by Jon Athan
Shannon said, “Well, I think it supports our theory. The violence in his video games and movies made him do it, in a sense. This poor kid was practically possessed by this violent media. It's so unfortunate.”
“We've talked about censorship, regulation, and so on. What do you think is the real solution to this problem?”
“I think we should regulate violent media. I think we should be monitoring what our kids play and see. And, I think we have to ban guns. Not just assault rifles. We need to ban all guns.”
“That's nonsense,” Martin said. “I agree. Video games, movies... It's all out of control. We can't ban guns in a knee-jerk reaction, though. We need guns to defend ourselves from the bad guys with guns. What are we going to do when kids start going to school with knives and hammers? Huh? Are we gonna ban those, too?”
Malcolm said, “I think a lot of people are agreeing on one thing and I think it's going to lead to a long discussion. I hope it leads to solutions, too. When we get reports like these, it...”
As Malcolm spread his pseudo-sympathy through an insincere speech, Cameron held his hand up and opened his mouth to speak. He didn't receive the opportunity to present his solutions, though. The most sensible person at the round-table was not allowed to speak. Calm opinions did not retain viewership. Mass hysteria, on the other hand, spread like a disease.
The group continued to discuss the shooting, the effects of violent media, and the Second Amendment. The media, big and small, spent hours revealing every detail of Mason Williams' life while spending a few measly minutes on the victims. The shooter was even interviewed multiple times as he waited for one trial after another. The boy practically received a biography on television, glorified like the shooters before him – he became a celebrity.
And, throughout the aftermath of the shooting, the discussion on mental health never developed.
TV is not a problem unless it starts speaking.
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Dear Reader,
Hey! Thank you for reading Mason's Television. Due to the young age of most of the characters, I understand it was likely a disturbing and difficult book to read. Believe me, it was also a difficult novel to write. I think this is the hardest book I ever wrote. I know, I know: it's not a complex literary masterpiece. Still, I had some trouble finishing certain scenes. There were even moments where I considered tossing it in the trunk. So, I think it's possible that someone, somewhere, was offended by the content of this book. If you were offended, please accept my sincerest apologies. That was never my intention.
So, what were my intentions? I wanted to write a disturbing horror book with multiple layers. On the surface, this is a violent serial killer/mass murderer novel about a disturbed child who talks to his television. It's (supposed to be) suspenseful, violent, and disturbing. I wanted you to be able to read it and enjoy it without having to look beyond the surface. If you know me or if you've read my books, you know I don't like to preach or shove anything down your throat. I didn't want to do that with this book, either. Regardless of the subtext, my main goal was too disturb. I hope I accomplished that.
However, beyond the surface, I might have been a bit heavy-handed with the subtext—especially towards the end. Aside from being about a teenage serial killer, Mason's Television is also about mental illness, neglectful parents, and the selfish media. You probably already understood this, but: the television is not actually speaking to Mason. It's all in his head. This is not a supernatural horror story or anything like that, though. In terms of neglectful parents, I wanted to showcase Bradley and Isabel's poor parenting to show that neglect can ultimately hurt children. It's one thing being a bad parent, it's something else when you're not even around. When you think about it, this entire situation could have been avoided if Bradley and Isabel just paid attention to their son.
The media... I'm not a big fan of mainstream media. No, I'm not the guy walking around with a tinfoil hat over my head, yelling about 'fake news' and 'alternative facts.' I just believe the media is often irresponsible—and they just don't care. I remember growing up and watching the news, scoffing at discussions about violent video games and movies and how they influence people. Not only do I strongly disagree, but I also believe these sort of discussions are used to point blame at everyone else. At a certain point, we have to take responsibility for our actions. I've witnessed dozens of mass shootings through TV, unfortunately, and not once have I ever seen the media point the finger of blame at themselves. No, big media blames creators of fiction while they often glorify real murderers.
Oh, and the last line in this book—TV is not a problem unless it starts speaking—is supposed to support my 'argument.' I believe violence of any sort can often act as a trigger. However, the trigger isn't the issue here. It's the person who pulls the trigger and his motivations—such as mental health issues. So, the talking TV is supposed to be a symbol for Mason's mental instability. That's all. (/rant)
And, I'm not ranting here, but I feel like I should clarify: this book was not intended to glorify any mass killers. I tried to make Mason and everyone else like him look as bad as possible. Also, there are other themes/statements in this book, but I figured I should leave them in secrecy—for now. Oh, and, this book is not supposed to be disrespectful to any real groups. For example, Moms Against Gunners is a fake organization. I just made it up for this book. It doesn't have an actual parallel to the real world and Shannon Page does not reflect a real person. The same goes for the other characters in that final chapter.
Anyway, if you enjoyed this book, please leave an honest review on Amazon.com. Your review is very important to me. In fact, my entire career depends on your review. Your review helps me improve on future books and it helps other readers find this book. In turn, the more readers I attract, the more I can write. So, if you liked this book, a review will help me release more – and it'll only take five or so minutes. Was this book too dark and disturbing? Did you enjoy the underlying themes? Did you think I was preaching? Was this book too violent? Do you enjoy this type of human horror? Or would you like to read something a bit more relaxed? Answering questions like these will allow me to better understand you, the reader. Your words have the power to influence my writing – please use them wisely.
Also, feel free to share this book with your friends and family. Tweet it to your followers on Twitter, share it with your friends and family on Facebook, lend it to them, or even read it to them over the phone or video chat. Birthday, holiday, or special event coming up? Buy them a copy as a gift. Word-of-mouth is a superb method in supporting independent authors – and it's mostly free.
So, am I still poor? Yes, of course. I don't sell thousands of books a month. I'm lucky to sell a few hundred, really. Still, as long as you keep reading, I'm happy to be poor—and that's the truth.
Finally, if you enjoy scary stories, feel free to visit my Amazon's Author page. I've published over a dozen horror anthologies and a dozen novels. If you're looking for more disturbing horror, check out The Abuse of Ashley Collins. If you want something creepy and disturbing, check out my next book, Erotomaniac—it should be out in May 2017. Keep your eyes peeled for my upcoming books and feel free to check out my older novels. I really appreciate it! Once again, thank you for reading. Your readership keeps me going through the darkest times!
Until our next venture into the dark and disturbing,
Jon Athan
P.S. If you have questions (or insults), you'll receive the quickest and most efficient response vi
a Twitter @Jonny_Athan. If you're an aspiring author, I'm always happy to lend a helping hand. I know how difficult it can be to get started, so feel free to ask. You can also like my Facebook page and talk to me there. And, I finally have a business email which you can use to contact me: [email protected]. Thanks again!