Butters, the writer

Guess who's "writing" a memoir? (June 29 edition)

Oh yeah...

Soleil Moon Frye (aka Punky Brewster)'s first book HAPPY CHAOS, a combination memoir/manual, with stories from from own unconventional childhood growing up in the limelight as a child star, and thematically linked anecdotes from her experiences as a parent of two young daughters...for publication in summer 2011...

An early Amazon.com customer

I was waxing nostalgic today and thinking about how long I've had the Internet. I had it set up in my house in Mankato in 1994, and I'm guessing I was one of a few who had a home connection. I remember when Amazon.com was just a start-up, selling hard-to-find books. I must have bought my first book from them in 1995 or 1996. It was Robert Fisk's PITY THE NATION.

Later that year, in December, I received a package in the mail from Amazon. I hadn't ordered anything, so I was curious. I opened it and found a coffee travel mug. It came with a note that said something like, "Thank you for being an Amazon.com customer. Please accept this gift in appreciation." I thought that was very cool. Now I see what Amazon has done and how they'd go bankrupt if they sent a holiday gift to every customer these days! It makes me wonder how many customers they had that year, that each one of us could receive a gift. Any guesses?

I still have that mug. It's a prized possession.

Guess who's "writing" a memoir? (June 9 edition)

From Publisher's Marketplace:

Demi Moore's currently untitled book, chronicling her life and career, promising a candid narrative that will be framed by her complicated relationship with her mother, Virginia King, who died in 1998, and her own experiences as a mother to three daughters, to Jonathan Burnham at Harper, with Jennifer Barth editing, in a major deal, for over $2 million according to Crain's, for publication in 2012.

Michael Caine's second memoir, THE ELEPHANT TO HOLLYWOOD, the follow up to his 1991 book What's It All About?, the story of how he grew into a film star, his insider's view of Hollywood and the story of his career.

Legendary rocker and original KISS lead guitarist Ace Frehley's memoir NO REGRETS, covering his childhood in the Bronx, his ups-and-downs and influences which catapulted him into a life of sex, drugs, and rock-and-roll, and what is was like to be one of the founding members of one of the most influential bands, to Jeremie Ruby-Strauss for VH1 Books, for publication in Summer 2011.

Actually, I have to say that all three of these have some narrative potential--they've all led some interesting lives. But $2 million?

The ode to the "quiet" memoir

At last, a shout-out to the "quiet" memoirs that do it well. Not everyone has to be a celebrity to get their story sold...

Thanks, Laurie Hertzel at the StarTribune!