Author Elee Reeves wrote a children’s book about a turtle that explores the state of Mississippi.
The initial print run was paid for by a national foster care foundation.
$28,500 for 33,000 copies.
But an investigation by Mississippi Today found that thousands of more copies of “Fred The Turtle” were printed with $10,000 in federal Head Start funds that had been appropriated directly by the office of the governor.
Who, you may ask, is the Governor of Mississippi?
His name is Tate Reeves. Husband of author Elee Reeves.
Perhaps I should let my publicist know that the marketing and sale of books can now be accomplished via old-fashioned corruption. The lining of one’s own pockets at the expense of the taxpayer.
Also, the theft of federal dollars earmarked for children in need.
So authentic immorality, too. Wickedness and devilry of the worst kind.
I don’t love every book I read, but I have rarely stood in opposition to a book. OJ Simpson’s “I Did It” is the only one that comes to mind.
Now “Fred the Turtle” joins that short list.
It probably sucks anyway. Likely plagued by clunky dialogue, a raft of forced and inauthentic internal motivations associated with Fred, and a plot that moves at the speed of … well, a turtle.
I’d probably hate the book anyway.
Way to go, Elee Reeves.
