The World's Longest Book Tour
On the Road with the Local Rotary Club, Book Stores and Festivals
Psychological thriller author Jenny Milchman is famous for conducting the world’s longest book tour. She loaded her family into an RV, rented out her home and toured the United States for nearly a year going from bookstore to bookstore, signing books and talking to patrons.
Along the way she met with book clubs and any local organization that was looking for a speaker. Her first novel went into a second printing almost as soon as she began the tour, so she had something good to sell and a lot of friends. Milchman is an extrovert, which is unusual for a writer. So she attracts fans easily.
How did she manage her marathon trip? Her husband could hold down his job by using his laptop on the road and the couple homeschooled their two children. Her husband was also in charge of the book tour’s logistics—getting them from place to place, although Jenny shared the driving—and the kids helped pack swag bags for different events. Of course they used some of the time to see America. Imagine the education the kids got.
Since then she has repeated her famous book tour although it’s getting more difficult now that her offspring are growing up.
James Patterson and Mike Lupica had a blast making this promotional video for their novel 12 Months to Live.
My Florida Neighbor Randy Wayne White
Decades ago when the The New Yorker reached out to Floridian Randy Wayne White to pen a piece on the Everglades, he turned down the offer. The Outside magazine columnist and Florida fishing guide was in a foul mood. It was the height of the fishing season and he had enough work on his plate. Besides, he said at the time, what else can be written about Florida’s endangered swamp land that hasn’t already been written?
He wasn’t trying to play hard to get, but it didn’t seem to hurt at all. White heard from his buddies in New York literary circles that the editor he turned down was telling others chumming for talent that Randy was a big catch. “Randy White’s pretty good, if you can get him,” she told people. Ah, a lesson in basic economics. When the supply is limited, the demand usually goes up.
Randy went on to write dozens of novels, many NYT bestsellers. His most famous novels are part of his “Doc Ford” series about the adventures of marine biologist Doc Ford.
We met at his restaurant, Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grill on Sanibel Island, not far from my Florida abode, and we had a long chat about his beginnings, and book and magazine publishing.
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Rick Pullen is the author of the best selling thriller Naked Ambition, its sequel Naked Truth, and a stand-alone thriller The Apprentice.
Check our my website at RickPullen.com.