‘Night Whisperers!’ is the third book in the Rick
O’Neil and Ted Troutman series. Can you
tell us a little about the title and what night whisperers are?
“Night Whisperers!”
was the hardest and most personal book I’ve written. “Night Whisperers!” deals
with two main themes. The first theme is PTSD, Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome.
I believe that every veteran that has experience combat, has PTSD. Some handle
it well and live normal lives, while other veterans are paralyzed by PTSD, and
require medication, therapy, and even electrical shock therapy. Sadly, after
Vietnam the Veterans Administration was ill-prepared to help these veterans.
The second theme is
how returning Vietnam Veterans were treated upon returning home. Thanks to the
media and Hollywood portraying us as drug-addicted baby killers we were spat
upon, physically attacked and treated with hostility. There is an incident in
“Night Whisperers!” where Rick is denied free tuition. This incident actually
happened to me and we did march on the college registrar’s office.
The way we were
treated, is a national disgrace and has scarred many Vietnam Veterans. It took
nearly fifty years before the government and the public began showing some
respect and now everyone is tripping over themselves trying to make up for
treating us badly so many years ago. For many veterans, it is too little and
too late.
How comparable is Rick’s adjustment to civilian life to
your own experiences?
Fortunately, I
wasn’t subject to some of the abuse that many veterans were. As I did mention
in the first question, I was part of a group of veterans that stormed the
registrar’s office demanded free tuition and we almost threw the registrar out
of a window, fortunately, he was saved by the Dean of Students. After that
incident, we formed our own veterans fraternity. The word got around not to
mess with us and we were left alone. There were still hostile stares and cold
shoulders, but mainly I think the students were afraid of us.
There was another
time when I was told by a World War II Veteran, “You guys didn’t fight in a
real war.” The VFW didn’t accept us into their ranks, because we fought in an
undeclared war. Because of this. I like other Vietnam Vets kept a low profile. So,
it wasn’t just the college students who saw us as outcasts. We didn’t wear our
uniform or talk about our involvement in the war, except with other ‘Nam’ Vets.
One of the promises that a lot of my fellow Vietnam Veterans have made is that
never again will our nation treat returning veterans the way we were treated.
How does the 3rd book differ from the other
two?
As I mentioned this
book is much more personal and harder to write. Each of my books in the Rick
O’Neil - Ted Troutman Series has some real-life experiences from my past.
However, “Night Whisperers!” really did open up old wounds.
The reason I wrote
the book is that a number of my readers wanted to know about Rick and Ted’s
experiences when they returned from Vietnam. I hadn’t planned on writing about
it, but upon reflection thought it would help fill in some gaps in their
history, fill out Rick and Ted’s character profile and explain why they are the
way they are.
Although difficult
to write, I am glad I did write it. It served as a sort of therapy for me and from
the responses, I have so far, both non-veteran readers and veterans, readers
enjoy it.
There is a Klu Klux Klan scene in the book, can you tell
us a little about racial tensions after the war?
As an old history
teacher, I believe that the late 1960s and early 1970s were some of the most
traumatic times in our country’s history. Cities and college campuses were in
flames. Martin Luther King & Bobbie Kennedy were assassinated. This and the
Vietnam War protests combined to make this period one of our nation’s worst.
Racial tensions
were very high in the Sixties. Despite the progress that was being made with
the Civil Rights Act, segregation was still common in many Southern &
Northern Cities. The assassination of Martin Luther King in March 1968 was the
spark that enflamed Blacks. There were violent protests in nearly all the major
cities. National Guard troops were sent to restore peace.
The Klu Klux Klan
openly held rallies. I grew up in the North and remembered having Black
children in our schools and on our sports teams. We really didn’t think much of
it and just accepted them as part of our community/school. I, of course, knew
about the problems in the South, but even in the service, I did not see the
kind of hatred and discrimination that was common in Southern States.
When I moved to
Maryland in the mid-1980s my wife, two children and I were out for a drive and
as we drove through a small rural town and stopped at a light, we were
approached by two men wearing white sheets. They tried to hand me a flyer about
the KKK and a rally that would be held in some farmer’s field. My wife and
children were wide-eyed as I told the men they were cowards and they could
stuff their pamphlets. I remember them shouting that we’ll be sorry.
Now, this was in
the mid-’80s in a liberal heavily democratic state! I can only imagine what it
was like in the Sixties. Really,the only thing positive about the Sixties was
the music.
What are some of the demons Rick needs to deal with from
his past?
The demons or night
whisperers are caused by Rick’s feeling of guilt for what happened in Vietnam.
(You will have to read “Da Nang Damned!” to get the whole story.) Rick is also
suffering from PTSD.
These demons plague
Rick though most of the book. These demons cost Rick his marriage and almost
cost him his friendship with Ted. Rick decides to go on a journey or odyssey to
find the answers on the road. It isn’t until he meets “The Gunny” that Rick
begins to work through his problems.
More of a statement than a question, but on behalf of
myself and our readers I would like to thank you for your service.
Thank you and thank
you for your support.
Where can readers find out more about your work?
They can go to my
Author’s page @ https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B075Q3SL3X
Or visit my
Facebook Page @ Peter A. Turner - Author
I am also available
for speaking engagements and speak throughout the Maryland area. Check for
updates on my Facebook Page.