Sunday, June 13, 2010

Now I'm a Street Therapist


An old friend, from my days in Houston, wrote me a while back. We had done quite a few projects together. A comic strip, a radio show, a TV comedy show, a worm farming project (no joke) among other things. To my surprise, he has written a humorous novel (it's been compared to Dave Barry's work) and included me in it. Here is his letter to me:

Dave or Eddie - however you refer to yourself nowadays,
Open the Door, Richard is my first novel & it’s available at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble.com & all the major internet book sites for $9.95. I have two more coming out (all are humorous fiction)—one in December & another in 2010). The first one is about me growing up in the fifties & sixties. I tell the individual stories to a series of court-appointed therapists after being convicted for road rage. Street therapist Dave Eddings (a rock ‘n roll guitarist/ex-biker and two-time ex-con), my fourth therapist, hears one too many of my life stories tries to prove that he can fly and jumps out of the window from eleven stories up. (It turns out that he can’t.) But don’t worry. If I have time before the Rapture to write a sequel, I plan to introduce Dave’s twin brother, Eddie Eddings.
I read your blog, too. How long have you been doing it & are you doing any other projects? At the moment, I’m writing either a comic strip or a cartoon book (I’ve written close to six months worth of material) called In Search of Global Warming. I was planning to use one of the artists who did my book covers ( the publisher does comic books, too), but if you’d be interested, let me know. If not, get in touch with me anyway. I’d love to hear from you.
Rick

I haven't bought a copy yet, but when I get to the states (in about 4 days) I will look for it. Hope he was kind...my life has always been based on a true story.

6 comments:

  1. If they ever make this book into a movie, let me know! I would be willing to play a sack of groceries if the money is right!

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  2. Gary, need I remind you that you are still under contract with my movie company? Focus, man! Focus!

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  3. I have been compared to Dave Barry, too. People say, "Stranger, you are not anything at all like Dave Barry."

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  4. Congrats! Hope you visit in the states is a good one! Sure appreicate you brother.

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  5. Palombi's book sounds like a lot of fun. The description reminded me of Jean Shepherd's IN GOD WE TRUST, ALL OTHERS PAY CASH, portions of which recollections of the 1940s were made into the fun movie A CHRISTMAS STORY. We need latter-day Jean Shepherds to record their recollections of the 1960s, '70s and on up, especially with humor. -- Gary P.

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  6. Rick Palombi said:
    Thanks for taking the time to promote my first book, ol' buddy. Sales in Kuwait have been a little down. I think the jokes lose some of their bite when they're translated into Arabic. For instance, since Kuwaitis don't have beer commercials or drink alcoholic beverages, me and my buddy, Ray, driving off the seawall at Galveston in Chapter 1 might seem a bit bizarre to them. Oh and don't get all big-headed because I made you a street therapist in the book, Dave. Looking back on our therapy session, you barely helped me at all. I mean I hate to speak ill of the deceased, but what kind of therapist says he can fly and then does a header to the ground from the 12th floor window? I had to muster up every bit of writing genius I had to keep myself from looking petty when I complained that you hadn't signed off that I'd completed my therapy that day. And this is just a thought, old buddy, but wouldn't readers take your testimony more seriously without that picture of you wearing your space shuttle headgear staring them in the face?

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