When I was a kid planning my future as George Lucas’s writerly intern on his next Star Wars trilogy, my mom read to my siblings and me Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice, and my dad read to me Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations. While neither author persuaded me away from my Lucensian intentions, I did learn from those great comedians of character that not every hero must fly in a Millennium Falcon to entertain me, and not every villain is required to drive a star destroyer to earn my scorn.
Sadly, Mr. Lucas eventually retired from the possibility of being my mentor after he sold his company to the Disney Empire, so I was forced to deputize my appreciation for Austen’s and Dickens’ less explosive stories and write my own such tale.
Today, I am verklempt to announce that my romantic comedy of manners, A Boring Book, is now out in the world and ready to mingle with readers. While my near-hero, John Smith, is not an exciting, witty, or adventurous fellow, he does possess a heart that is three sizes too big as he often notices the pains of the more interesting people who surround him, and so he seeks to help them even though he lacks the confidence to carry out his schemes.
The book is intended to be funny as I, John’s ghostwriter, use my training as the author of How to Cure Yourself of Narcissism to point out the behavioural blunders of John’s co-characters. John, embarrassingly, doesn’t always agree with my mocking of his not-quite friends and family, but the bickering between us should entertain, especially since I win most of the debates.
Unfortunately, John’s kindness gets the last chuckle. To anyone who is motivated by this message to purchase a copy of A Boring Book between now and the end of 2022, please send me a note (to seth.mcdonough.author@gmail.com) with a picture or screenshot proving your purchase, and I will donate the Seth-bound royalties from your acquisition to Doctors Without Borders (John’s favourite charity).
I would have donated the results to the Disney Without Star Wars fund, but sadly I’m not the protagonist of this particular promotion.
Bravo! Can’t wait to read it, though I hope it’s shorter than “War and Peace.” You may be interested to know that mine will be appearing soon–somewhere, somehow. I’m still negotiating various deals.
And how are you enjoying parenthood?
Tom
Huge congrats, Seth!!
I’m very excited to read it!
Thanks for your support, Tom D. and Tamsen!
Tom, well put. Yes, as far as I can count, A Boring Book doesn’t measure up in mass to Tolstoy’s tome; however, my ability to babble merrily about it might, so interviewers should be ready to intervene.
And near congrats on your own work being near-ready for the world. SethBlogs will be first in line.
Yes, thanks for asking, A Boring Book‘s human sibling is a delight so far (I suppose I shall have to nickname her “An Adorable Human”).
I enjoyed your introduction to your new book, ‘A Boring Book’. I was most amused by your previous book, so I look forward to getting a copy of your new book. I have requested a copy for Christmas, but if I do not receive the book, I will purchase one for myself.
Thank you, Mara!
Well, if in doubt, I would order one now as well as putting the book on your Christmas list: that way, best case scenario, you’ll have two of them, and you can keep one at home and one in the car!
Best,
Helpful SethBlogs*
*SethBlogs is in a different department than Seth the novelist, so we technically receive no royalties from the above recommended extra books sale even though we share the same person.