OK, we’re past Halloween and into November, so NOW you’re allowed to start thinking about the holidays. And you’re probably short of gifting ideas. So I’m here to help.

But before I get to that, allow me a short prologue of things I’m truly grateful for that are all slightly relevant to the message at hand. Here goes.

• When you meet your future spouse, you might know it immediately. But wait long enough to confirm that not only is she beautiful and awesome, make sure she’s also good with an artist’s pencil.
• When she has morning sickness on the honeymoon, it’s OK, someday that kid will grow up to make amazing music.
• When your second son almost dies 7 weeks before his due date, it just means he’s impetuous and eager to do stuff.
• When you are on the unemployment line twice in two years, and the Great Recession is just around the corner, don’t panic, just think about writing a book.
• If THAT doesn’t happen for the next 14 years, no worries. What should REALLY freak you out is your house almost burning down.
• But that’s OK, it’ll get fixed up like new. Just in time for you to hunker down in a pandemic.
• All of which gives you the time, space, inspiration, in-house support team, multi-disciplined talent, and kick-in-the-ass to create the damn thing.

Which brings me back to the present. And on the morning of November 1^st, the day after our annual celebration of death, a message popped into my inbox. It was from Adirondack Life, the premier magazine of all things ADK. And in this year’s review of books, they stuck ‘Forty-Something’ in there right near the top.

You can read that here: https://www.adirondacklife.com/2023/11/01/regional-reads-2023/

So, yeah, Kootch would say I’m selling hard, Bran might call it shilling, and Thomas Durant, well, he’d try and sell your mother if he could.

But if you or someone you are grateful for is interested in adventures and tales so tall they simply must be true, consider following the link to the Wild Center and buying a copy or two, or forty-something. I’d be, well, very grateful. Here endeth the solicitation. Thanks for reading. Happy Holidays.