It was an interesting Saturday afternoon for me. I was invited by one of my good friends, Lisa Wysocky, to attend the book release party for her book The Opium Equation. There were several reasons for my invitation. First, Lisa has been one of Nashville’s top publicists for many years, and I have interviewed many of her clients over the years. I worked under Lisa at a label for a time, and we’ve remained very good friends over the years.
And, there’s one more reason! One of the characters in The Opium Equation is a Dickson, TN journalist named…..Chuck Dauphin. Now, while my namesake doesn’t have a major role in the book, it’s still cool seeing your name in print as a character. And, plus, one of my two scenes in the book has me standing next to Morgan Fairchild. That’s not a bad place to be, I don’t think!
At the book signing, Lisa introduced me to the crowd that was there as a “Character,” before alluding to the fact that I was a character in the book. Someone turned around and asked me “Just what kind of character are you?”
Hmmm…how do I answer that. I have to admit that it made me think a little ‘What kind of character would I be?” Would I be the dashing hero? No, I don’t think that would be me. I’m not the cool one, though it might be fun to be George Clooney or Kevin Costner for a minute. I wasn’t blessed with the swagger. Would I be the brooding mysterious man with a deep dark secret? That might work. But, as many who know me can attest, I don’t really keep secrets that well, so the mystery wouldn't be that well kept!
The stereo-typical smart-aleck Southern redneck. Possibly. I grew up a fan of the Atlanta-based writer Lewis Grizzard, and I’m sure that has affected many of the pieces I have written over the years. But, I’ve never been “mudding,” and though some of my political and spiritual views are very “Southern,” I would be the weakest link at an all-night party in a barn. Heck, I even fell asleep at a Bachelor Party one night, if that tells you anything!
I guess I just need to come to the realization that I’m just me. Though, if I could pick one character to be, it might be Simon Baker’s Patrick Jane from The Mentalist. It would be so cool to have that attitude, and to get away with the cockiness. But, that’s not me, either.
So, Lisa, I appreciate the opportunity to be a “character.” I urge anyone reading this to pick up a copy of The Opium Equation. It’s a very well-written book. But, maybe in the sequel, maybe “Chuck Dauphin” could get a little closer to “Morgan Fairchild.” After all, it doesn’t hurt to ask, does it?
For more information on Lisa's book, log on to http://www.lisawysocky.com/theopiumequation.htm
