LITTLE DID I KNOW

My Review

The year is 1976.

Sam has just graduated college. Now it is time to pave his way in the real world. So the million dollar question is “What are you going to do now Sam?” Sam already has a plan. He shows his friends an ad for the rental of a theatre. This ad is the perfect answer to Sam’s dreams. Sam applies and receives a letter from The Barrows Foundation, who is managing the Priscilla Beach Theatre. The Barrows Foundation is pleased to offer Sam the theatre. Sam can live out his dreams and he will finally get to produce and direct musicals.

I thought this book read a little like the Great Gatsby. This is a good thing. It was zany and the characters were not to be taken too serious. I had mixed feelings about Sam. On one hand I thought he was chauvinistic, especially when it came to women and this turned me off but on the other hand, he did have some great ideas. Sam would describe the women in great detail about what their breasts looked among other details. There are also references to the male’s private parts. So, if you get offended easily than you are warned. I read another reader’s thought about this book and I had to agree that I found the sports references a bit much. At times, I had to muddle my way though sections as I thought this book moved slow at times for me. Overall, this book may not have been a Broadway hit with me but it is still worth your time to check it out.


Excerpt:

“Is that really necessary?” Elliot asked.

Without hesitation, surrounded by nods of assent, James quickly replied, “Yes, unfortunately, it is. Quite.”

I continued. “James, well…he will be James. He will make things work that are broken. He’ll be our Spock, our man of logic and calm. He will roll us a joint in time of need. Secunda will act his ass off and sing his ass off and tell jokes and break a few hearts and help me find the money to pay the rent. We’ll kiss every frog that will ribbet, and raise this dough.”

Q&A:

Can you tell us something about yourself that not a lot of your readers know?

I am a tremendous optimist—I believe that you can will things to happen and when all seems at the lowest that is when you figure it out. And I can tell my wife anything which makes me very lucky.

Do you have any quirks that come out while you are writing?

I don’t trust the dialogue so I read it out loud several times in the voices of the characters to make sure it has a special and specific cadence and so that everyone sounds different. To make sure the characters speak in their “speak” their vocabulary and with a unique energy that makes us all individuals.

What is your daily routine as a writer?

I think about what I am going to write throughout the day so when I sit in front of the computer the words have been pre written in my head.

What inspired you to write your first book?

A need to revisit joy and spontaneity and lose cynicism.

If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?

Yes but I can only tell you after you have read the novel otherwise it will give too much away

What is your favorite part of the writing process?

Surprise as to where my characters go how they react to situations and how they grow in ways I never imagined. I also like to find new words to say things in a fresh fashion.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I baseball star but I couldn’t hit a curveball. To follow my passions. To leave my fingerprint on the planet. To listen and to change lives. Offer help put my beliefs ahead of my wants. To succeed. To find respect rather than be liked –if I had to choose. To find a few special persons who believed in me and not disappoint them. Be me but with a little less angst, perhaps more hair and a bigger savings account.

To read more about this book and another excerpt, click here