The publisher, Plume, has announced plans for a book to be written about April 16th and the shockwaves it produced. Roland Lazenby and a few of the PB group have taken on this tremendous task. We’ve decided to go forward with this for a number or reasons.
This event has changed our world. Sure, the compass points haven’t changed and the sun will still rise and set on schedule, but believe me, everything’s different. This book is partially an attempt to return a sense of normalcy to our little corner of the world.
People still forget that the reporting you see here is done by 18 to 20-somethings who are closer to this horrible event than most could ever imagine. Reporting on and writing about it has been as therapeutic an activity for us as reading about it has been for others. I hope that the decisions we’ve made in covering it and the articles we’ve written show a higher level of respect and concern for the victims than has been shown by the mainstream media.
There is bound to be criticism for a project of this type. Is it too soon? Will it exploit the people affected? Is it an attempt to cash in on tragedy? Personally, I believe the answer to all those questions is a resounding “NO.”
Though we will have a core group doing the writing, this is very much a community effort. Look around Blacksburg and you’ll see a thriving population of people who are moving on with their lives while still honoring those killed and injured. That being said, there are still people in or just out of the hospital who have a long road to recovery ahead of them. It would be presumptuous to think that our book will help them in any way, but I will do everything in my power to make sure it doesn’t hurt them.
A portion of the proceeds will go to aiding the victims and their families. There are a multitude of scholarships and support programs that have been created in the wake of the 16th and we want to do our part. Another part of the proceeds will go towards journalism programs at Virginia Tech. I truly believe that some of the best reporting done these past two weeks has come from PB, the Collegiate Times, and the Roanoke Times. By supporting Tech’s comm department, we may have a hand in exposing the rest of the world to the upstanding, talented writers, reporters and broadcasters this school produces.
There have been great stories done these past two weeks. Stories of heroism and inspiration have shone brightly from the darkness of the shootings. But there is no way anyone could read every newspaper article or talk to every person affected. Our goal is to produce something that will stand up over time by getting as much right as possible.
Who knows how soon is too soon? Was it too soon for NBC to throw pictures and videos from the killer on the TV and the internet? Was it too soon for documentaries on the incident to pop up on the History Channel? This book will take some time to write. It will take some time to publish. By then l hope the people who matter won’t think it’s too soon.
-Neal Turnage
