Just Spell My Book's Title Right!

A desire to sell my book - "And the Best Blog Is:  Word of Mouth" - in case you've forgotten it - is the reason I was glad to accept the very kind invitation of producer Jim Mueller to appear on his South Bay Stories Show at the end of March.  It was January when he asked me about it.  "End of March?" I thought easily.  "This day may never come."

It did.  I conquered my terror largely through helpful hints from Jim - "They love you!  They want to hear you and what you have to tell them - Just think of it as reading your blog to a group of high school seniors!"   Cast members chimed in, "Pretend the entire audience is in their underwear/naked!"  "disquieting" to say the very least.

With this though came mentions for the book in the programs for the show and a lovely article in our local Beach Reporter which also made mention of it.

Michael Hixson's article interested an editor at the Long Beach Press-Telegram Grand because she needed fill to publicize the race, a very big deal in Long Beach.  "Could Michael interview me for a piece on working as a photographer at the first GP (in 1976)?"  You betcha! On both sides.

Last Monday we met for the interview and the first thing he did was whip out a tiny little tape recorder not much bigger than a Zippo lighter and flipped it on.  I looked at him,, I always used Gregg shorthand .  What a sissy.    

The second thought flashed across my dormant mind, "He's interviewing ME!  I interview other people!  What is this?" and then I remembered...book PR and sat up straighter in my chair.

Tomorrow Monday (4/8/19) a photographer is supposed to come here at 3 p.m. to take photos of me for the article.  Michael said he's put his photo ask in their box and if no one shows, call him.

For this shoot, Richie dug my old camera bag out of the garage and I was amazed at how heavy it is!  I swear it goes 40 lbs.  And I used to schlep it all around a track all day long!  Then  I pulled out the non-motor drive Nikon and it weighed a ton, too!  I would imagine that the Nikon w/motor drive would weigh even more!  I think it wore out and I had to discard that camera; couldn't be fixed but it was used to begin with.

The dust of many a track is nestled in this heavy canvas sack.  A lot of shots came out of it.  And now to be used as a photo prop.  They don't make Kodachrome 64 or Ilford 400 anymore.  And I'm 'way too old to be out on a track somewhere shooting my butt off.  Tempis fugit.