Why the disclaimer? This novel is intended for youth. I do not believe in censorship or book banning. On the other hand, I do not want to write anything so offensive that my novel would be considered for those actions. The novel is a Western set in the 1880s. It’s also a coming-of-age story, meaning a character or characters transition from childhood to adulthood or at least begin the process of maturation. Although many folks would point to Miss Becky and Cody as the characters who grow up, an argument could be made that some of the adults also show signs of maturation during the three days of adventures.

I would like readers to enjoy the story, not focus on unacceptable words, thoughts, or actions. Thus, there are no X-rated words or scenes in the book. There is some gun violence, but no people die. Beating children is mentioned, but no actual beating occurs. There is also a touch of underage drinking and mention of children smoking. If the story is so benign, again, why the disclaimer?

Word choice. My main reason for writing the disclaimer is that one of the characters is a child with Down Syndrome. The story takes place in the mid-1880s, but the term Down Syndrome was not coined until the 1970s.¹ I could hardly use present-day verbiage such as, “She’s mentally challenged,” and keep the story sounding like it was from the 1880s, but I couldn’t stomach the acceptable 1880s version, “She’s a Mongoloid,” or  idiot or imbecile.² Instead, I ultimately chose to describe her as “feebleminded.” I hope readers will accept that word as a compromise.

The story contains a few other words or phrases that may be offensive to some people. Another example is a character who is “touched in the head.” I preferred “crazy,” as in “wild and crazy,” or just “nutty,” but I decided to tone it down a notch. Saying she had a mental disability just wouldn’t fly in the 1880s, so, again, I compromised with a term I found acceptable, knowing that not all my readers would agree. That’s why there’s a disclaimer.