JEFF MILLER |
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Isn't SPAM great? We can't even list our e-mail
addresses online, because crawlers pick-them-up and send us e-mails we
have no intention of ever reading... plus, they fill up our inbox with
titles I would never want my child to see, author Jeff Miller says from
New York city. Well, the adventures of Mr. Chloe may not help your spam
troubles, but it was a simple idea using the positives of the Internet
medium to entertain children.
The Internet needs clean fun. "We need a little fantasy, and a little humor in our lives," Miller said. "These stories of a bunny, my bunny, and a magical automobile, offer a great escape, at least for me." Miller said that political strife around the world, although not new in human history, is a stress factor, especially for children.
When the Internet was in its infancy, Miller immediately saw the potential as an independent entertainment channel. "The Web is an awesome tool, cheap to use, and it doesn't require the bureaucracy of publishing to be a success," he said. "I love to write and conceive storylines, but the Web makes it possible to share these ideas with the world. I don't need anyone to help me make it happen." As a supporter of independent film, Miller says the next phase of the entertainment industry will include thousands of short films that would never have seen the light of day in traditional methods. "While many of the films may not be interesting or even compelling, the fact that anyone can engage this technology is the point," he said.
Miller adopted "Chloe" in early July 1996, while he lived in Fort Worth, Texas. "We bonded right away, and not having had a bunny before, I was stunned at his independence, even as a kit," he said. As Chloe matured, Miller learned about bunny care, and likened raising this independent animal to raising a child. "He has not known a cage since he was 5-months-old. You need to neuter bunnies for their own health, and it enables him to live in your house like a dog or cat." If you think a bunny belongs in a cage, you should not adopt a rabbit, he said. Chloe has visted 19 states, and he has taken trips to Europe with Miller from their home in New York City. "Chloe has walked with me in the streets of Paris and New York, and he has played on beaches in California and Maine -- he always draws a crowd. I think he loves the attention," he said.
Whether or not Mr. Chloe lands a commercial, a book contract, or a movie-deal isn't important to Miller. Living-out wild adventures on mrchloe.com might be the limit. "If this website makes you smile, I've been successful," he said.