BESTSELLERS & BEST FRIENDS
My book publishing blog, with murder mysteries woven through it.
If this is your first visit, be sure to start with “1. Let’s do it!”
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Joey and I again stood along the Monongahela River in Pittsburgh. This time just the two of us.
Joey tossed his dad’s ashes into the river. We both cried a bit. And didn’t care that we did.
Freeman turned out to be my one good friend. And now he was gone. I nodded toward the river, “He’ll be in Ohio by this time tomorrow.”
Joey said, “Maybe he’ll catch up to Spanky. They’d enjoy New Orleans together.” We both smiled at the thought.
Tomorrow’s the big day. The embargo on Joey’s book will lift. It’ll go on sale in bookstores. Reviews will run. A sample chapter will be in The Washington Post. And I’ll release the blog postings you’re now reading.
Simon & Schuster is certain Joey’s book will quickly hit the bestseller list. And far outsell Matt’s (Reinventing Justice) and Rich’s bestselling books (Crises Management).
Amazing. Four young knuckleheads—writing majors, best buddies, and housemates.
Decades later they account for three bestselling books, nearly a senate seat (and maybe a run at the White House) missed by the narrow poke of a pin, and me doing my publishing thing.
Maybe there’s a book in there—Deadly Promise: 113 Chesterfield Road.
It so sucks that two of those young knuckleheads also turned out to be pricks. I struggle, still, to believe it.
But hold on! You just saw it, right? Two paragraphs ago?
113 Chesterfield Road, Pittsburgh
The thought’s in my head. I’m thinking about a possible book, even its title, while standing along the Monongahela River, Freeman’s ashes still floating on its surface. That’s sick of me, right?
But damn it, book publishing gets under your skin and sometimes its itch overcomes. It’s like a drug. Unexpected bestsellers are its best highs.
Enough!
Joey took a deep breath. “Bye dad. Thanks for everything,” his voice cracked, “I love you.”
I too said good-bye, “You did well, buddy. Your story and your kid are headed for the bestseller list.”
Tomorrow: Back to the publishing stuff. Norman Mailer and me.