Archive for December 6th, 2009

I still can’t get over the book launch for my new release. It was more than fun. Folks came expecting merely to see me signing books, but we gave them an entertaining time as well. The food was delicious, our ‘marketeers’ –  the great people from 3rd Idea here in Gettysburg –  organized it and their own Mak McKeehan acted as MC. My lovely wife, Rosemary, introduced the festivities.

There was a “Conspiracy Cocktail” for one and all present, which was received with gusto…and no, I can’t divulge the recipe – not yet. Keith Rocco, the acclaimed historical artist, was also there as my special guest. I’ve known Keith for many years, and he was kind enough to allow me to use his painting, The Last Stand, for my cover art. Bob O’Connor, a fellow Infinity Publishing author also joined us.

Decked out in my family’s plaid (the MacDonald Clan) to honor my main character, Ian Carlyle, a Scotsman of course, I read my novel’s first chapter. After all, they say if the first chapter doesn’t grab you, the rest of the book is likely to put you to sleep.

Ach, but my reading wasn’t the hit of the evening by far. Jim Getty has been portraying Abraham Lincoln in Gettysburg for more than thirty years, and for many, me included, he is Lincoln in voice, dress, and demeanor. He was kind enough to read a very poignant portion of my book in which Lincoln speaks with great compassion to a severely wounded soldier. He read it as Lincoln, in first person. Where it would read Lincoln said, _____ – he would say “I said.” The audience was in stunned silent, listening to his every word, taking themselves back in time. For me to hear my words read like that was electrifying.