Well, kind of.
Dave Astor, who covered syndicated columns and comics as a reporter and editor for 25 years for Editor & Publisher, has written a 86,000 word book about his experience working for E&P and witnessing the dramatic changes in journalism during that time. He tells me the book will also include humorous anecdotes meeting and talking to some of the biggest names in syndication such as: Scott Adams, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Walter Cronkite, Jim Davis, Roger Ebert, Bill Gates, Heloise, Herblock, Arianna Huffington, Jesse Jackson, Bil Keane, Coretta Scott King, Ann Landers, Gary Larson, Stan Lee, Bill O’Reilly, Dan Rather, Charles Schulz, Martha Stewart, Garry Trudeau, Abigail Van Buren and Bill Watterson.
Aside from his experience in journalism, the book will also delve into more personal matters such as dealing with the malpractice death of his first daughter, watching his second daughter grow into adulthood, and finding love in a second marriage.
The book is still being shopped around for a publisher, but when it gets picked up, I’ll be sure to let everyone know.
Good luck with it Dave!
Let me just deny the Malaysian prostitute story in advance. I had no idea she had a penis.
Don’t let a little thing like that get in the way of a good time, Stephan.
This sounds like a fun, gossipy project. I grew up reading the syndicates section of E&P – which is prolly as nerdy as it sounds.
Stephan, I thought that was the Afghanistan one. I smell another story…
Anyone have David Astor’s phone number?
First of all, thank you very much for the post, Alan! Stephan, your comment is as funny as your comic — which means it’s VERY funny. Thank you, Kevin, for having read my syndicates section! And Rick, I’m not sure I should give out my phone number on the Web, but if you want to send me a message on Facebook, I’d be happy to hear from you.
Sex. Sex. Sex. Just tell me who had sex. With anyone.
Ha ha, Donna! Fortunately or unfortunately, the book is “G-rated.”
(And “cartooning” and “celibate” both start with a “c”…)
So does chlamydia.
HAHAHAHA….Dave.
HAHAHAHA….Jim
G-spot begins with G……:-)
Gee…..
I can’t say that I’ve heard of a book size being reported as a word count … is that more of a journalistic way of doing it? Sounds like an interesting book though.
Thanks, Rich! The book is 442 double-spaced pages in Microsoft Word, but since it isn’t published yet, I don’t know how many pages it will be in print.
Your years of writing for E o&P qualify you to provide us with a lot of interesting stories, Dave. Soon as it’s available, put me down for a copy!
Also, somehow your email address vanished from my contact list. Help!
Oh, BTW, Happy Birthday!
Dave best of luck on your book. Sounds fascinating. I’ve just finished a similar book about my life as a sitcom writer which sent my agent into apoplexy. The reason? Writing about the living is a very slippery slope. Even people you say nice things about can sue you for mentioning them in your book. Libel is hard to prove, yet disgruntled people can make your life miserable trying. For this reason I have been told this type of book is a very hard sell because publishers would have to spend a fortune having their legal department check with each person you wrote about to make sure they’re okay with what you said. This is before they have sold or printed one book. Am I right? Please say I’m wrong and my agent doesn’t know what he’s talking about. Feel free to email me to continue this discussion privately.