an Emergency Alert on the phones of Missouri residents.
Apparently, the Highway Patrol was swamped with complaints from irate people who didn’t want the Patrol to warn them, via their phones, that the Jokermobile might be headed to Missouri.
I’m almost certain about 75-percent of the complaints came from the Ozarks region, because they don’t have a sense of humor.
Most of the complaints had to do with just that very thing, the use of the Joker and Gotham City, even though the Highway Patrol explained that they Blue Alert System would not send a message of ‘Testing’ or “Test Test.’
I realized that this novel will cause Missouri to have a catastrophic meltdown.
I kind of want it that way.
WIP: DYNAMIC DUO OF THE OZARKS 