We’ve made it. Order your copy of The Ballad of Stevie Pearl, available today: Amazon, Apple, Lulu, and My Website.
What a ride… Getting to this day — today — has been nothing short of 12 rounds with Apollo Creed. Instead of Rocky, battered and bruised, yelling “Adrien!” — you’ve got me waking up with splitting headache in the bed of a pickup truck whispering “Stievie…” (if you know, you know).
I’ve never been called a racist, misogynist, worthless, untalented piece of shit in my entire life — until I wrote this story. I’ve never received 1 star reviews. I’ve never faced so much vitriol simply because I held a mirror up to the world.
The story is an easy-to-consume mashup. It takes the highest end of elitism, the lowest end of subjugation, a diverse collection of characters and personalities, rouge corporatism, and it all culminates with one of the most horrific and inexcusable tragedies that happens daily in our society. Didn’t get your happy ending? Neither have the tens of thousands of missing and murdered Native Americans that our polished media just won’t cover.
I’m saying it right here, right now — it’s a good frickin’ story.
Maybe I could have found different vehicles — a different method to deliver the same point. Maybe I should have written Franklin out of the book? Maybe Alex didn’t have to be Native American? Stevie probably shouldn’t have been another rich white woman? Maybe a middle class, straight, white man shouldn’t have written this story at all??
I’ve alluded to the struggle of publishing this book, but I never told the story. I’m not going to allow this book to become about me. I am not the victim. But, boy… what a truly eye-opening experience it has been. Nevertheless, here we are. We made it. Release day. The world will have the chance to experience Stevie if they choose to, which is exactly how it should be.
I hope that people read it. I greatly thank all that already have, and left reviews. Told their friends and family about it. I’m just a guy… I have no corporate backing, no marketing machine, no influence or awareness. These characters now live and die with you. And I really hope that you carry them with you.
"The biggest mistake I made was believing that if I cast a beautiful net, I would catch only beautiful things…”
SW Hammond
