I must have laughed and cried a thousand times... -- Message from Gary Robinson

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Raya raymond
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Re: I must have laughed and cried a thousand times... -- Message from Gary Robinson

Post by Raya raymond »

Ruba Abu Ali wrote: 04 Aug 2018, 13:36 Thanks for this heart-warming letter Mr. Robinson. The passion and love you have put into this book are so evident.
I know right his passion for the book is so evident.
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Post by Mumanyi »

Thak you for the letter, I have not yet read this book, I stress on yet because I'm certainly going to try and read it, because, to me it seems inspirational and educational. Many people can Identify their lives with yours and gain from it
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Post by Joe Hadithi »

Now I know what book I'm reading next. Can't wait to meet Duke :)
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Mary WhiteFace
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Post by Mary WhiteFace »

"The Sword Swallower and a Chico Kid" was the first OnlineBookClub book that I read, and the first review that I wrote. I loved your book. You made me laugh, and you made me cry, sometimes on the same page.

It was nice to come across this post and to get an update on your life. Congratulations on the beautiful family. I know you're proud. 💕
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Post by sanykip »

i haven't read these book but i must go to the amazon right now
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Post by Amyb77 »

Your letter here makes me want to read your book I also love documentary of all kinds. :D :tiphat:
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Post by laneyboggs30 »

Hey Gary! I was looking through the forum topics on your book and was thrilled to see that one of them was written by you! I thoroughly enjoyed your book! It had me laughing and I am not ashamed to say that I also shed a tear or two. Anyway, I just wanted to say congratulations. It's an awesome piece of work. Thanks for giving us some insight into your experience while writing it. Looking forward to the next book!
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Post by PeaceLoveNature44 »

I can not wait to read your new book! I loved The Sword Swallower and a Chico Kid! It was a great book for so many reasons. I loved the language you used, and the characters were great. I explained more in my review: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=82247

I would recommend this to all of my friends. I know a lot who can relate in this book. I saw some of my friends in the characters. It was a hit! Keep writing, and I look forward to reading your next book!
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Post by imaster »

Interesting to read it on. Later on, I will surely read out the full story.
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Post by rosemartine »

It's interesting..
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Post by Mary33 »

Thanks for the letter. It gives us an insight as to how important this book is to You. I sure would look for it and share in this lovely story. Thanks.
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Post by Omotayo omowale »

Am eager for this great book to read
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Post by nfcdeaton1993 »

Its amazing to see how an accidental friendship helped both of them on a personal level. The addition of the authors own touch to the story makes the story so much more interesting to read. Thank you for sharing your story and giving the reader a glimpse into the mind of the author.
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Post by AbhyarnaAman »

Gary Robinson wrote: 09 May 2018, 15:20 [The following is a featured post written by Gary Robinson, who is the author of the May 2018 Book of the Month, The Sword Swallower and a Chico Kid]


I must have laughed and cried a thousand times while writing nearly every page of this book because The Sword Swallower was a close and dear friend of mine.

Writing this book was therapeutic and joyful. As I created the story, I could hear The Sword Swallower’s voice, see his face, and feel the presence of my friend.

The book is fiction, but much of this story is based on actual experiences. I wanted to write a book that was entertaining from sentence to sentence so that if you didn't read it from the first chapter you would still find the story interesting and engaging.

Duke Reynolds' life is made for storytelling. He ran away from home and joined the circus at the age of fifteen. He learned how to swallow swords and traveled with the strangest characters of the circus sideshow that were affectionately known as the “freaks”. The freaks loved the work, they loved the life, and they especially loved each other.

I also wanted to share a part of my own story. I hope you find the ridiculous social events of the 80’s contained within this book to be hysterical. I am happy to report that our culture has evolved from that type of stupidity, but this was my life for several years. I attempted to portray the character of this endearing alcoholic in a more unusual perspective. I wanted you to root for this Chico kid and see him as ‘the good guy’ despite his degenerate addictions. My intention was for you to read about my immature choices in life, shake your head and say, “What a mess. I just want to sit him down and talk some sense into him!”

This book is full of interesting people and unique adventures that you have most likely never read in any other story. You will love the characters described in this tale.

I believe that meeting The Sword Swallower was no coincidence. Without his influence, I most likely would have died at some point from drug overdose or alcoholism. When we met, we both suffered from addictions and I describe when and how each of us started our drug and alcohol abuse. Duke had much more control of his drug use than I did. He was close to dying from cancer and was just living out his last days. I wanted you to experience the dialogue between us while we immersed ourselves in what we called “medicine”. Even with the aforementioned addictions discussed, you will find this book filled with humor. It is a very entertaining tale.

This is a story of redemption and finding the most peculiar soul to teach me how to find inspiration.

I can proudly say I have raised three children since our adventures ended. They are all in college now and are gainfully employed. I also have a wonderful career and play a mean harmonica.

I am currently writing another story and hope to finish by the end of the year. I do not want to give too many of the details away, but I intend to discuss other social issues and present a different class of unusual characters while they embark on their adventure.

Thank you again for taking the time to read this letter. I truly hope you enjoy The Sword Swallower and a Chico Kid. If you do have a chance to read my book, I would love to discuss it with you. I can be reached at Grobinbooks on Facebook, @Grobinbooks on Twitter, or you can visit my website at www.GrobinBooks.com.


Regards,
Gary Robinson

---
View The Sword Swallower and a Chico Kid on Bookshelves
Wow!! what a rollercoaster of emotions this book would be. I like your method of storytelling and describing the characters. Well done!!! :tiphat:
Feeling upset sometimes may be unavoidable, but acting distressed is always optional.
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AbhyarnaAman
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Post by AbhyarnaAman »

joycechitwa wrote: 19 Jul 2018, 08:34 Thank you Gary for this heartfelt letter. It's a beautiful backdrop for your book. It allows us to peek into your mind to know what message you really wanted to get across through the pages of the book. Indeed, it has softened my stance towards the book! I have been hesitant to pick up the book because just the title to me makes me imagine there's lots of dangerous stunts happening in the book (which there actually might be!). With your explanation though, I hope I will gain courage sooner or later to have a read. Cheers.
So, could you finally read this. I too am hesitant of reading the book not because of the stunts but because of how emotional it would get.
Feeling upset sometimes may be unavoidable, but acting distressed is always optional.
By Rob White
Latest Review: Julu by Jan Anderegg
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