Monday, April 15, 2024

Pub Daaaaay!!!

The landscape of my interior life is littered with ideas. Notably, it's a bit harder to find execution amongst the dreamer's detritus within. But in at least one way, that changes today. 

I am super-thrilled to announce that today my book, The Adventures of JoJo The Small Town Hound: Vol. 1, Leesburg, VA and the Curious Case of Dog Money, is live in the world, available on Amazon.com for your enjoyment. Or that of your 7-10 year-old friends, more accurately.

The whole thing has been a fascinating experience, and I think the thing that's most fulfilling is the fact that I actually did something I'd envisioned. Only took 53+ years. Here's to the next one.


27 comments:

Danimal said...

Roberto - seriously and genuinely impressed and happy for you. No small feat. Well, you might have small feet but this feat of getting the book published, not small. Rob's an author!

Mark said...

Congratulations Rob! You're an author. Pretty cool.

rootsminer said...

Easy with the foot talk, Danimal.

Best of luck to JoJo and Rob for successful launch!

rob said...

one small step for small-footed man. one giant leap for dogdom.

rob said...

we've sold two books! next step, profit.

zman said...

As the father of a soon-to-be 10-year-old I had to act swiftly before she ages out of your oeuvre. Glad to see I account for 50% of your sales.

rob said...

we’re up to 5! up the charts with a bullet!

Whitney said...

Hearty congrats to GTB’s own version of Dr. Seuss!

rootsminer said...

I ordered a copy to share with my wife, who once had designs on writing books for young readers.

Now she's over 20 years into a teaching career that's kept her too busy to do it. It's the homestretch of her first year as a reading teacher, and her school is getting a new director next year. Perhaps JoJo will gently nudge her to get back to writing, so she can have some options if the new boss makes her want to change course.

OBX dave said...

Congrats, Author Guy. High five to you and JoJo and your illustrator.

Squeaky said...

Well done, Rob. Will recommend the town library buy a few copies, after I get my copy of course.

Dave said...

just purchased a copy-- expect an objective, unbiased review soon enough (two days shipping plus reading time-- and it's only 33 pages and I assume it contains pictures, so I should be able to finish it in less than a week).

and I am warning you-- since you ignored all my suggestions, the gloves are coming off for this evaluation.

Whitney said...

yes

Whitney said...

I just walked into my house after jumping in a taxi and leaving Maddie in Seville 30 hours ago. Long road home, could’ve been worse, and I’d go much further to see my baby.

Shlara said...

mazel Rob!

rob said...

i look forward to dave's criticism. i wouldn't have entered the arena without girding my loins.

Whitney said...

gross

Squeaky said...

Looking forward to the future 'We Defy Augury' podcast that delves into kids books, including this one.

rob said...

small town hound currently the #1 new release on amazon's children's american local history and #2 in children's u.s. history. blowin' up all over here.

Whitney said...

Dammmmmmn, robbie! Fantastic.

rob said...

i assume those’ll be short-lived rankings, but we’ll always have april 16.

zman said...

As a result I assume you'll never forget zdaughter's birthday.

rob said...

i hope you got her a book!

Danimal said...

rob, you can quit your day job now. oh, wait....

rob said...

whitey herzog, shuffling off this mortal coil. pour some out for mark's memories.

Mark said...

Whitey was indeed the first manager I ever rooted for. Those mid 80's Cardinals teams were my true introduction to fandom. RIP to the White Rat.

In other news, my wife has been on a cruise since Friday. She gets back tonight. Had a great time with my kid but god damn I couldn't be a single father.

Whitney said...

I always rooted against Whitey Herzog since those Cards bested the Mets so much in the 80’s. The 1985 Mets won 98 games and watched the postseason on blurry tube televisions because Whitey’s team won 101. Would’ve liked to see that version of Doc in the playoffs. And man, if you rooted against St. Louis, you damn well hated the White Rat.

Then again, I came to have a weird affinity for that man, or at least his name. One of my oldest friends, a ridiculous guy we called Stiggs, was a rampant nicknamer. Stiggs was our HS QB and a goofball for the ages. When Whitney became Whitey among my knucklehead middle school and high school chums, Stiggs morphed it into Whitey Herzog, and in his brain, it stuck.

I moved back to town 20 years later and I’d be walking down the street and would hear “Whitey Herzog!!” from half a block away. It’d draw a look from newer friends, especially those that knew baseball. We lost Stiggs 7 or 8 years ago when he just didn’t wake up one day. A few of us organized a throwdown in his honor, and when I stood up to speak, a few of the old crowd shouted “Whitey Herzog!!” I don’t hate the White Rat any more.