Morality and Thomas Jefferson

Until February 15th, the newly constructed Mormon temple in Gilbert, Arizona, USA will be giving inside tours to the public. This is noteworthy because, once the building is dedicated only those members of the church who are in good standing can enter.

So what do we do in there that's so secret? Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints visit the temple to be instructed and to renew promises we've made to God. (Such as keeping the commandments and trying to emulate Christ through service to others.)

Inside (and only inside) we wear distinctive clothing that symbolizes our relationship with God and our duty as His children. We treat this apparel with great respect and keep it private because of its sacred nature.

In case you're wondering, I'll be making my point soon.

Last week I went with my family and some friends (not Mormon) to tour the interior. It was a very peaceful experience, but coming out of the parking lot, my wife and I noticed a man on the corner of the busy intersection. He was wearing the distinctive white temple clothing over the top of shorts and a t-shirt, while holding a sign that read: THE DEVIL'S HOUSE.

It was an unpleasant shock to say the least. My wife felt sick for a while afterward. It was disturbing to see something so special to us being made fun of.

Now the point. What the man was doing was perfectly legal. He wasn't hurting anyone.

But was what he was doing moral?

Depends on who you ask. The man surely thought he was doing the public a service by warning them against the Mormons. To me and my wife, it felt very amoral, indeed. The vast majority of people, however, would probably not have an opinion one way or the other.

Here's another example:

Should the paparazzi harass celebrities the way they do? Is it morally right?

Depends on what we're doing at the time. In movies, when a star is pestered by impolite cameramen, we think, "What a bunch of jerks. They shouldn't be allowed to do that." Meanwhile, on our coffee table, sits the latest issue of US Weekly.

Trying to define morality is like trying to determine whether the metric system is more useful than feet and inches. Everyone has an opinion and each thinks theirs is right.

Author and blogger Victoria Strauss (among others) has expressed concern that the Story Surgeon eBook Editing App may violate the moral rights of authors. She suggested that because my reasons for developing the app were moral in the first place (I wanted it to take the mature content out of books for my kids), that it was time I addressed the moral rights of the authors who's works this app would affect.

Unfortunately, that's easier said than done. The very definition supplied by one of my detractors, illustrates how illusive the concept is. "The scope of a creator's moral rights is unclear, and differs with cultural conceptions of authorship and ownership..." The Moral Rights Basics page goes on to list what may be included in the author's moral rights, such as preventing her work from being altered without her permission.

In other words, a three-year-old with a crayon may violate the author's moral rights. A mother changing Bilbo's gender for her daughter, may violate them as well.

According to the Berne Convention (which was quoted to me with great enthusiasm in the comments section of Victoria's article) if an author feels any of these acts are "prejudicial to [her] honor or reputation" she can bring legal action to the perpetrators. In Europe at least, they can apparently prevent a ten-year-old girl from putting stickers over the bad words before she lends the book to her friend.

Are you starting to see why the Berne Convention isn't recognized in the US? It's an ethereal concept that's impossible to define fully or enforce. (Unless you're going to install cameras in all the books to make sure there's nothing going on that would adversely affect the author's vision.)

The one who tauted the Convention's ideals made it sound like Europe was on the cutting edge and it was only a matter of time before the US recognized how important it was to legislate the enforcement of an author's moral rights.

No.

The US is very familiar with the Berne Convention. (It's been around since 1886.) The reason they don't enforce it is the same reason the don't send the police to arrest the man with the DEVIL'S HOUSE sign. It's the same reason they allow the US flag to be burned in public.

We may not agree with it. We may think it's in poor taste. It may infuriate us. (It does me.) But to a mother who lost a son in Vietnam, it may be the most moral thing she knows.

So what does the Story Surgeon App have in common with a teacher skipping pages of a book as she runs out of class reading time? Everything.

Yes, my app allows readers to make changes more easily, but they still do it. Through the act of searching, downloading, and applying the filters, they are making these changes to their own property. Will the authors feel that this is prejudicial to their honor and reputation? Maybe. But at least in the US, that's beside the point.

Now in the first half of this blog post (that's right, it's only half over!) I've no doubt come across as an extremist, prone to hyperbole, with no sympathy for an author's feelings or rights.

This is not accurate. I feel passionately about our rights as Americans, but I also feel passionately about writing. As an author of three (unpublished) novels I know how our works become like our children. We are protective of them. If I'm honest with myself, the idea of someone not appreciating my vision and possibly changing my words is disturbing.

But just as I didn't yell out the window at the guy on the corner, I won't delude myself into thinking I can control how people receive my books.


Almost done, I promise. There is one other reason I think The Story Surgeon App is All-American.

As someone recently reminded me on Twitter, Thomas Jefferson was dissatisfied with some parts of the Bible. He didn't just move on to something else that interested him more (as some have suggested I do) he took the time to make changes to someone else's work because the book already meant so much to him. Although I don't agree with what he did in a religious sense, (and I certainly don't use the Jefferson Bible), I know exactly why he did what he did. And he had every right to do it.

For that matter so does every religion that has their own distinct copy or "translation" of the Bible. If Moses and Paul could see all the changes that have been made to their history, they might feel their honor and reputation had been harmed. They certainly wouldn't be happy about it.

But it is precisely because so many people copied the book and made it their own that is has become the single most widely read book in the world. (Of course I think the content also had something to do with that.) But the Bible was the original "living" book.

The only difference is, if Story Surgeon had been available in the first century, in addition to having all the various versions of the Bible, each one of us would have the original, and Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John would be trillionaires.

Neil Gaiman seems to understand the importance of giving fans a little freedom of their own to create. Although he was speaking of fan fiction, the principles are just as applicable to Story Surgeon Filters:

".... I do understand that there are gray areas, and I think of fan fiction as existing in them. I know authors who love fan fiction based on their characters. I know authors who have formally attempted to stamp it out. I'm just sort of [shrug] about it.....As long as no body's making money from it that should be an author or creator's, I don't mind it. And I think it does a lot of good." 

And most important:

"But I'd hope you'd see it as a privilege and not a right."

Great authors have used their talents to inspire and teach the entire world. There are very few who can do (well) what they do. Despite my tough talk about entitlement and my own rights, I have a deep respect for artists and authors in particular. And I will comply with their wishes in regard to their works.

If the Story Surgeon App is determined legal and becomes a reality, it will not allow users to make filters of books who's author has expressly denied their permission. Also, to prevent misuse and piracy, the app will not allow the user to save the filter any place but on the main sharing site, where illegal filters will be flagged and removed.

Some people will be satisfied with this. Many won't. But until the world can decide on which version of the Bible to believe, I'll be making each book my own. Be it with a complicated app, or a Sharpie.



Thanks for the picture gilbertmormontemple.com
Thanks http://www.workinghomeguide.com/13981/really-gizmodo-cheap-paparazzi-stunts-for-pageviews for the paparazzi pic.
Thanks http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2013/06/man_burns_flag_downtown_gets_a.php for the flag pic.
Thanks http://www.biography.com/people/thomas-jefferson-9353715 for the pic of Jefferson
Thanks http://www.christians-standing-with-israel.org/Theological-Background-Christian-Zionism-Reconsideration.html for the pic of the scroll

The Most Important Blog Post I Will Ever Write

I just returned from my grandpa's 90th birthday party. This is him as a Merchant Marine in WWII.

Here's another picture of him taken about a year ago. One day I hope to be half as amazing as him.

Sadly, while Grandpa Chuck was recounting war stories this evening, it was hard for me to give him my full attention. I was thinking about Victoria Strauss's article and feeling mildly sick. Don't get me wrong, I'm actually grateful Ms. Strauss took the time to write such a thorough analysis of my Story Surgeon App idea. Copyrights, censorship, and fan fiction are all very touchy subjects and it seems my kickstarter campaign has stirred up a passionate debate.

The Writer Beware blog presents a compelling argument against the legality of my app, while others on TeleRead and The Digital Reader claim it successfully skirts the copyright laws. (While author Cory Doctorow says "There is no way that it is a copyright infringement--or even a bad idea--for readers to choose, privately, in what order they read the books that they lawfully possess." Find his response to Strauss's article here.)

To me, the question of whether the app will be (or can be used for) copyright infringement is moot. If the court (or a lawyer I trust) tells me what I'm proposing isn't legal, I'll cease and desist. The real question is what authors feel they have to lose by "allowing" this app to exist.

When I explained the debate to my dad tonight he seemed confused. "What's in it for you?" he asked. I think what he meant was, "Why are you putting yourself in the line of fire and setting yourself up for possible litigation when you're not even going to charge for the app or the filters? Why would you risk that?"

I gave part of my answer in my last blog post, although perhaps I was a little harsh on Mr. Rothfuss. Despite my dissatisfaction with parts of his second novel, I still enjoyed it immensely. (I gave it a four-star review.) But what this book brought into conflict was my love of great literature and my love of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I hesitate to bring religion into this since many do not share my beliefs or values, but I think to understand why I would champion such an "app for copyright infringement" as Ms. Strauss called it, one needs to understand my dilemma.

There are many people that are passionate about books. They live and breathe the fictional worlds of their favorite authors and those author's words are sacred. Even if those words are disturbing or vulgar.

There are many people who are passionate about keeping their minds and bodies pure. They believe this life is the time to prepare to meet God and as such, try to avoid (or help their kids to avoid) amoral influences or media that could make it difficult to feel the Holy Ghost to guide them. For them, the answer is a no-brainer: Stay away from books with mature content.

The problem I'm facing is that I'm firmly entrenched in both groups and feel like I'm being ripped in two. There is so much great literature out there (especially when you read books intended for adults) that has profanity, graphic violence, and explicit sex. Things the majority of the literary world would just shrug at.

For years, the way I coped (and the way I believe many other conservative readers cope) is to buy exclusively YA lit. Generally books written for young adults have less mature content than those for an older audience. However, this is becoming less true of late. In my own reading, I've noticed a significant increase in adult content in books marketed toward teens. While some applaud this as a triumph for free speech, others (like this WSJ children's book reviewer see this is as lack of judgement on the part of adults).   

This app idea (I thought) would be the tool that bridged the two sides. Why complain to the school and get The Color Purple banned, when you can simply download a filter that will tweak the content to make it more appropriate for your child. Isn't that what the TV networks do when they substitute "freak" when the movie character is obviously saying something else? Young students can still learn the great lessons and appreciate the historical (and social) significance of this powerful book without being fully exposed to the darkest sides of human nature. When they've matured, if they choose to read the original, it will be an informed decision. Not one forced on them by teachers who don't hold their values.

I was selfish in developing this app. I wanted to find the best books out there and tweak them a bit, so my friends and family (most of whom are very conservative readers) can enjoy them as much as I did. In my own mind, I was helping to enlarge the market for authors such as Patrick Rothfuss. (It makes sense to me, seeing as how owning a Clearplay DVD player allows me (and thousands of others) to watch movies I wouldn't otherwise rent.)

So the question isn't "Why is Ryan Hancock trying to mutilate these authors' visions?"

Rather it should be, "Why would Ryan Hancock choose an author's vision over the teachings of his God?"

The answer is that I wouldn't. Despite my love of great stories, if I was told I could not develop the Story Surgeon app I would have to give up many of my favorite books. Neither would I feel I could recommend them to my friends. Many will see this decision as extreme or fanatic, but if I'm forced to choose, God will always win. This may seem trite or even offensive to some who worship a more liberal God, but the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (or Mormons) are not exactly ambiguous. We need to stand up for values that have long since been devalued by the world in general. I intend to do that. And I intend to do it legally.

Despite the heated opposition, I believe this app to be legal and what's more, to be of benefit to authors and families in particular. If you don't agree, I'd appreciate hearing your side. Please feel free to share your reasons in the comments section. For those who agree with me, please make your voice heard. There aren't a lot of us out there feeling torn between our books and our beliefs, but there are enough.

And I hope there are enough people out there who although they might not share my particular beliefs or values, can at least see my Story Surgeon dream not as hate mail to all those published authors, but as the most sincere and heartfelt fan letter I've ever written.

(Thanks to http://smilingldsgirl.com/tag/jesus-christ/ for the picture of Christ)

How a Shoddy Sequel Inspired Me to Spend $15K

It all began with The Wise Man's Fear. The book is the second in Patrick Rothfuss's fantasy series, and he completely botched it. He took the character I loved and turned him into an unrecognizable thief and womanizer. He filled an obscene number of pages with obscenities and completely random sex.  The first book could be considered PG, the second was R, bordering on NC-17. Even the violence had suddenly crossed genres into horror.

WHY!? I asked myself many times. It could have been my new Harry Potter. I would've shared it with the world. (I already had shared Name of the Wind with everyone who would listen to me.) But this? How could Rothfuss think this was a sequel?

Over the years I'd searched for a eBook "clean-up" service akin to Clearplay (for DVDs) and been disappointed. It was Wise Man's Fear that clenched it for me. There needed to be a way for me to make the sequel into the book it was supposed to be. There had to be a way for me to clean up my favorite novels, so I could let my mom and little brothers read them (without losing their innocence.)

There wasn't. But there will be. I started my own development company. I've hired a team of programmers that assure me this can be done. On a small scale at first. IPad only, with file sharing on Dropbox or GoogleDrive. Then we'll branch out. We'll get our own servers and make sharing easy. I know it will change the way we read books. The only question is when.

If I manage to raise $15,000 in the next thirty days on Kickstarter, I'll add $1,500 of my own, then the app can be finished by May. It will be available free of charge for an extended period allowing the user base to grow quickly. More users mean more great filters, more ratings, more platforms.

But if my grassroots campaign isn't enough, it will take longer. I'll take out a loan. I'll have to charge for the app. The user pool will grow slowly. There won't be as many shared filters to try out. I'll become obsessed with creating the needed filters and neglect my family and job. I'll be fired, lose my home, computer, and most important, my internet access. The Story Surgeon General Blog will fizzle and with it, a dream that might have changed the world.

And so I ask for your help. Not to donate, (although do that if you want) but to spread the word. The most important thing is to get this to people that feel as passionate about it as I do. People that have been looking for a way to live in their favorite books, or to protect their kids from mature content in literature. You find those people and they'll make sure this happens.

Here is the Press Release

Here is the Kickstarter Campaign

In the meantime, I'll be the one trying desperately not to neglect his job and family. 

Another Guest Review - His Majesty's Dragon - (PG) - and My First Page

If you're interested in reading or critiquing the first page of my YA sci-fi novel, check out this blog contest:
Miss Snark's First Victim: January Secret Agent #4

Tomorrow marks the start of the Kickstarter campaign for my eBook editing app, but today I'm excited to post a review by a new Guest Surgeon.

Dr. Burdsal is Executive Editor and Co-founder of Wordshop Editing. Here's her SSG review of His Majesty's Dragon:

SURGEON GENERAL RATING - PG

His Majesty's Dragon is the first installment in the 9-book Temeraire Series.  The characters were well-rounded, and there are some unique and lovable aspects of the world (specifically the relationships between the captains and their dragons). The setting was excellent, complete with historic realism in dialogue.

Language - None

Sexuality - Mild

Violence - Mild

Adult Themes - A few

Since it is set in the British military during the Napoleonic Wars, some sections read like a war report. Discussions on battle can get a little heavy and hard to follow. This makes the book ill-suited to younger readers. 

Swearing in the book is limited to antiquated British slurs, like "blast." There is no explicit sexual content, but there are adult themes like illegitimacy, as well as some innuendo that leads to a relationship of "sleepovers." The author tastefully skips over any nighttime scenes.

His Majesty's Dragon gets a (PG) rating for content.  

Four stars. 

The Star Ratings on this site are inversely based on amount of mature material found in the books. 

The less objectionable, the content, the more stars it earns.

Special Thanks to Dr. Burdsal for her review. You can follow her on Twitter or Goodreads.

My Filmmaking Debut - and Two Awesome Websites for Parents

The greatest thing about blogging is connecting with incredible people and learning new things. This past week I've learned of two separate companies (Clean Teen Publishing and Focus on the Family) that are dedicated to helping parents make informed decisions about literature for their kids.

Sound familiar? Turns out they do a much better job than Story Surgeon General. The timing couldn't be more perfect, however, since with the launching of my kickstarter project on January 16th, this blog will focus less on book reviews and more on the iPad app and filter sharing. (Although I still plan to spotlight specific books and their content.)

Although I'll be discussing the Kickstarter project again in a few days, I wanted to share this promo video that I made with my kids. (I think you'll see why I wasn't accepted into the BYU film program.) But at least it explains a little about how the eBook Editing App works (and what it is NOT.)

Guest Post - The Book Thief - (PG-13)

SURGEON GENERAL RATING - PG-13

With the recent release of the movie, The Book Thief is receiving a lot of attention. Although I only made it halfway through, (not a huge fan of literary fiction) my blogger friend was awesome enough to share her review. Here is Dr. Bradford's review:

Language - Moderate

Sexuality - None

Violence - Mild

Adult Themes - Some

I avoided reading The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. Whenever it came up, all I heard was “…a book set in Nazi Germany…” and I tuned out. Like most of the world, I want to forget such times of pain and suffering. Choosing to believe in a world where people are kind and loving, I shy away from the tales of ugliness and heartless humanity. However, I also understand that to forget is a disservice to those who suffered, died and survived. They deserve to be remembered, and in remembering we have a greater chance to prevent such atrocities from happening again. 

My book group chose this book for our February discussion, so I dutifully picked it up at the library and commenced reading. It only took three days, and I enjoyed it. All of it. The suffering, the pain and ugliness was there, but it took second seat to the love that filled the main character’s lives. Liesel, Rudy, Hans, Rosa, Max. I knew what was coming, but Zusak allows you to feel the little joys, hopes and small acts of kindness that allowed people to continue living. A snowman in a basement, accordion music, silver eyes, a boy with yellow hair, and the power of words. Yes, my heart was broken in the end, but I shared something larger than myself, and hopefully came away with a small piece of the hard learned lessons of those dark years. 

Although tyranny can force you to behave in certain ways to prolong your life or that of your loved ones, there are ways to stay true to the moral fibers that burn in your soul. Small acts of kindness often mean the most. When death finally comes, will you be one of the souls that sit up and come lightly because “more of [you] has already found [its] way to other places”?

Go HERE to see the rest of the review

 (including a clip of Mark Zusak)

The Book Thief gets an (PG-13) rating for content.  

Three stars. 

The Star Ratings on this site are inversely based on amount of mature material found in the books. 

The less objectionable, the content, the more stars it earns.

Thank our Guest Surgeon by following her blog
and checking out her very own books!

Charity Bradford
The Magic Wakes (WiDo Publishing, 2013)

Stellar Cloud: A Collection of Short Stories (September 2013)
Website-charitybradford.com
Blog-My Writing Journey
Facebook Page

Red Rising - (R)

SURGEON GENERAL RATING - R

Set for publication at the end of January, Red Rising is a dystopian novel in the vein of Hunger Games. Although the advance reader copy (ARC) I received in exchange for a review may be subject to change, I've recorded all the material that readers (and parents) should be aware of. (And there is a lot.)

Language - Moderate

Sexuality - Moderate

Violence - Heavy

Adult Themes - Numerous

Red Rising tells the story of Darrow, a seventeen-year-old from a slave class that sets out to undertake his own brand of social reform. The result is bloody, disturbing, and strangely gripping. It's not to the level of horror, but more like a gritty war tale. Definitely not appropriate for younger teens. It makes Hunger Games seem like Saturday morning cartoons.

Red Rising gets an (R) rating for content.  

Two stars. 

The Star Ratings on this site are inversely based on amount of mature material found in the books. 

The less objectionable, the content, the more stars it earns.