Patrick D. Smith's Blog, page 7
August 10, 2016
Another Great Article About Patrick Smith
I’m always running across articles, either current or past, about Patrick Smith and his books. They usually center around A Land Remembered.
January 26, 2016
A Land Remembered Tour Spring, 2016 Schedule
Here is where the A Land Remembered tour will be in February and March of 2016. Be sure to click on the link for to get times, ticketing information, addresses and other details about a specific show. These are the public shows. There are several private and school presentations too. I still have a few available dates: if interested contact me through Facebook.
Ormond Beach, February 27
Dade City, March 2
Oldsmar, March 3
Fort Myers, March 5
Punta Gorda, March 8
Hobe Sound, March 10
Fort Myers, March 14
Winter Park, March 17
Stuart, March 17
Pembroke Pines, March 19
Estero, March 22
Cape Canaveral, March 24
September 10, 2015
A Land Remembered Comes To Arcadia
Sponsored by the DeSoto County Historical Society. Directions here.
November 9, 7:00 PMCalvary Baptist Church
1509 East Oak Street, Arcadia
Few if any books have captured the spirit and colorful history of Florida as has Patrick Smith’s beloved novel, A Land Remembered. It has been said many times that people should be issued a copy of A Land Remembered when they cross the Florida state line.
Here is your opportunity to get to know the author and his work as Smith’s son, Rick (Patrick D. Smith, Jr.) takes the stage to delight audiences with a stunning multimedia show about his father and the extraordinary experiences which enabled him to write with such authority of Florida pioneers, the Seminoles, migrant workers, “river rats” of Mississippi, the social injustices of the South, World War II, a trip through the Soviet Union, the tragic fate of a champion bull rider and so much more.
• Take a trip back in time to explore Patrick Smith’s early writing career and things that influenced the topics he chose to write about.
• Learn about a little known novel he wrote based on the struggles of blacks and whites in the “Old South” of 50+ years ago.
• He’ll show how his father took time away from his job and worked alongside migrant workers in order to write Angel City, a novel which helped improve the lives of migrant workers everywhere.
• Hear amazing stories about Smith’s unexpected popularity in the Soviet Union.
• You’ll learn how he researched A Land Remembered for over two years before he could write it. You’ll be mesmerized by some of the videos Rick has created about A Land Remembered.
• See how seemingly random events play into Patrick Smith’s books.
• See how Smith grew as a writer with every book and how they were all important stepping stones to writing A Land Remembered.
There’s so much more. Rick doesn’t do this show alone because Patrick Smith makes several video appearances to personally tell fascinating stories about his life and about writing his books. This is really a father and son presentation.
This program is a sensory delight incorporating over 50 video clips, photos, paintings, music, sound effects and a few jokes to transport you to another place and time. Rick Smith narrates live throughout the show, answers questions and will happily sign your books (even though his Dad wrote them.)
Here is a calendar of all the places the show will be. Just click to the month you wish to view.
Rick Smith is an award-winning media producer and his father’s biggest fan. His passion for his subject is clearly evident in this lovingly produced program. Come and enjoy an unforgettable journey into a Florida that once was, is no more, and never again will be.
I have had a lot of presenters/actors, etc and I have never seen such attentiveness on the part of the audience to your presentation. People stood the whole time and did not complain!
Stephanie Haimes – Library Director, W.T. Bland Public Library, Mount Dora
Rick Smith was wonderful in his presentation to honor his father, Patrick. We had a standing room only crowd in Panama City and people are still talking about how great it was.
Book clubs are reading and discussing the books and even people who are not avid readers have read Patrick Smith books since this presentation. We would love to have Rick back this fall!
Rebecca Saunders – Northwest Regional Library System, Panama City
We totally loved seeing you guys and the presentation was awesome!
What a guy your father is! Wow wee!
Gayla
My wife and I saw Rick when he came to Stuart. To say the least we were impressed.
I want to urge him to come to Okeechobee on his fall speaking tour.
Terry N.
Thank you! My husband and I so enjoyed your presentation at the library in Cocoa.
Susan B.
Thank you so much for coming to Windy Ridge to speak with our sixth graders about your father and his wonderful legacy. The students have now finished volume 1 and can’t wait to start volume 2 of A Land Remembered. Our unit has been so enhanced by your personal account of childhood with your dad. You spoke beautifully and tailored the program perfectly for our kiddos! Thank you again so much for your visit!
Elizabeth Chick
I made it to the Marco Island talk. Was a great show, and I managed to get a signed copy of the book A Land Remembered.
Thank you for doing this tour.
Randi R.
One day I was looking through a Forum Magazine from the Florida Humanities group, and I noticed an article about Patrick Smith, his life’s adventures and the books he had written. I instantly knew I wanted him to talk to the Marco Island Historical Society members. I called the number listed and found his son, Rick Smith who agreed to travel to Florida from California and he was willing to do a presentation about his life with his famous, beloved father. His video clips with his father speaking all helped us to get to know the man behind the wonderful writings. What a wonderful tribute to a legend.Thank you, Rick
BJ Henning, Program Director, Marco Island Historical Society
I attended the show yesterday in Melbourne. Really enjoyed it all. The venue and informal setting made it feel very personal.
Rick does a great job entertaining (he really is funny!), Kim takes care of the tech and sales end and I learned some things about Patrick Smith that I didn’t know .
I learned about the books I hadn’t read, and it won’t be long because I purchased them and have already begun reading The River is Home.
Congratulations on a successful tour Rick and Kim.
Debbie Horn Little
WHAT? You haven’t read A Land Remembered yet? You will enjoy this show so much more if you’ve read the book, so order your copy right here.
The post A Land Remembered Comes To Arcadia appeared first on A Land Remembered.
June 30, 2015
Interview with Patrick Smith for FORUM Magazine
In 2013, the Florida Humanities Council interviewed Patrick Smith for inclusion in their May 2013 issue of their award-winning FORUM magazine. His words were in the feature story, Journey to the Heart of Florida. Recently, with the power of technology, the magazine is online and you can actually listen to Patrick Smith’s interview in its entirety!
Here is how to listen to the interview – simply click on the listen button on the magazine page
If you want to know more about Florida, you’ll want to read the FORUM magazine. You’ll enjoy wonderful stories, beautifully illustrated, about the state and its people, past and present.
The post Interview with Patrick Smith for FORUM Magazine appeared first on A Land Remembered.
March 4, 2015
A Land Remembered Comes To Indiantown
Few if any books have captured the spirit and colorful history of Florida as has Patrick Smith’s beloved novel, A Land Remembered. It has been said many times that people should be issued a copy of A Land Remembered when they cross the Florida state line.
Here is your opportunity to get to know the author and his work as Smith’s son, Rick (Patrick D. Smith, Jr.) takes the stage to delight audiences with a stunning multimedia show about his father and the extraordinary experiences which enabled him to write with such authority of Florida pioneers, the Seminoles, migrant workers, “river rats” of Mississippi, the social injustices of the South, World War II, a trip through the Soviet Union, the tragic fate of a champion bull rider and so much more.
• Take a trip back in time to explore Patrick Smith’s early writing career and things that influenced the topics he chose to write about.
• Learn about a little known novel he wrote based on the struggles of blacks and whites in the “Old South” of 50+ years ago.
• He’ll show how his father took time away from his job and worked alongside migrant workers in order to write Angel City, a novel which helped improve the lives of migrant workers everywhere.
• Hear amazing stories about Smith’s unexpected popularity in the Soviet Union.
• You’ll learn how he researched A Land Remembered for over two years before he could write it. You’ll be mesmerized by some of the videos Rick has created about A Land Remembered.
• See how seemingly random events play into Patrick Smith’s books.
• See how Smith grew as a writer with every book and how they were all important stepping stones to writing A Land Remembered.
There’s so much more. Rick doesn’t do this show alone because Patrick Smith makes several video appearances to personally tell fascinating stories about his life and about writing his books.
This program is a sensory delight incorporating over 50 video clips, photos, paintings, music, sound effects and a few jokes to transport you to another place and time. Rick Smith narrates live throughout the show, answers questions and will happily sign your books (even though his Dad wrote them.)
Most people are familiar with Patrick Smith’s beloved book, A Land Remembered, along with his other novels. However, there are three of Patrick Smith’s books that most people have not heard of. That’s because they were never in wide circulation and very difficult if not impossible to find. We call them the “lost books.” We just bought the entire inventory and publishing rights so for the first time you’ll be able to get these books at the show. The titles are The Seas That Mourn, The Last Ride and In Search of The Russian Bear. We’re very excited to bring these three great books to the public. We know you will love them.
Here is a calendar of all the places the show will be. Just click to the month you wish to view. Enter your name and email address to be notified of updates to the tour schedule!
First Name
Rick Smith is an award-winning media producer and his father’s biggest fan. His passion for his subject is clearly evident in this lovingly produced program. Come and enjoy an unforgettable journey into a Florida that once was, is no more, and never again will be.
I have had a lot of presenters/actors, etc and I have never seen such attentiveness on the part of the audience to your presentation. People stood the whole time and did not complain!
Stephanie Haimes – Library Director, W.T. Bland Public Library, Mount Dora
Rick Smith was wonderful in his presentation to honor his father, Patrick. We had a standing room only crowd in Panama City and people are still talking about how great it was.
Book clubs are reading and discussing the books and even people who are not avid readers have read Patrick Smith books since this presentation. We would love to have Rick back this fall!
Rebecca Saunders – Northwest Regional Library System, Panama City
We totally loved seeing you guys and the presentation was awesome!
What a guy your father is! Wow wee!
Gayla
My wife and I saw Rick when he came to Stuart. To say the least we were impressed.
I want to urge him to come to Okeechobee on his fall speaking tour.
Terry N.
Thank you! My husband and I so enjoyed your presentation at the library in Cocoa.
Susan B.
Thank you so much for coming to Windy Ridge to speak with our sixth graders about your father and his wonderful legacy. The students have now finished volume 1 and can’t wait to start volume 2 of A Land Remembered. Our unit has been so enhanced by your personal account of childhood with your dad. You spoke beautifully and tailored the program perfectly for our kiddos! Thank you again so much for your visit!
Elizabeth Chick
I made it to the Marco Island talk. Was a great show, and I managed to get a signed copy of the book A Land Remembered.
Thank you for doing this tour.
Randi R.
One day I was looking through a Forum Magazine from the Florida Humanities group, and I noticed an article about Patrick Smith, his life’s adventures and the books he had written. I instantly knew I wanted him to talk to the Marco Island Historical Society members. I called the number listed and found his son, Rick Smith who agreed to travel to Florida from California and he was willing to do a presentation about his life with his famous, beloved father. His video clips with his father speaking all helped us to get to know the man behind the wonderful writings. What a wonderful tribute to a legend.Thank you, Rick
BJ Henning, Program Director, Marco Island Historical Society
I attended the show yesterday in Melbourne. Really enjoyed it all. The venue and informal setting made it feel very personal.
Rick does a great job entertaining (he really is funny!), Kim takes care of the tech and sales end and I learned some things about Patrick Smith that I didn’t know .
I learned about the books I hadn’t read, and it won’t be long because I purchased them and have already begun reading The River is Home.
Congratulations on a successful tour Rick and Kim.
Debbie Horn Little
WHAT? You haven’t read A Land Remembered yet? You will enjoy this show so much more if you’ve read the book, so order your copy right here.
February 18, 2015
Gainesville Writer’s Resources
Here are links to many of the simple and inexpensive tools I use to promote and sell books.
Our Website is a Key Tool In Selling Patrick Smith’s Books
Buy a URL: Godaddy.com https://www.godaddy.com/
Host Your Website: Hostgator http://www.hostgator.com/
Build Your Website: WordPress (available with Hostgator account) http://Wordpress.org NOT WordPress.com This website is produced on WordPress.
Also Promote Your Book On Facebook – create a page for your book or book tour.
You don’t always have to have a website. You can create a store on Facebook using programs such as Shopify.
How To Easily Create Videos To Use in Presentations
You can bring parts of your book to life with a video. You don’t have to be an experienced video producer to create impressive videos.
You can easily create animated movies: Animoto https://animoto.com/
Here is an example of a video created on Animoto. The images were in public domain and I hired the voice actor on Fivver for $5.00. See below for that link.
Where I get a LOT of video clips: http://www.videoblocks.com/
Great source of music, stingers, sound effects: audioblocks.com
Even if you don’t plan to do live presentations you can find ways to use a video for promotion, such as on Facebook, Youtube, blogs, Amazon.com and your own website.
Selling From The Stage, Using A Projected Program Is Our Most Effective Marketing Tool
We generate a large portion of our income by doing live presentations at locations such as libraries, schools, universities, historical societies, museums, festivals, etc. Public speaking may scare you at first but with practice, a good script to follow and a good presentation to rely on, you will be amazed at how effective this can be.
Presentation Software
Keynote (Apple only) http://www.apple.com/ios/keynote/?cid=wwa-us-kwg-features-com
Keynote For iCloud (in iWorks) for PC but limited https://www.apple.com/iwork-for-icloud/
Microsoft PowerPoint
Incorporating your videos (see above) into a live presentation has much more power than a static PowerPoint presentation or a talk. Make it interesting!
Where To Find Inexpensive Images To Use In Your Video or Promotional Material
Inexpensive Paid Images
Dreamtime for images http://www.dreamstime.com/
Dollar Photo Club https://www.dollarphotoclub.com/
fotolia http://us.fotolia.com
FREE Images (Public Domain):
• One million images at http://www.openculture.com/2013/12/british-library-puts-1000000-images-into-public-domain.html
• British Library Public Domain Collection at Flickr at https://www.flickr.com/photos/britishlibrary
• Getty Images at http://www.getty.edu/about/openconten...
VERY Inexpensive Creative Services
$5 voiceovers, graphics, creative services: Fivver https://www.fiverr.com/
Printing Services We Use and Recommend
Having “leave behinds” is a great way to keep you name in front of your audience. In our shows we give out programs, which function as sales sheets. We also print custom bookmarks which are sales oriented and have a reference to our website and phone number so our customers can always find us.
http://www.Printplace.com printed our bookmarks and programs
http://www.VistaPrint.com produces a wide variety of marketing materials
Are You Self Publishing?
Consider using Amazon Createspace – https://www.createspace.com
February 4, 2015
A Land Remembered Comes To Amelia Island
Few if any books have captured the spirit and colorful history of Florida as has Patrick Smith’s beloved novel, A Land Remembered. It has been said many times that people should be issued a copy of A Land Remembered when they cross the Florida state line.
Here is your opportunity to get to know the author and his work as Smith’s son, Rick (Patrick D. Smith, Jr.) takes the stage to delight audiences with a stunning multimedia show about his father and the extraordinary experiences which enabled him to write with such authority of Florida pioneers, the Seminoles, migrant workers, “river rats” of Mississippi, the social injustices of the South, World War II, a trip through the Soviet Union, the tragic fate of a champion bull rider and so much more.
• Take a trip back in time to explore Patrick Smith’s early writing career and things that influenced the topics he chose to write about.
• Learn about a little known novel he wrote based on the struggles of blacks and whites in the “Old South” of 50+ years ago.
• He’ll show how his father took time away from his job and worked alongside migrant workers in order to write Angel City, a novel which helped improve the lives of migrant workers everywhere.
• Hear amazing stories about Smith’s unexpected popularity in the Soviet Union.
• You’ll learn how he researched A Land Remembered for over two years before he could write it. You’ll be mesmerized by some of the videos Rick has created about A Land Remembered.
• See how seemingly random events play into Patrick Smith’s books.
• See how Smith grew as a writer with every book and how they were all important stepping stones to writing A Land Remembered.
There’s so much more. Rick doesn’t do this show alone because Patrick Smith makes several video appearances to personally tell fascinating stories about his life and about writing his books.
This program is a sensory delight incorporating over 50 video clips, photos, paintings, music, sound effects and a few jokes to transport you to another place and time. Rick Smith narrates live throughout the show, answers questions and will happily sign your books (even though his Dad wrote them.)
Most people are familiar with Patrick Smith’s beloved book, A Land Remembered, along with his other novels. However, there are three of Patrick Smith’s books that most people have not heard of. That’s because they were never in wide circulation and very difficult if not impossible to find. We call them the “lost books.” We just bought the entire inventory and publishing rights so for the first time you’ll be able to get these books at the show. The titles are The Seas That Mourn, The Last Ride and In Search of The Russian Bear. We’re very excited to bring these three great books to the public. We know you will love them.
Here is a calendar of all the places the show will be. Just click to the month you wish to view. Enter your name and email address to be notified of updates to the tour schedule!
First Name
Rick Smith is an award-winning media producer and his father’s biggest fan. His passion for his subject is clearly evident in this lovingly produced program. Come and enjoy an unforgettable journey into a Florida that once was, is no more, and never again will be.
I have had a lot of presenters/actors, etc and I have never seen such attentiveness on the part of the audience to your presentation. People stood the whole time and did not complain!
Stephanie Haimes – Library Director, W.T. Bland Public Library, Mount Dora
Rick Smith was wonderful in his presentation to honor his father, Patrick. We had a standing room only crowd in Panama City and people are still talking about how great it was.
Book clubs are reading and discussing the books and even people who are not avid readers have read Patrick Smith books since this presentation. We would love to have Rick back this fall!
Rebecca Saunders – Northwest Regional Library System, Panama City
We totally loved seeing you guys and the presentation was awesome!
What a guy your father is! Wow wee!
Gayla
My wife and I saw Rick when he came to Stuart. To say the least we were impressed.
I want to urge him to come to Okeechobee on his fall speaking tour.
Terry N.
Thank you! My husband and I so enjoyed your presentation at the library in Cocoa.
Susan B.
Thank you so much for coming to Windy Ridge to speak with our sixth graders about your father and his wonderful legacy. The students have now finished volume 1 and can’t wait to start volume 2 of A Land Remembered. Our unit has been so enhanced by your personal account of childhood with your dad. You spoke beautifully and tailored the program perfectly for our kiddos! Thank you again so much for your visit!
Elizabeth Chick
I made it to the Marco Island talk. Was a great show, and I managed to get a signed copy of the book A Land Remembered.
Thank you for doing this tour.
Randi R.
One day I was looking through a Forum Magazine from the Florida Humanities group, and I noticed an article about Patrick Smith, his life’s adventures and the books he had written. I instantly knew I wanted him to talk to the Marco Island Historical Society members. I called the number listed and found his son, Rick Smith who agreed to travel to Florida from California and he was willing to do a presentation about his life with his famous, beloved father. His video clips with his father speaking all helped us to get to know the man behind the wonderful writings. What a wonderful tribute to a legend.Thank you, Rick
BJ Henning, Program Director, Marco Island Historical Society
I attended the show yesterday in Melbourne. Really enjoyed it all. The venue and informal setting made it feel very personal.
Rick does a great job entertaining (he really is funny!), Kim takes care of the tech and sales end and I learned some things about Patrick Smith that I didn’t know .
I learned about the books I hadn’t read, and it won’t be long because I purchased them and have already begun reading The River is Home.
Congratulations on a successful tour Rick and Kim.
Debbie Horn Little
WHAT? You haven’t read A Land Remembered yet? You will enjoy this show so much more if you’ve read the book, so order your copy right here.
September 27, 2014
A Land Remembered Comes To Chiefland
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Few if any books have captured the spirit and colorful history of Florida as has Patrick Smith’s beloved novel, A Land Remembered. It has been said many times that people should be issued a copy of A Land Remembered when they cross the Florida state line.
Here is your opportunity to get to know the author and his work as Smith’s son, Rick (Patrick D. Smith, Jr.) takes the stage to delight audiences with a stunning multimedia show about his father and the extraordinary experiences which enabled him to write with such authority of Florida pioneers, the Seminoles, migrant workers, “river rats” of Mississippi, the social injustices of the South, World War II, a trip through the Soviet Union, the tragic fate of a champion bull rider and so much more.
• Take a trip back in time to explore Patrick Smith’s early writing career and things that influenced the topics he chose to write about.
• Learn about a little known novel he wrote based on the struggles of blacks and whites in the “Old South” of 50+ years ago.
• He’ll show how his father took time away from his job and worked alongside migrant workers in order to write Angel City, a novel which helped improve the lives of migrant workers everywhere.
• Hear amazing stories about Smith’s unexpected popularity in the Soviet Union.
• You’ll learn how he researched A Land Remembered for over two years before he could write it. You’ll be mesmerized by some of the videos Rick has created about A Land Remembered.
• See how seemingly random events play into Patrick Smith’s books.
• See how Smith grew as a writer with every book and how they were all important stepping stones to writing A Land Remembered.
There’s so much more. Rick doesn’t do this show alone because Patrick Smith makes several video appearances to personally tell fascinating stories about his life and about writing his books.
This program is a sensory delight incorporating video clips, photos, paintings, music, sound effects and a few jokes to transport you to another place and time. Rick Smith narrates live throughout the show, answers questions and will happily sign your books (even though his Dad wrote them.)
Most people are familiar with Patrick Smith’s beloved book, A Land Remembered, along with his other novels. Their popularity is well deserved. However, there are three of Patrick Smith’s books that most people have not heard of because they were never in wide circulation and were very difficult if not impossible to find. We call them the “lost books.” We just bought the entire inventory and publishing rights so for the first time you’ll be able to get these books at the show. The titles are The Seas That Mourn, The Last Ride and In Search of The Russian Bear. We’re very excited to bring these three great books to the public. We know you will love them. You can read more about them here.
Here is a calendar of all the places the show will be. Just click to the month you wish to view.
Enter your name and email address to be notified of updates to the tour schedule!
Email
First Name
Rick Smith is an award-winning media producer and his father’s biggest fan. His passion for his subject is clearly evident in this lovingly produced program. Come and enjoy an unforgettable journey into a Florida that once was, is no more, and never again will be.
I have had a lot of presenters/actors, etc and I have never seen such attentiveness on the part of the audience to your presentation. People stood the whole time and did not complain!
Stephanie Haimes – Library Director, W.T. Bland Public Library, Mount Dora
Rick Smith was wonderful in his presentation to honor his father, Patrick. We had a standing room only crowd in Panama City and people are still talking about how great it was.
Book clubs are reading and discussing the books and even people who are not avid readers have read Patrick Smith books since this presentation. We would love to have Rick back this fall!
Rebecca Saunders – Northwest Regional Library System, Panama City
We totally loved seeing you guys and the presentation was awesome!
What a guy your father is! Wow wee!
Gayla
My wife and I saw Rick when he came to Stuart. To say the least we were impressed.
I want to urge him to come to Okeechobee on his fall speaking tour.
Terry N.
Thank you! My husband and I so enjoyed your presentation at the library in Cocoa.
Susan B.
Thank you so much for coming to Windy Ridge to speak with our sixth graders about your father and his wonderful legacy. The students have now finished volume 1 and can’t wait to start volume 2 of A Land Remembered. Our unit has been so enhanced by your personal account of childhood with your dad. You spoke beautifully and tailored the program perfectly for our kiddos! Thank you again so much for your visit!
Elizabeth Chick
I made it to the Marco Island talk. Was a great show, and I managed to get a signed copy of the book A Land Remembered.
Thank you for doing this tour.
Randi R.
One day I was looking through a Forum Magazine from the Florida Humanities group, and I noticed an article about Patrick Smith, his life’s adventures and the books he had written. I instantly knew I wanted him to talk to the Marco Island Historical Society members. I called the number listed and found his son, Rick Smith who agreed to travel to Florida from California and he was willing to do a presentation about his life with his famous, beloved father. His video clips with his father speaking all helped us to get to know the man behind the wonderful writings. What a wonderful tribute to a legend.Thank you, Rick
BJ Henning, Program Director, Marco Island Historical Society
I attended the show yesterday in Melbourne. Really enjoyed it all. The venue and informal setting made it feel very personal.
Rick does a great job entertaining (he really is funny!), Kim takes care of the tech and sales end and I learned some things about Patrick Smith that I didn’t know .
I learned about the books I hadn’t read, and it won’t be long because I purchased them and have already begun reading The River is Home.
Congratulations on a successful tour Rick and Kim.
Debbie Horn Little
WHAT? You haven’t read A Land Remembered yet? You will enjoy this show so much more if you’ve read the book, so order your copy right here.
September 16, 2014
The Last Ride… Rides Again!
Introducing
The Last Ride … a real bull ride of a book, and you can get it today for $3.00 off.
We recently unearthed “the lost books” of my father, Patrick D. Smith. You are probably familiar with A Land Remembered, Forever Island, Allapattah, The River is Home, Angel City and The Beginning, but three of Dad’s books have been all but impossible to find, so few people are even aware they exist. That’s why we call them the “lost books.” They areThe Seas That Mourn, In Search of The Russian Bear and The Last Ride.
All three titles are fascinating books that deserve to be read. I love them all and I’m happy to tell you that I’ve bought the rights and all inventory from the previous publisher and am making them widely available for the first time. I want to introduce you to them one at a time, starting today with The Last Ride.
The Last Ride
The Last Ride is a unique among the books written by Patrick D. Smith. It is the true story of a young man’s life and the unfortunate turn it took.
This story takes the reader on a personal journey with former bull riding champion Glen “Pee Wee” Mercer, who on November 11, 1995, at the age of 25, suffered an accident while dismounting a bull at the Southeastern Circuit Final at Brighton, Florida. This resulted in a broken neck and severed spinal cord, thus changing his life forever. The Last Ride is the dramatic story of his life both before and after the accident.
Patrick Smith met Mercer following a speaking engagement for the Friends of the Library in Williston, where Mercer lived. The two struck up a bond of friendship. Mercer was unable to write but had a colorful life’s story to tell. Smith agreed to help Mercer share his story and so they collaborated on the book. The result seven months later was publication of The Last Ride.
Although this book covers Pee Wee’s rodeo career throughout Florida and many other parts of the United States, it is not just a book about rodeo. It is also the story of young love gone awry, of adventure, high humor, youthful exuberance during those years when people think they are indestructible, of hopes and dreams of the future and how those hopes and dreams are shattered forever in just one split second of time.
This is also a heartfelt story of courage, of the determination to endure in a world few others can even imagine. Sometimes it is a very lonely world indeed, one peopled only with memories.
Smith said that “Working with Pee Wee on this book has been one of the most gratifying experiences of my lifetime. Sometimes the greatest gift you can receive in life is helping someone less fortunate than yourself. I will always remember with pleasure the road Pee Wee and I have traveled together.” Smith went on to describe Pee Wee as a “Profile in Courage.”
The Last Ride will grip the interest and emotions of all readers, young and old alike. It is much like taking a literary rafting trip down a turbulent mountain stream. You will become part of the action and will be there every step of the way.
Below is a short video I created to introduce you to the book.
SAVE $3.00
I am certain you will enjoy this book. It deserves a place in the collection of all Patrick Smith fans.
The Last Ride is hardbound, 27 photos, 183 pages. $18.00 … but to help celebrate the release of The Last Ride here’s a discount code that will save you $3.00 off each copy. Use code “$3 OFF” and SAVE $3.00.
Click here to order The Last Ride right now!
Also please share this with others whom you think will be interested. Thanks!
July 31, 2014
Patrick Smith’s “Lost” Books Found
We call these the “Lost Books” because most people have never heard of them due to poor distribution. We have now acquired rights to them and are thrilled to make these books available. We’ll have them for sale on our upcoming multimedia tour and soon they will be available here, online.
The Seas That Mourn
You’ll be astounded by this story of the Merchant Marine during World War II. It centers around Jimmy Kendall, a young student who leaves college and his girlfriend to serve his country in 1942. The depth of understanding Patrick Smith has of life on a ship, convoying goods and war supplies to the war ravaged European continent comes from his personal service in the Merchant Marine. A thrilling read for sure. 276 pages
$20 (hardbound) – not available online yet.
The Last Ride
The Last Ride is the true story of former champion bull rider Glen “Pee Wee” Mercer’s life written as only award winning author Patrick D. Smith could. Smith spent many days speaking with Pee Wee, who was a quadriplegic after a bull riding accident. Pee Wee told Smith his life story and Smith put it on paper. It is an inspirational tale of courage and grit suitable for all ages.183 pages
$18 (hardbound) – Not available online yet
In Search of the Russian Bear: An American Writer’s Odyssey in the Former Soviet Union
Based on Smith’s experiences in the Soviet Union in 1983, this book is a cultural bridge to Russia and Uzbekistan. The author and his wife traveled as honored guests in those countries and their experiences are related in this book. It contains real-life, fascinating stories and includes photos and a map. 232 pages
$20 (hardbound) – Not available online yet
