An interview with the D'Metria Benson Watch about the picture book D'Metria the Vedy, Vedy Bad Judge.
Tell us a bit about yourself.
The highlight of my life when all is said and done, will never be practicing law, it will be holding a precious child and reading them a story or singing them a song. This book was written for children and carries the fundamental truths found in most children’s story.
Why a Children’s book in a legal domain?
Straight ticket voting is the only reason D’Metria Benson was elected. Once again she won by the lowest margin in the County. I hope this book speaks to mothers and women at home, not necessarily involved in politics so they might understand the consequence the entire community must address as a result of straight-ticket Democratic voting.
I also hope it speaks to movements like Battleground Texas – whose efforts were virtually of no consequence in Texas but did work to allow D’Metria Benson to win by a greater margin.
The issue is not complex, D’Metria Benson is a bad judge.
Is there an author that had a major influence on you while you were growing up?
William Faulkner seemed to break all the rules resulting in grand and effective communication.
How long have you been writing?
Since I could write.
Who (age, gender, etc) do you think would most appreciate this book?
Mothers, children and attorneys and clients victimized and ravished by the incompetence and partiality of D’Metria Benson.
What inspirations contributed to this book?
Once my life was severely impacted by a dishonest judge who received massive contributions from other parties.
One day in his court at eleven a.m. I told him, “You are wrong.”
He asked the bailiff to escort me to jail until I was ready to apologize to the Court.
The sheriff picked me up at the Court House for lunch. We returned to the jail and they were having chicken and dressing, my favorite. He called the kitchen to tell them I was there, asked them to prepare me a dish and then asked them not to spit in my food. That’s when it hit me, while I may be in the Sheriff’s office, I am incarcerated. We talked and had much to catch up on. My incarceration was quite pleasant.
After lunch the Sheriff returned me to the Bailiff, also a friend. He was an older man with a well worn Bible at his desk. I sat across the desk from him and asked if I could read his Bible.
My first thoughts were, what to read. The Psalms seemed appropriate, David’s escape seemed right. But I said, “Dear Lord, show me what to read.”
I opened the Bible at random and it opened to Job. I read these words, “I have done nothing wrong, I will not apologize.” My mind flooded with the words, “Really, no … really?”
A sort of humorous answer returned, “You asked.”
During lunch the courtroom had filled with people, apparently word had gotten out, I was going to either apologize or go back to jail.
The Judge asked, “Do you have something to say to the Court?”
“I have done nothing wrong. I will not apologize.”
“Well, let’s continue,” said the Judge. There was a lot at stake and my first inclination had been to apologize. I thought I heard a sigh of relief, there was a rumbling of sorts in the Court Room. Maybe those were internal thoughts and noises; I will never know for sure.
Nothing in this endeavor has been done without much thought and prayer. I am writing this book and publishing it because I truly believe it is the right thing to do.
Who was your favorite character to write?
The mother and her simple belief in right and wrong.
What is your favorite book and why?
Absalom, Absalom by William Faulkner. Simple truths told through complex characters with simple motivations. Ultimately, I believe motivations are quite simple and manifested in a myriad of actions.
What genre do you read most frequently?
Novels and I still love, love, love beautiful children’s picture books. I am sad parents are pushing their children so hard to excel that children’s picture books have fallen out of favor for chapter books. I do not believe in learning toys, educational toys. I believe a child should be a child. I believe in card board boxes, blocks, costumes and imagination … and oh, yes, children’s picture books.
How do you think you've evolved as a writer since when you first started?
I have evolved very little. I believe Baudelaire was right, “The sad thing is not that we change but that we do not.”
Are there any aspects (e.g. character building, world building) of your writing that you've been practicing?
Once I compared a Shakespearean Play to the musical, “Oklahoma.” Shakespeare often had a chorus of patriots – a modern day posse. This allowed him to flesh out his plot and the complexities of his characters. In modern plays this posse does not exist. I struggle between looking for a posse and interior dialogue in my novels. We have that choice now.
Shakespeare was incredibly angry with the church that would not allow him a divorce and an escape from his marriage. You see that anger in most of his plays, even Romeo and Juliet. This book reflects and anger with the judiciary.
What was your favorite class in school, and why?
Art.
How do you feel about the increasing popularity of ebooks?
Great for ebooks. A great medium. There are so many incredible illustrators out there. I hope this opens doors for them. Why spend all you time looking for an agent and working to go that route. Great, Good, Wonderful.
What are your goals as a writer for the next ten years?
Survive.
Have your family and friends been supportive of your writing?
There is nothing to support. It has been a part of my life for a long, long time. It is just who I am.
Is there any aspect of writing you don't like?
No.
Have you ever had writer's block? If yes, how'd you deal with it? If you have not had writer's block, why do you think you haven't?
No. Writing is a discipline. Set a goal, write that number of words and stop when you hit it for the day if you are having trouble. If it’s flowing then continue to write. I remember one day I wrote 16,000 words.
But when the novel is complete and I look back on it, I cannot tell the difference between those times that I was inspired and those times that I was hitting my daily quota. Writing is work, it is a vocation and sometimes it requires discipline.
Do you write with a computer, typewriter, or pen and paper? Why do you use this tool?
Pen and paper if traveling. I remember writing a chapter in a canoe on a float trip. Computer as well.
What do you have in mind for your next project?
Yes, a novel about the judiciary.
Is there anything else you'd like potential readers to know about your book?
Straight ticket voting is the lazy way to vote. Educate yourself. I hope this book will help. D’Metria Benson is a very bad judge.
An excerpt from D'Metria the Vedy, Vedy Bad Judge:
“It was a beautiful day but the bad news has come,
You have found yourself in County Court at Law Number One.
This disastrous calamity cannot be out run,
Today is a dire time to be a Dallas Texan.”
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