Plus Unexpected Good News

I just had a wonderful interview with Dave Lucas of KFNX in Phoenix. It will play tomorrow night.

An interview like this really gives me hope. Dave had clearly read the book, and he invited me on the show because he enjoyed it so much. He's the producer for the Charles Goyette show, which I did earlier in the week, so I assume he landed that interview for me, too.

It's great to see that there are people out there who enjoy the book and put it in the proper perspective. It's a humor book. I did not go to Nigeria and drop daisy-cutters. I was mildly--MILDLY--inconsiderate to a few vicious criminals, and unlike other famous hoaxers like Sacha Baron Cohen, I never bothered anyone who didn't have it coming, and I was never cruel or obscene.

The interview could not have come at a better time, because I saw a dismissive, dishonest, inaccurate review last night, and it reminded me that I am going to have enemies who use unfair tactics. It's hard to believe that there are people who get so agitated over frivolous, lighthearted humor that they would try to harm the writer's career, but that's how human beings are. Especially a certain brand of reviewer. They say those who can, do, and those who can't, teach. But in publishing, some of those who can't, review books and try to take down those who can. It's a fact I'll have to live with.

I want to thank everyone who has been helping me out with radio contacts and possible syndication outlets. And some people have pointed me toward sources of information that might help me get syndicated or otherwise published. I am also grateful to people who are joining my mailing lists; I hope they save you some aggravation.

It means a great deal to me that people I have never met are willing to sit down and type so many helpful comments and emails. It's funny; in this business, it seems like help generally comes from below, not above. If you will excuse me for using the term "below" to describe readers. You know what I mean.

Now I have to clean a couple of bird cages, like a proper literary luminary, and get back to work.

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Mancow's producer just emailed me, asking for a copy of the book, to be followed by a possible interview! Who says it doesn't pay to toot your own horn?

Hope it's a legitimate email and not a Nigerian getting even.