Jack
asked
Dave Cullen:
In regard to my last question, I wanted to explain a little further. I am curious how it could be that one person (in opposition to even the critical, non-amateur-fan reception) seems to notice something so erroneous that no one else could notice it. How could such conclusions be reached?
Dave Cullen
There is a whole killer fandom out there. (They used to call themselves Columbiners, but now it's TCC for True Crime Community--which also includes people just obsessed with true crime, but few of those want to stay among the fandom, gore, love poems, etc.)
I am enemy number one there, for many things, including the audacity to portray murderers as murderers. (Some also chafe at Eric as a psychopath, there is a whole contingent furious at me for (in their view) denigrating their idol Dylan for reporting on Eric as the driver (how dare I not give their love Dylan full credit!), and on and on.
Occasionally I engage them, and it's clear that only a tiny fraction have bothered to read the book. It's comical when they scold me, asking who could I possibly say . . . and quote phrases or sentences they really believe come from my book, but are actually paraphrases by their that gained traction years ago. These are mostly high school kids who cycle in/out quickly, so I'm on my 4th or 5th generation of kids "quoting" each other "quoting" my book, and they get further away from what's in it every passing year.
The whole "lie" thing actually makes me chuckle. I could get it if they called me a moron or simpleton for botching it really badly. Sure, I could make mistakes and get it all wrong. But why would I put so many years into the project to make up a bunch of lies? I've never quite understood what motivation they are imagining for that.
I am enemy number one there, for many things, including the audacity to portray murderers as murderers. (Some also chafe at Eric as a psychopath, there is a whole contingent furious at me for (in their view) denigrating their idol Dylan for reporting on Eric as the driver (how dare I not give their love Dylan full credit!), and on and on.
Occasionally I engage them, and it's clear that only a tiny fraction have bothered to read the book. It's comical when they scold me, asking who could I possibly say . . . and quote phrases or sentences they really believe come from my book, but are actually paraphrases by their that gained traction years ago. These are mostly high school kids who cycle in/out quickly, so I'm on my 4th or 5th generation of kids "quoting" each other "quoting" my book, and they get further away from what's in it every passing year.
The whole "lie" thing actually makes me chuckle. I could get it if they called me a moron or simpleton for botching it really badly. Sure, I could make mistakes and get it all wrong. But why would I put so many years into the project to make up a bunch of lies? I've never quite understood what motivation they are imagining for that.
More Answered Questions
Patrick Lewis
asked
Dave Cullen:
Hi Dave, First of all, your book is absolutely RIVETING. It also gave me wholly new insights into the mindset of a mass shooter and the complexities of such a case, and what a fascinating case it is. On craft, your book is masterfully structured. How did you arrive at the structure? Was it hard? Was it natural/instinctual? You just seemed to always go to the next best place with it; well interwoven, never dull.
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It made me think of the Cassie/martyr issue and how the church basically said, we reject your reality ...more
Sep 08, 2018 02:07PM · flag