A Reunion and Celebrity Author

Last week I had a really special treat. I went to a book signing for this book by Sam Haskell. This book would have caught my interest under any circumstances--it's the story of "southern boy made good" as my grandmother would have said. However this author and this book hold special appeal for me. This book is by a very old and dear friend.

Sam, who was actually a fraternity brother of my husband, sang in our wedding. (Don't you love the ruffled tuxedo shirt and Farrah Fawcett hairstyle?) But it was Sam and I who shared the same interests. For two years we co-produced the Miss University (MS) pageant and he eventually came to entertain at the state pageant in my home town. We watched old movies in the bottom of the fraternity house. When it came time for me to practice teach, I went to his hometown to be mentored by his mother's best friend and his high school English teacher. Sam moved to the big city and eventually became head of television for the William Morris Agency and agent to many superstars.

I recently received an email from Sam telling me he'd written a book that was on the L.A. Times Bestseller List and would be in my area to promote it. That's his PR lady on the right ----yes, the other soloist in the wedding picture. She was a sorority sister of mine and on the pageant circuit herself. We had such a good time catching up. Nancy had Father's Day dinner with us and the newlyweds. I've read Sam's book now. The introduction is by Ray Romano, a client and friend of his and that alone was worth the price of the book. I enjoyed the anecdotes about celebrities and the stories of the many fascinating people he has met during his career, but what I enjoyed most was the story of this small town boy who has achieved remarkable success in a dog-eat-dog environment and yet kept the simple truths and lessons from his mother close to his heart and the standard by which he lives his life. Promises I Made My Mother is a good read and would make a great gift for a young graduate about to make his or her own way in the world. Sam is going to about 90 cities. He is a truly gifted speaker and generous with his time. I hope you'll visit my old friend if you get the opportunity!

I thought I would link this to Diane at A Picture is Worth A Thousand Words--For me and my friends, this is definitely the second time around! Visit Diane at http://diane1876.blogspot.com/ for more encore performances!