About Whispers: The United States of Christ
After much consideration and careful deliberation - and in light of the ongoing malicious attacks on POC, Jewish people, the LGBTQ+ community, transgender people, drag performers/venues, and others, as well as the heightened white supremacist activity and terrorism in the US (and technically across the world) and an uptick in their disgusting propaganda, etc. - I have made a very painful decision to put a hold on the timely release of new episodes for my Kindle Vella Story, "Whispers: The United States of Christ."
I'm not going to unpublish it or even mark the story complete, because it is nowhere close to being finished or over. And I am not giving up on it entirely. I will continue to write new episodes and will occasionally publish those new ones. I just won't be following a schedule or doing weekly releases at this time.
First - let me say this and get it out of the way - THIS IS NOT THEM WINNING! I am NOT doing this because I'm scared of them (although they can be scary and are always dangerous), or backing down, or taking a seat. I will continue to stand up for what is right and will continue to speak out even when it's not easy or comfortable.
I am, in fact, doing this for these two reasons:
1. I've come to realize that sadly, the audience who I felt needed to read it (a cautionary story such as this one) THE MOST is likely not ever going to. (even if ALL the episodes were free) Those who have been on the fence, and unwilling to make a stand - those who have been silent and continue to remain silent even when their friends and loved ones or others in their communities are being attacked for simply being themselves or simply existing - are the audience I hoped to reach the most when I started writing this story. But as things progressively worsen in America (and across the world), they are STILL silent and unwilling, and clearly, they consider this story to be "too uncomfortable" for them. And I won't even go there with the "you know if something like this were to actually happen, it wouldn't just be "the gays" who would be targeted," comments by straight white people who didn't even take the time to read any of the free episodes, which would have answered their own darn question, before attacking me.😑🥴
2. The other reason is that in light of recent events - like the recent targeted killings of gay people and allies at a gay club in Colorado and the continuous and ongoing attacks on drag story time or drag shows (two totally different things btw, grr) in addition to the attacks on transgender people across the country, and the vile and dangerous racist and antisemitic rhetoric being spewed and the violence being pushed, "suggested" and encouraged by certain politicians and/or those in positions of influence or power - (in light of these things) those who ARE willing and want to read this cautionary story, can hardly stomach it right now with everything going on. I myself had to take a break in writing the next episode after what happened in Colorado. Episode 8 went live the night before I woke up to the news. And I still haven't been able to finish writing and editing episode 9 even though it's the episode introducing the "good guys."
When I had the idea for the story and began this journey, I did so as much for myself, as anyone else. I felt it was a better and healthier way to deal with and cope with the rage I felt (and still feel) in response to the injustices happening every day, rather than just rage posting on social media to vent.
As an individual, a woman, a gay woman, a white woman married to a black woman, a mother, and as a member of a two-mom family, it is easy to feel powerless against all the hate. Easy to feel like my one voice could never make a difference. And so this was just one way for me to feel a little more seen and heard. One way to make a difference. And hopefully, reach just one person who really needed to read this story as much as I needed to write it, and perhaps even help someone else find their voice.
And maybe one day that will happen.
Like I said - I'm not going to unpublish or even mark the story as complete. Because it is nowhere close to being finished or over. And I'm not giving up on it entirely. I will continue to write new episodes (it really has been a great way to cope) and will occasionally publish those new ones. But only occasionally, unless Whispers somehow gains a readership, at which time I will reconsider and take another look at my original plan/goal of dropping an episode or two a week.
Despite the fact that it's sometimes painful and challenging to write, I have really enjoyed peeling back the layers of the characters in this story and the troubling and dangerous world they are navigating. And in light of this decision, I have also decided to announce the main character's name even though the episode announcing it, episode 9, hasn't yet been finished.
My plan was to finally reveal the main character's name (the author of the journal entries) at the end of the coming episode. But what the heck! Readers already know that Amora Begay is a strong, fiercely protective, quiet, wise, skilled, unique woman and they know her wife, Mrs. Lexi Begay, the author of the journal entries, to be every bit as strong, courageous, and fierce as Amora. And now they'll have a name for this courageous woman, the author of the journal, which will play a much bigger role later on when the rest of the story unfolds.
If you're still reading, (I know this is a long one) I just want to say thank you to those who have been encouraging and supportive from day one, and again give a big shout-out to my biggest fans, for always believing in me and in this story. And to my wife, Christina Washington @darkaries for inspiring me, and helping me shape and name the characters (especially Amora)
It has been an honor and a pleasure to write Whispers.
So this is not a farewell. I guess it's more like a "to be continued at a later date" kind of announcement.
And as always, *these opinions/thoughts are strictly my own and do not express the views/opinions of the platform I publish my story on*
For anyone who may have been following the haunting story of Lexi and Amora Begay, and would like to connect or chat - Please feel free to contact me at [email protected], until I get media accounts and author pages set up for my pen, Octavia Ambrose. (which is on my to-do list)
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