Dear Friends,
Recently my manager called me with some exciting news about my book, "My Fractured Life."
"Great news!" he said. "Your book is on the Top 10 List of Entertainer Biographies at Amazon.com."
This of course is very big news. Amazon.com is the largest e-commerce leader in the world. For an author, being on Amazon.com's Top 10 List is on par with an NBA basketball player to be voted by fans to be one of the starters in the NBA All Star Game, or for a singer to be named to the Grammy Awards nomination ballot.
I, however, was not as initially excited as one would expect.
"That is great news," I replied hesitantly. "But, there's one problem."
"What's that?" my eager-to-please business associate shot back.
"The book isn't a biography. It's a novel," I reminded him with no downslide to my hesitancy.
Drake is a wonderful manager. He took my hesitation all in stride.
"I know it's not a biography. You know it's not a biography. Anyone with a brain knows it's not a biography. It says novel in big bold letters," he replied with the twinkle of a smile in his voice.
"But," he continued, "if we limit sales to just people with brains we are eliminating a huge audience."
I couldn't help but laugh at my manager's wisdom. After all, as he reminded me, there really are people who think that "Titanic" was a documentary, that Elvis is alive and kicking working at a Burger King in Kalamazoo, or that McDonald's 'Special Sauce' isn't just Thousand Island dressing.
As funny as that story is, I also take an odd sense of pride that some readers have mistaken my book for a biography.
One of my goals in writing the book was to make it as realistic as possible. The fact that it is being mistaken as a personal memoir is an indication of how well I might have accomplished that goal.
Although inadvertent, it is a very big compliment for readers to pay me to call the book a biography.
I won't lie, there are stories in "My Fractured Life" that share some things in common with stories from my own life. But, that's only a jumping off point.
One of the basic rules of writing is to write what you know. John Grisham, who I have been fortunate enough to be compared to as a writer, was a lawyer before becoming an author. What did the public embrace him for writing about? Books about lawyers: "The Firm," "The Client," and "The Pelican Brief."
You write what you know. I grew up in the entertainment business. It's what I know.
I want to thank all the people around the world who have embraced "My Fractured Life." Most importantly I want to thank not only all these newfound friends, but those who have supported such work through out the years.
Genetics define lineage, but love defines family. You are my family and I love each and every one of you.
Peace Love Trust
rikki lee travolta
Review other RLT commentary
It's All Relative
Stand Against Racism
Writing About Life
Crazy Pants Travolta
Gregory Hines
Everwood
Book Excerpt: Bus Fare
Learning to Stand
A Time of War
Country Charm
Talking Frankly About Family (& Christmas)
My Fractured Life
Forever Love
Good and Evil
Man Behind the Wheel
The Little Engine that Could: A Memorial
Perceptions of Perfection
Personal Decisions
Responsibility in Communication
You Done Good
Duality of Man
Evolution of a Hero
Reason to Quit - Stop Smoking
Beware of Stalkers
Dare to Dream
Do The Right Thing
Dealing with Abuse
Mother's Day
Right to Choose
Support the Cause
Just Try
Virtue of One
Martin Luther King Jr
Free Form Jazz
Creating the News
Great Expectations
Story of a Life
Acting 101
Why I Cried
Personal Values vs. Monetary Value
Broken Hearts
Dignity over Jealousy
Community Responsibility
Life, Honesty, and Integrity
Drug Withdrawal
Christmas Spirit
Rikki Lee Travolta's debut album!
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