3.9 Hey, Steve, Why A Book? (An Excerpt from the Soon-to-be-Published "Steve's Book")

Before we go any further, I would like to address the questions that, no doubt, are on most of your minds:

Why are you calling this book "Steve's Book?"

First of all, "Gone With The Wind" was already taken, and second of all, it's all about brand extension.

Some of the greatest businessmen in American history, Henry Ford, Walt Disney, M.S. Hershey, and the New York Yankees organization, established themselves with a successful product, or, "built their brand," and extended it to other products and services that would keep them in the public eye. In the space of two years, Steve's Blog has been read in more than twenty countries and territories, and it ain't over until I (or you) say it is. "Steve's Podcast," "Steve's TV Show," "Steve's Radio Show," and even "Steve's Movie" are even more possible brand extensions.

Everybody's writing a novel. Why don't you?

If everybody jumped off a cliff, would you?

Seriously, there are a lot of great novels and I've read a lot of them, but there's a VERY good reason why I've written this book and not a novel:

I can't be a fictional character.

Lord knows I've tried. I tried to be an award-winning newsman from Buffalo who moved to New York only to be busted down to the mailroom, but I was rejected.

I tried to be a beauty queen (through the miracle of fiction) who tried to carry out her royal duties only to be demoted to messenger by the owner of the pageant,but the so-called friend I gave the manuscript for her summer reading pleasure lost it.

I tried to be Archie Andrews in a story concerning Betty and Veronica trying to snare our hero by dropping a dollar bill on the ground and shouting, "HEY, YOU DROPPED SOMETHING!" but guess what Archie Comics did to my story. Yep, they dropped it.

I tried to be a super hero and save the world from the evil Howard Klimberg, but I kept getting sent to detention. (I didn't have a great power and I was greatly irresponsible.)

The truth is, I feel too comfortable in my own skin.

Let the other writers hide behind their creations. You paid for "Steve's Book," you GOT "Steve's Book," made from Steve's 100% natural opinions with no artificial characters. If you want a stimulating plot and larger-than-life characters, buy somebody else's book. If you want comments about movies, TV, sports, politics, and, of course, books from somebody like you who knows what you've been going through, welcome aboard.

Just strap yourself in, make sure your tray tables are in the upright and locked position, and get ready for a trip to SteveWorld. It may not be Disney World, but, hey, it's not WestWorld.

Hope you enjoy the trip!