Illegal Immigration - The Musical

We are a pretty straight-forward bunch out here and most people's attitude toward illegal immigration is, "What part of illegal do you not understand?"  In small towns across the state there is a movement going on to vote for "Arizona-type" illegal immigration laws even though they are two thousand miles from the border.  In Fremont, Nebraska, although they have been warned that passing the laws will result in multi-million dollar litigation that will likely bankrupt their town, the citizens have voted overwhelmingly in favor of the law that prohibits anyone from providing jobs or housing to illegals within the city limits.

The irony is that most of the illegals work in packing plants located outside the city limits, and live in trailer parks also located outside the city limits.

Each time I hear about the anit-immigration lawyers trying to come in and stir the pot, I can't help comparing the Fremont situation to "The Music Man".   The outside agitator marching around town, "Oh, we got trouble!  Right here in River City.  It starts with a "T" and that rhymes with, uh, "I" and that stands for Immigrant, my friends!"  Trouble-Trouble-Trouble-Trouble "Now let me tell you about the words they use in them there barrios.  They say words like, 'Jalapeno' and 'Gringo' and 'Feliz Na-vi-da'!"

In this musical, which I will never write, the illegals decide they need to invite the neighbors to a show so they can better get to know them.  They decide to put on a circus, called, "Circus Ole!"

Here's a quote for the day

Most people believe that others share values similar to their own -- and this leads to no end of suspicions and other mischievous behavior.

I've been an indie writer all my life

I keep reading about the revolution that is coming into full swing: authors going or staying independent to spite the Big Publisher system.   The same electronic forces that toppled the dictator in Eygpt and threaten  totalitarian governments globally can lead to a similar destruction of the publishing world, starting with the large bookstores before it gets to the agent/editor/publisher circle.

I completely bought into the system.  After I wrote Morning Ran Red, my dreams were of being anoited by a publishing house.  I knew it was a great book.  But it didn't matter.  Not until it was blessed.  Finally I worked with a small local publisher to get the book in print.  It sold 5,000 hardcover copies the first day.  5,000 the first day of the second run.  5,000 the first day of the third run.  Then 150,000 copies in paperback.  The paperback publisher filed bankruptcy and I didn't see a dime.  But, wow, almost 200,000 people were out there carrying around my book.  I loved the idea of it.  A review house said it was an infectious read he couldn't put down.  A newspaper said it was better than In Cold Blood.  And Clive Cussler added a blurb that I was one of the top mystery writers. 

Still, after all this, I had an aching that my work was never blessed by the Gods of publishing.  Then one day a little old lady recognized me on the street and said, "I just want you to know that I stopped reading books forty years ago.  But I picked yours up and I loved it.  You convinced me to start reading again!"

I realised that I had forgotten why I started writing in the first place.

Now the e-book versions of my books are enjoying a resurgence and it is so exciting to think that a whole new audience is enjoying my work.