Listen to My Most Recent Radio Interview on WCNS THIS Saturday morning ONLINE!!!

The jaunty chef guy who oversees the making of the Potato Patch fries at Kennywood

Mike Krcil is a rock star (figuratively speaking), an award-winning broadcaster, and a really great guy.  What makes him a rock star is that he asked to interview me for my book, helping to get the word out about it in the Greater Pittsburgh area (where a chunk of the parks I visited reside) and hopefully getting folks interested in doing their own vintage amusement park road trips.

So make a nice latte, cozy up to your computer, and give the interview a listen THIS SATURDAY (that's tomorrow, May 18) at 9:30 Eastern.  You can do so by clicking on this link at the appropriate time:

http://1480wcns.com/talkblock.htm

It's part of the Saturday Talk Block on 1480 WCNS.  Mike and I chat about Western Pennsylvania parks like Kennywood and Idlewild, and I also give some hints about parks to visit in other regions of the U.S.  And at the very end of the 30-minute interview, I give out a holler about how YOU can help save a vintage park in peril, the awesomely historic Rye Playland.

Take some time and tune in tomorrow!!!  Your soul will smile.

Keansburg Amusement Park WILL Rebuild, God Bless 'Em!!

The rides were rocked by torturous winds and salt water, the antique arcade games left to float down the street, the park covered with mounds of sand and debris,  yet the Gehlhaus family vows to rebuild the historic amusement park by Easter


 Easter!  Of 2013!
http://www.nj.com/monmouth/index.ssf/2012/11/keansburg_amusement_park_owners_vow_we_will_be_open_by_easter.html

I'm barely able to wrap my head around the huge effort that lies ahead of them.  We're talking about rebuilding a vintage amusement park, many rides and games which many be very difficult to replace or repair due to the fragile quality of the housing, the rarity of spare parts.  Many a park has closed down for less of a blow, yet this park vows to carry on.  What drives someone to tackle such an Herculean task?  Dogged determination?  Pluckiness?  Desperation?  Out and out lunacy?

No, I believe, from reading the article and from learning what keeps folks like the Gehlhauses in this business, that it's a combination of courage and heart and wisdom (Huh.. In a way, like Dorothy's friends in "The Wizard of Oz", don'tcha know...).  It's a courageous thing to take on, against so many odds (according to the article, this isn't covered by insurance).  It takes enormous heart: they see that as Keansburg is an amusement park, it provides that elusive, etheric thing: amusement.  It creates memories and thrills and laughter; this is one of the main premises of my book, how much this matters in our fast-paced, digital world. And it takes wisdom, something I'm sure has been learned (and earned) over the years: that a place like this matters on so many levels.  The owners know that not only they but the locals depend on their park for income, and to bring visitors into the small seaside town of Keansburg.

An enormous Powerball lottery jackpot is in play tomorrow night.  I'll be playing it, and when I win, I'll donate a chunk of funds to this precious park, to help it thrive again, to allow it to continue to make the Jersey shore a special place to play at, to create wonderful memories at, for families to keep those traditions of "the first carousel ride", "the first cotton candy consumed" alive.

"Gotta Go to Knoebels" - awesome video. As much fun as, well, Knoebels!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaO3MkM3fLg

Check out this great video, a parody of "Good Feeling".  It's filmed at one of my Top Five parks on the Road Trip, Knoebels.  Truth be told - with the exception of Disney parks, Knoebels is my favorite of the bunch!

Selling the book, the Facebook page, and some wonderful friends

So, yesterday was the big splash for the book, but really it was only the first part of the splash.  Like navigating through a waterpark.  Consider yesterday's splash like, oh, maybe taking your inner tube and coasting down the Lazy Rapids (or whatever else one might call that slow-moving river-like part of a typical waterpark).  What's left?  Oh, the rest of the Really Big Waterpark!  Like contacting everyone I have ever received an email from, everyone I have an email for who is connected to a park, all my agents and clients from my voice-over world, connecting with small bookstores in the region, and eventually, reminding all the PR folks from all the parks that the book actually exists and is ready to wield its magic.

Then there's setting up book signings.  I have some irons in the fire on that avenue.  Small bookstores, libraries, even the Oak Park Arms, where my Dad lives.  They've all expressed interest in one form or another.  And every stone must be turned in order to get the Cotton Candy message out to the masses.

But back to yesterday.  I splashed Facebook, launched my book's Facebook page:

(https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Cotton-Candy-Roadtrip/204002577720)

... and told every person I know there, over 600 friends, about the page and to hopefully get it "liked".  Additionally, I took out a Facebook ad with a small budget, and am starting to get folks from all over the world interested in my project!  But the sweetest thing ...

was the outpouring of enthusiasm and love from my Facebook buddies. Their generosity of spirit moved me again and again throughout the day.  One friend purchased a copy of the book so quickly it made me dizzy, then went on to share the book's page link with her other friends.  A number of friends did that as well, shared the Facebook page link.  I blushed time after time at their words of encouragement, how they plugged the book sight unseen, just knowing it's a labor of love, that I poured my whole self into it.

Thank you friends.  Such generosity will be graciously returned.