The first time my byline ever appeared in the Livingston County Press was 40 years ago – on March 23, 1983, to be specific. I was the newly hired sports editor of the LCP and my first story was about a couple of Howell High School basketball players (Greg Spraggins and John Clink) who were heading off to play in college.
I thought that Livingston County might just be a brief stop on the way to other jobs in journalism, but little did I know that I was here to stay.
Since my first story about Greg Spraggins and John Clink, I’ve written roughly 600 billion other articles about Livingston County – columns, stories, editorials, whatever. And here we are, 40 years later, so I decided that it was time to put some of these stories into a book.
It’s called “A Taco Bell for Howell, and Other Livingston County Crusades” and it just came out on Amazon. If you’ve had the misfortune of reading my columns in the past, you know where I got the title from.
It’s sort of a memoir about my four decades as a Livingston County journalist, but it’s mostly a collection of my favorite stories and columns from the past 40 years.
And the good news is that you can order yourself a copy RIGHT NOW!
The paperback version, which will set you back $10.99, is available by clicking HERE.
The Kindle version, which is only $3.99, is available by clicking HERE.
You probably have some burning questions about why I decided to write this book and what’s in it, so let’s hear them! First question, please…
What makes you think anyone would want to read a book about your Livingston County stories?
Good question! I have no idea why anyone would want to read a book about my Livingston County stories, but I DO know that this is currently the only book on the market that explores, in great detail, how the Ugly Naked Guy came to Brighton. So if anyone is looking for a book about that, I’ve got the market cornered!
OK, so the Ugly Naked Guy is in there. What other stories can we expect to read?
You’ll be treated to the story of how I singlehandedly got one of the most powerful people in Washington to come to Brighton – and how it didn’t go so well when he finally showed up. There’s a chapter on my most favorite interview of all time, with the great Charlie Gehringer of Fowlerville. And you’ll get to read, for the first time, the full and unabridged story of what happened when Melissa Gilbert came to Howell, and how this all somehow led to me getting quoted in a national magazine story talking about her breast implants.
Sounds like some real high-brow literature here.
Oh, it gets worse. There’s also an entire chapter about a guy who farted at a Hamburg Township Board meeting.
You’re a regular Ernest Hemingway, aren’t you? OK, so if people are new here, what’s with the title of the book?
Back in the 1980s, I started using my column in the newspaper on a regular basis to hammer on the fact that Howell didn’t have a Taco Bell. It got to where I was writing about Taco Bell almost every week. So when Howell DID finally get a Taco Bell in 1990, I took full and complete credit for it. Since then, I’ve mostly been known in Livingston County for this singular accomplishment.
Good for you. You mentioned that this is also part memoir. What kind of memoir stuff is in the book?
I have several chapters that talk about my life at the newspaper and how it changed and evolved through the years. Lots and lots of newspaper stories in here. I talk about how and why I came to Livingston County in 1983, I have a chapter about my years as the Livingston County sports editor, and I have another chapter that looks at the salad days of local journalism, back when the Livingston County Press and Brighton Argus were separate weekly newspapers. If you’ve been around Livingston County a while, you should appreciate those parts.
Anything family-related in the book?
Of course! I have a chapter that’s entitled “How I Met My Wife.” It’s a story that involves lots of tap dancing and musical theater, so you’re sure to enjoy it.
Any politics in this book?
NO! Nothing political at all (aside from the story about how I got a guy from Washington to come to Brighton). Democrats and Republicans will be free to hate the book equally.
So it sounds mostly humorous and whimsical. Anything serious in the book?
Yes, there’s a chapter in there about the Shawn Moore case. It’s the only serious part of the book, but I couldn’t write a book of Livingston County stories without including that one.
Any stories about the roundabouts in there?
Does a bear sleep in the woods?
Yeah, I thought so. So, this book is only available on Amazon?
Yes, for now. We’ll hopefully find a local store that wants to sell some copies, but for now, you can just go on Amazon and get a copy. You can get it on Kindle or paperback.
Swell. Can I get you to autograph it?
Absolutely. You can meet me at Taco Bell anytime.
