Pulpit Bullying: Is It Just a “Long” Tale?

Sept. 22, 2010 - PRLog -- Allegations of sexual abuse against boys and young men have plagued the Catholic Church and its priests for years. Now, allegations of sexual coercion by Bishop Eddie Long have surfaced in the news sending shockwaves throughout predominately black religious organizations. Improprieties such as this have been rumored in Reuben Armstrong’s book “Snakes in the Pulpit,” however PHE Ink author, Otis Randolf narrates an eerily similar plot that mirror these accusations and rumors through his character, Elder Levy Moore.

Randolf describes his debut novel, The Frog Pond (PHE Ink – Aug. 2010 ISBN: 978-0-9824475-7-4), as a fictional drama that explores the hypocrisy and self-righteousness of athletes, corporate executives, ministers, and others who believe image is everything and truth is insignificant – until the deranged actions of a murderer claims the lives of two women married to ministers who secretly practice homosexual activities. “I thought the plot twist would be a bit intense and interesting considering how the debate of same-sex marriage rages on in some faith-based and religious organization,” Randolf said.

The story follows the lives of: Eric Moore, the son and nephew of prominent ministers as well as a husband and father, Denard Lewis, a hallucinating drunk who hides behind his career and Anderijo Campbell, a rising basketball star on the verge of self-destruction.
Their lives, as well as the lives of the people around them, are catapulted into precarious and difficult situations. The fictional narrative loosely focuses on society’s frail tolerance of sexual orientation in America, especially within some facets of the religious community notorious for their homophobic reputation in the mid to late 2000s, the novel’s time frame. The book’s setting toggles between Houston, TX and Washington, D.C. with Atlanta, GA making a cameo appearance.

“Since this is such a fresh subject, I figured I would take a bigger risk with the story and try to balance out the societal paranoia that normally fuels these kind of dramatic narratives with an internal sub-cultural paranoia as well,” Randolf explained in an effort to illustrate his creative writing style. “I can only hope I did my best and that readers enjoy my work.”

For more information about the author and PHE Ink, visit www.pheinkpub.com. For additional information about The Frog Pond, e-mail inquiries can be sent to otisrandolf@rocketmail.com. In addition, the Otis Randolf fan page on Facebook contains excerpts from the novel as well as updates concerning The Frog Pond. Mr. Randolf welcomes everyone interested in The Frog Pond to become a fan of his Facebook page.

About Otis Randolf…

Otis Randolf began writing in middle school, scribbling poems and song lyrics for his own personal entertainment. Later, he began performing during open mic poetry/jazz sets and reading material from his personal collection. After courageously reciting lines from his journal, his confidence soared and he continued participating in entertainment sets in Baltimore, Chicago, Houston and Washington, D.C. He currently resides in Houston where he continues to cultivate his passion for writing.

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PHE Ink is Houston’s premier independent publishing house created by authors with a business mind. This boutique company bridges the gap between large traditional publishing houses and print-on-demand companies; ensuring quality and attentiveness to their clients. PHE ink has been dedicated to Getting Books into Reader’s Hands by aligning itself with signature events that foster a unique literary experience. Contact PHE Ink at info@pheink.com or visit PHE Ink at www.pheinkpub.com.