Barnes & Noble, Waterbury, Connecticut June 25, 2016. |
People who know me know that when it comes to Bob Crane, I can become overwhelmed with emotion pretty quickly. Emotions run the gamut: pure joy and elation when I see the public's opinion change from negative to positive right before my eyes; excitement and anticipation about my next author event; innocent happiness when I watch Hogan's Heroes or listen to any of his radio airchecks; sadness and helplessness over how his life was snatched away by the cruel hands of another; frustration that he never got to live long enough to realize any life goals past forty-nine years of age; and hot anger when the media chooses to spend its time fixated on sex and murder, especially when we know there was so much more to who he was as a complete human being.
Dee Young (left) and Carol Ford Barnes & Noble, Waterbury, Connecticut June 25, 2016. |
Most people really do care about Bob Crane; they just have not been given the chance to for fear of being ridiculed right along with him. That is, until now. This is the complete opposite of what one network representative told me last year, in person. "Your book will never sell," he said. "People don't want nice. They want scandal. That's what we give them because that's where the money is."
It's a long, difficult road, but one day at a time, and one person at a time, we are proving that representative wrong.
When I go to author events, I don't just show up and sit at a table with a stack of books. I bring a full display, one that includes screen-used Hogan's Heroes props, autographed photos, poster boards containing rare photographs from Bob's entire life, his high school yearbook, and much more. I want people to enjoy the event, not just smile cordially at me as they walk past to the "New in Fiction" table or magazine rack. For many, Hogan's Heroes brings back fond childhood or early adulthood memories, and I want their visit to the bookstore that day to be fun and memorable, as well as educational.
Dee Young (left0 and Carol Ford Barnes & Noble, Stamford, Connecticut June 26, 2016. |
Bob Crane: The Definitive Biography author event. Barnes & Noble, Stamford, Connecticut / June 26, 2016. Photo courtesy of Barnes & Noble, Stamford. |
This was, without question, an amazing weekend. Being with members of Bob's family in Waterbury and getting to spend time with them touched my heart deeply, and being with some of the people who loved him as a friend and colleague made me overjoyed. I get overwhelmed (in a good way), but days like these are truly life-changing. These beautiful people who loved Bob (and still love him) mean so much to me, and they stay with me. Near or far, they become part of my own life story, and it's something I cherish on a daily basis. Bob surrounded himself with some of the most radiant and gracious individuals I have ever had the honor and pleasure to know, and they mean the world to me. Seeing their joy and happiness because of all the positive energy coming from this book and our hard work humbles me beyond measure.
Researching, writing, and publishing Bob Crane: The Definitive Biography was a daunting task and a labor of love; and marketing and promoting the book, while fun, is time-consuming, expensive, and often very exhausting—physically and emotionally.
But every single bit of it is all worth it.
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Big thank you to the Barnes & Noble stores in Waterbury and Stamford, Connecticut, for hosting our author events! Special thanks to Robin Masiewicz, Assistant Store Manager (Waterbury location), and Kai Connolly-Raub, Community Business Development Manager (Stamford location), as well as the friendly and helpful staff at each store. Dee and I appreciate all your hard work in preparing for and running the events, and for caring so much about Bob Crane and his true story!