Hey all you boys and girls out there,

I got two big pieces of news to share. So let’s dive right in.

I m̶i̶g̶h̶t̶ have a publisher!

I started writing this email newsletter before I got the big news! Mango Publishing accepted my manuscript. I now officially have a publisher!! Here’s what I wrote. It’s written as if I haven’t heard the news. But “if you don’t know, now ya know!” 😉

A couple of months ago I submitted my DnD book proposal to Mango Publishing. At just six years, they have been one of the fastest-growing indie publishers in the country and was a finalist for Publisher of the Year at Digital Book World 2019. As they describe themselves on their site:

Our goal is to create high-quality books that explore new ideas and start conversations with our readers, on a global scale

After doing some research, seeing their impressive list of diverse authors (in particular, famed movie review YouTuber Chris Stuckman and Steven R. Covey from Franklin Covey), and hearing a Franklin Covey podcast interview with their founder and CEO, I was confident and convinced they were legit.

I’ve had two Zoom calls with them now. The second was a couple of weeks ago where they gave me some feedback from the review board. There were a few small issues they wanted to be addressed which didn’t worry me. The biggest issue was whether or not I plan to have an illustrator. As you probably know if you’ve read it, the book is very visual in nature, and I use a combination of old photos and movie screenshots. They wanted to know if I can get an illustrator to draw some of the other scenes. Once I decide on that, they can make another pitch to the review board.

Well, lucky enough, Ed Bell, the amazing illustrator who’s done my concept cover art, has agreed to do it. With this decision made, my editorial contact can make one last pitch to the board. Based on the last call I had with them, I feel good about this.

As usual, I’ll keep you apprised.

I finally have a Foreword

I knew from the onset that I would want my old high school friend, Chris Spencer to write my foreword. If you’ve read Chapter 16: Breakdancing and Breakthroughs, you’ll remember Chris. He’s an NAACP Image-award winning screenwriter, TV writer, Executive Producer, and comedian. He writes for people like Anthony Anderson, Jamie Fox, Dave Chappell, and is currently doing a deal with Kevin Hart and Morgan Freeman. As I write in the book, his Insta feed looks like a who’s-who of Black Hollywood.

(That’s Chris on the far left, hanging out with a few of his golfing buddies.)

When I first DM’d him about writing it, I wasn’t sure how he’d respond. Given the caliber of people he hangs and plays golf with, I wondered “Maybe he’s too famous now to bother with me.”

Nothing could be further from the truth. He said, “Of course!” He’s as real and authentic as ever. (We had a few fun and funny Zoom calls where we caught up on old times. You may hear some of them in a future podcast.)

It took him a bit of time to get to it (he was one of the writers for this year’s Emmy Awards), but he finally did. I knew it would be funny, but it was also surprisingly moving. The most startling realization in this forward is how differently we saw our relationship.

As I joke in the book, I swore his mother must’ve forced him to hang out with me in high school. I couldn’t imagine why someone as funny and popular as he was would give a D & D playing nerd like me the time of day. Well, as he shared with me on that aforementioned Zoom call, and as he writes in this foreword, I was so very wrong.

I hope you’ll take the time to read it. I think you’ll appreciate it.

I’m excited about what the future has in store for “Dungeons ‘n’ Durags,” and I’m glad you’ve come along for the ride.

Stay safe out there.

Ron

Buy the book

P.S. If you want to learn about more details behind my phone call with the publisher, hop on over to my The Aforementioned email list.