www.jackbenny.org

Carolyn Carroll and I now have a manuscript for Wishing on a Star: The Life of Eddie Carroll, though there's still revision, rewriting, proofing, and editing to go. It took longer than I'd planned, but it's a longer book, too--90,000 words, approximately, when I'd estimated 80,000, and 25 chapters instead of the outlined 22, mainly because some of them, like Pinocchio's nose, just grew and grew until I split them for easier reading.

...and it's off to the publisher (BearManor Media)! They are designing the book's cover, and Carolyn is selecting more than a hundred photos to go in the text. The book, with Jamie Farr's foreword, plus index, acknowledgments, and little half-page author bios, came to 100,001 words exactly.

Looking forward to it Brad. In the meantime - spot Eddie!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzWlUTgUX84&feature=related

Update: manuscript has been edited and Carolyn is placing the photos. Shouldn't be too long now!

Very excited for this!

I just turned in the Index and final proof corrections for the book. Carolyn has submitted all the photos. The book has been approved for publication and now goes off to the printer. Stay tuned!

And...it's available for pre-order from BearManor Media! ISBN is 1-59393-242-1, and the price is $19.95--and Laura is prominently quoted in the press release:

"Eddie Carroll told me that in playing a role fully, you come to personally embody aspects of the character you play. Eddie was a beautiful mixture of the gentle humanity of Jack Benny, along with the magic and wisdom of Jiminy Cricket. I am certain he is one of the brightest stars for us to wish upon now. "–Laura Leff, President of the International Jack Benny Fan Club

Brad, are you going to be doing any book signings?

I might be able to drive down one day.

If and when I have any signings lined up, I'll let everyone know! Still waiting for my author's copies right now.

I haven't seen it yet, but I heard the JACK BENNY TIMES has a piece on "Wishing on a Star." I'd like to clarify a bit--the book was possible only because Carolyn co-wrote it. She did all the photos, too--more than 140 of them!--and lined up inerviews, hosted us in the Carrolls' house when Barbara and I flew out to California to speak to Eddie's family and others, and she wrote the time-line for the book and wrote anecdotes and memoirs about her and Eddie's lives. I'm sure Laura didn't mean to scant her contribution--maybe I'm to blame, since I've mentioned the book here so often--but the last thing in the world I would want is for Carolyn's feelings to be hurt. She did a terrific amount of work on researching and preparing the book, and we were partners in the writing.