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Deesandy
Member
08-12-2003
| Thursday, July 20, 2006 - 1:04 pm
I am writing a children's book for my daughter and who knows, maybe some publisher would like to pick it up. I am not writing it with that expectation but like I said, you never know! I have a cousin who is a wonderful artist and would be a perfect choice as the illustrator. Not only would it mean a lot to keep the book in the family, if for some reason it did take off he could really use the money. There is a moral issue at hand and I will need to give you the entire story as best I can for you to be able to give your opinion so please bear with me. Christopher grew up in a divorced family. His parents cheated on each other left and right until one of them decided to split. After the divorce this type of behavior continued and the children in this family took a back burner. He lived with his mom most of the time and she went through boyfriend after boyfriend. She treated Christopher terribly and in today's standards he would have been taken away from her. Two things that happened that stand out in my mind is that he once changed his mother's tampon for her and that he was once spanked on his bare bottom by one of her boyfriends when he was a teenager. They moved around a lot too. One period of time they were in Texas and Chris met a girl and got her pregnant. Both were told that they had to get married and they did. They even had a second child. However, when Christopher's son was three years old he came out of the closet to himself. He did not tell his wife and she discovered him with a guy in their house one day. Of course she was floored and angry and hurt. Acting out in a very childish way (as she was at the time) and not realizing that she was playing with someone's life, she made a false claim against Chris and told the Florida police that her husband was sexually molesting their son. If you know anything about Florida then you know that the system here is harsh and that they play dirty. After hours of holding him they told him if he confessed he could go home. So he did. Of course they did not let him go home and he had to spend two years in prison. Let me say here that when all of this first started I did believe that Chris was guilty because who in their right mind would confess to something they did not do! Then I moved to Florida and learned that this is actually common here. So, fast forward to years later... Chris and his ex-wife are friends now. He gets to see the kids as much as he wants to and can, and she has no problem with this...because it was all a lie and she knew he didn't really do what she accused him of. However, his entire life is ruined because he is a registered sex offender. She had a statement retracting the accusation and had it notarized and they went to court but no one would listen. What is done is done. Chris has lost several jobs and has not been hired due to having this on his record. He has tried to live a normal upstanding life. He and is partner have bought a house and are committed to each other. Chris does side work and his partner owns a business. Now this is the thing... If I were to write a book and Chris were to be the illustrator, and if by some very slight chance the book became popular and sought after, do you think it would be boycotted once it is discovered that the illustrator is a sexual offender? Thanks for reading all of this! ~Sandy
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Karen
Member
09-07-2004
| Thursday, July 20, 2006 - 1:24 pm
Wow, Sandy... that's a lot. To be honest, and take this for what it's worth 'cause I don't have kids myself, I would be a bit freaked if I found out that the illustrator of a book I was reading to my child was a sex offender. The difference, however, is that your cousin is not (to your knowlege) an offender. It's all about the stigmas, and "registered sex offender" is a bad one. Maybe he could illustrate your book under an alias, to be safe? I don't know, I really don't. Best of luck to both you and Christopher.
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Julieboo
Member
02-05-2002
| Thursday, July 20, 2006 - 1:26 pm
I'd go with an alias for him too...
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Thursday, July 20, 2006 - 1:44 pm
That isn't a bad idea. I'd think it is more important for him to be accepted and cleared by his ex and his family but also to be able to participate in your effort without so much fear of retaliation. Just be your honest self and explain that you don't want to cause him more pain and want very much for him to be part of the book but want to protect both the book and him, at the same time.
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Deesandy
Member
08-12-2003
| Thursday, July 20, 2006 - 1:55 pm
I too thought about the alias road. However, I also would feel just terrible to say to him, "Hey Chris, you know I love ya and all and we all know you got a raw deal and that Sue really screwed you over bigtime, and I would love for you to be able to show off your talents by illustrating a children's book for me, but hey, would you mind not using your real name?" I don't know. It gives me the icks. We are not super close cousins but close in the way that family is...supports each other. Help!
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Justavice
Member
11-22-2005
| Thursday, July 20, 2006 - 1:58 pm
If this book is truly for your daughter, then I would do whatever you feel is best for her. If you would trust him alone with her, then I would let him decide how he wants to be listed as the artist. It is his artwork and his choice to be known by name or by pseudonym.
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Escapee
Member
06-15-2004
| Thursday, July 20, 2006 - 2:04 pm
Two things: Tell him to keep fighting the system. Tell him to fight for his life. Also, say the book is published, and it makes a couple of bucks, and then it is boycotted. If you aren't doing it solely for profit, then you aren't really out anything. Also, if he is a registered sex offender, then that is public knowledge and he really wouldn't be in a different boat either. Have him use an alias, and have him illustrate the book. Good luck, I'll buy one if it gets published. Have him keep fighting the system, he could actually sue for slander and libel if they don't remove him from the list. Especially since he has a notarized copy. He needs to consult an attorney, it isn't too late.
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Max
Moderator
08-12-2000
| Thursday, July 20, 2006 - 2:35 pm
That's a terrible ordeal to go through. I'm glad they managed to patch it up, though. Hopefully he can keep battling to get his name officially cleared. As to the dilemma you pose, it seems to me that you're borrowing trouble here, as my dad used to say. You're writing a book for your daughter. You said you don't have a publisher on the line for it and perhaps never will. If this is truly for your daughter, I think it sends a bad message to her to ask that her relative (I get confused whether this is a second-cousing to her or whatever) not use his real name when illustrating something that's meant as a gift for her. I'm assuming that she's young and probably would not completely understand the entire story (and you may not even want her to know it at her age). From her perspective, I would think it would be very odd to have the book illustrated by a relative, but not have his name on it. Now, if at some point a publisher DOES become interested in the book, you can deal with the issue then and discuss with your cousin and the publisher whether it would be wiser to use a pen name rather than his real name. Aside from the possibility of negative perception on the part of some potential buyers, there is also an issue of personal privacy for your cousin. SHould the book be published, he may prefer using a pen name rather than risk being houded by those who would condemn him for past events that actually never occurred in the first place. But unless and until you get a publisher on board, I would say use his talents AND his name. Show your daughter how wonderfully talented he is as well as demonstrating that you and your family accept him unconditionally, despite the past unfortunate events.

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Faerygdds
Member
08-29-2000
| Thursday, July 20, 2006 - 3:03 pm
Well said Max. At this point there really isn't a reason to worry. If you get to the publishing stage, you'll have time. Manuscripts don't just land on an someone's desk and then it's published "before you know it". You will have PLENTY of time. If that time DOES come, THEN you go to your cousin and tell him, "Hey, remember that book you illustrated? Well, it's getting published. How do you feel about it?" Hey may not want his name attached to such a work for fear of hurting you. He may want his name on it in the secret hopes that it WILL come up and he will have a PUBLIC forum in which to clear his name... and would you be willing to go through that kind of scrutiny... would he? You just never know, and speculation here will never tell you. When the time comes you will have time to discuss the pros and cons. And it would come to that, but I can't see someone being angry or hurt in the long term because the subject came up. Your cousin HAS to know you love him... otherwise why would you want to share this experience with him in the first place??? Anyway... Right now, there is NO issue... it's just a wonderful gift to a beloved child. Don't get ahead of yourself. 
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Jimmer
Moderator
08-30-2000
| Thursday, July 20, 2006 - 3:12 pm
I think that is fantastic advice.
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Deesandy
Member
08-12-2003
| Thursday, July 20, 2006 - 5:55 pm
Thank you for all of the advice! My mom is the one who is worried actually and I know she is just protecting me. Since this is her sister's child she knows more about what goes on behind closed doors than I do. Not that it changes anything, he is innocent. I am going to ask him to go for it!

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Karen
Member
09-07-2004
| Thursday, July 20, 2006 - 11:05 pm
I was mulling this over in my head all day, Sandy, and I came home and ran it past my BF. He loves to play devils' advocate, and his response was different than mine. He says, where do we draw the line, then? Sure, he's on the registry, but we know he's innocent. By comparison... are we going to boycott a Lego set for our children because we learn a pedophile works at the plant? A big, sweaty, dirty factory where big burly men make plasic playtoys for $6.00 an hour -- we won't let our kids play with Lego 'cause we learned that one of their employees is on *the list*? {Disclaimer: Note to any legal representation out there, I am using Lego as an example only. I, in no way, shape or form, believe that Lego* makes a habit of hiring questionable individuals.) BF also makes the argument that kids don't care who put the pretty pictures in the books. If there's pictures that they like, they'll read the book again. And there are hundreds of books that get published and never see the light of day. Chances of getting caught, should the book be published, are slim. I think Max was exactly right with her comment that 'you're borrowing trouble'. Let the project run it's course, and see where you are in 18 months. And Chris should definitely continue seeking legal recourse. I can't believe the cops can bully you into a false confession like that -- something like that is common??
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Kiersten_love
Member
08-03-2001
| Friday, July 21, 2006 - 8:41 pm
If you want to write a book and then have your cousin do the illustrations, then go for it. But if it does get published and they find out that info about him, then just be prepared to handle it. Think it through first then go with it all the way, no matter what. But remember to come to a decision on what to do and how to handle it if it does get published and it comes out about your cuz. Also, be prepared to explain it to your daughter too when she gets older, hey if its out its out and it will be for the better at the end of the day.
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Tabbyking
Member
03-11-2002
| Friday, July 21, 2006 - 10:07 pm
from experience, i will say that the chances of having a book published are slim and none a lot of the time. if this is seriously for your child, do it, and do it for your child. don't do it thinking somewhere down the line it may be published. (my sister has written a series of children's books, illustrated them and made a prototype of a toy to go with them. she has been trying to get them published and the toy manufactured for almost 5 years. she has met with publishers, bigwigs from toy companies, patent people, etc., and spent a lot of effort and money...) you can certainly cross that bridge over how to have the illustrator listed at a later date, but, again, there are thousands of books and manuscripts out there and very few are chosen. also, the registry does not update with "sorry, we discovered this person really didn't do the horrible deed" and remove them from the listing. if someone's name is on the registry, that is all the public would know. he could always use his first and middle initials and his last name.or he could use his middle and last name. unless he has an extrememly unusual last name, probably no one would make the connection.
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Texannie
Member
07-16-2001
| Saturday, July 22, 2006 - 5:53 am
I am just going to say ditto to Tabby's post.
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Faerygdds
Member
08-29-2000
| Saturday, August 19, 2006 - 7:43 pm
Dee... sorry to resurrect this topic, but I am taking a writers class and got some info today on the world of children's books that may interest you. First of all.... LET you cousin do the illustrations for your daughter. When you get ready to submit your manuscript for publication, you do not submit the illustrations. Most publishing houses have a pool of illustrators on thier payroll and do not support outside illustrations. Read that as... if you submit your book WITH the illustrations, you will likely NOT get a publisher to agree to take it. They apparently have well paid and trained editors whose job it is to look over the manuscript and decide where the illustrations need to go. They will then contact their chosen illustrator with the book to have the illuatrations done. We were told point blank... it is very RARE to get a book published WITH it's original illustrations. You can, however, submit your cousin's illustrations with your work as part of your package to give them an idea of where you were going, but if you insist that they be used... your manuscript will likely NOT be accepted. Hope this info helps you... it was a great class this morning! And I had NO idea how much went into the world of children's books... it was MIND boggling!
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Deesandy
Member
08-12-2003
| Saturday, September 09, 2006 - 3:22 pm
Hello, I thought y'all would like to know that I do not get to choose the person to illustrate, or, what the illustrations will be! Publishers send it overseas to be done instead.

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Dahli
Member
11-27-2000
| Sunday, September 10, 2006 - 8:21 pm
really?? that's so strange I would have thought there would be plenty of illustrators in the states that could use the work...
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Sunshyne4u
Member
06-17-2003
| Saturday, October 07, 2006 - 4:25 pm
Chris gives you the pictures and no need to give him direct credit as the illustrator. Unless he is going to use it as part of a portfolio (or going into professional art) I dont see a reason you couldnt pay him for the pics outright. Maybe an agreement for a percentage of sales after that. Either way, yes, a record Pleading Guilty to child molestation would be very hard to get over. Cant believe a good lawyer couldnt have had the charges stayed.
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