My friends at the Barnes & Noble in nearby Greensburg surprised me with a lavish display for “Evan & Elle” right beside (and, in fact, on) the high traffic Customer Service island. Sell a lot of books here and it’s sure to snag the attention of district managers. This book is off to a strong start with great word-of-mouth and high profile interest, but it is in no way assured of even modest success. Best way for you to help right now? Buy it (on Kindle for speediest result) and post a gushy 5-star review. And host a book signing party at you home or place of recreation. So buy! Review! Repeat!
Today marks 7 years since my very first day in my Tin Lizzy office. Time flies when you’re in a tiny office that’s above three lively taverns — and not just because you’re in booze-induced naps for long stretches of time!
In that time — and in that office — I wrote 5 books, found out I have Parkinson’s, met tons of new friends, mourned the Covid-related death of one very good friend and spent countless hours just staring out the window and wondering WTF.
So it makes sense to turn the newsletter over to the bar life I find unavoidable. Here are some story highlights from that time and bar-related items…
• “My new office!”
• “So, okay, I have Parkinson’s”
• “Putting those Tin Lizzy rumors to rest”
• “We Heart Zack! A love story about a man & his bartender”
• “Who stole my American flag?”
To order “Evan & Elle” or any of my books, the best way is to visit www.chrisrodell.com or send me an e-mail to storyteller@chrisrodell.com
Book is for sale on amazon, Barnes & Noble, Walmart and locally Second Chapter Books (Ligonier), Youngstown Grille, Pat's Hair & Nail Place, Greater Latrobe-Laurel Valley Chamber of Commerce, Eclectique, 512 Coffee & Ice Cream; in Greensburg at DV8 Espresso & Gallery. Lastly, I’m rarely more than 20 feet from a copy just in case.
Drinkin’ & Bar stuff …
• The difference between my friends from church and my friends from the bar is my friends from church say they're sinners and they're really nice people and my friends from bars say they're sinners and brag about it.
• Most perplexing aspect of my existence is how I can go from being so popular at the bar to being unpopular at home w/out getting the bends
• Anyone who aspires to teach the whole world to sing in perfect harmony has never spent a minute at a karaoke bar after 10 p.m.
• I predict milk will be next common food staple to get the luxury boutique treatment. People will have milk orgies in moo saloons: Cowligula!
• I wonder if Pope Benedict is sitting in some bar watching saturation coverage of successor telling girls, "You know, I used to be pope.”
• I suspect it’s universal for every region to have a neighborly punching bag to make fun of for perceived or obvious stupidity. It’s why N. Dakotans make fun of S. Dakotans, Ohioans mock West Virginians, etc. But is it truly universal? And if so how often are we the butt of the jokes? Like is some alien wise guy on Kepler-23b entertaining his friends by saying, “Three Earthlings walk into a bar …”
• When I was young, I imagined my life's line would be a straight consistent rise to great literary success. I never dreamed my line would be so squiggly with so many zigs, zags, advances and retreats or that for years at a time my line would come to complete halt whenever it came upon a friendly tavern.
• It was a long time ago, but I still recall being a promising young writer and hearing a wise mentor say, "Kid, you're really going to go places." Some 30 years later, the only place I ever go is The Tin Lizzy. I wonder if that's what he meant. It is quite a place.
Thanks to those of you who recently showed your support for by sending cash or the equivalent to me at PayPal, Venmo, 874 Solomon Temple Rd., Latrobe, Pa, 15650).
All Chris’s books can be purchased through www.ChrisRodell.com