My friend Garry Mac, a world-class broadcaster, public relations executive, and fellow cheeseburger tester, sat down with me recently to discuss my new book. We sat down because we had to walk more than a block to get to the restaurant. (Good turkey burger, Slick’s on Main Street!) Here’s what we can remember from the conversation:
Garry: “Why did you call the book Volunteer Bama Dawg? You’re not a sports guy.”
David: “Yep, I’ve been telling folks it’s not about sports. Except maybe Kevin Billingsley, the manager of Cracker Barrel at Ooltewah. I heard he thinks it’s about sports, and he wants to buy one. So I may not tell him until after he buys it.”
Garry: “So, you’re evading and misdirecting the question. What are you, running for president?”
David: “Okay, okay, I’ll get back on track. Volunteer Bama Dawg was inspired by the spot over by I-24 near Nickajack where you can stand in three states at one time. It’s our little-known Tennessee-Alabama-Georgia border. I wrote a story about it earlier this year, and people seem fascinated by it. I’ve got a collection of photos from people who have made the trip. Plus, the title describes my life: I grew up in Alabama, live and work in Tennessee, and I drive through Georgia almost every day. If you look around Chattanooga on any given day, you’ll see a lot of each state. So the title reflects my life, and the book is about what I’ve done, who I’ve met, and it includes stories that I love.”
Garry: “Am I in it?”
David: “Will you buy a copy if you are?”
Garry:’ “How much is it?”
David: “$19.95 for paperback, $21.95 for audio book, or $27.95 for hardcover (plus $ 4.00 for shipping).”
Garry: “What if I’m not in it?”
David: “I’ll write your name in there when I autograph it. But of course you’re in it. I found a couple of embarrassing pictures of you and Mr. Belding (Dennis Haskins).”
Garry: “So you took the high road.”
David: “Absolutely.”
Garry: “Speaking of pictures, your first book, Chattanooga Radio and Television, had about 250 pictures. Is this the same kind of deal?”
David: “No, this book is different. It has more pages, about twice as many, with fewer pictures. You know those blogs and newspaper columns I’ve been writing?”
Garry: “You mean the ones carried by newspapers like the Dade County Sentinel, Grundy County Herald, Catoosa County News, North Jackson Progress, and the Walker County Messenger, WRCBtv.com, and your ChattanoogaRadioTV.com website”
David: “Yes, those.”
Garry: “Never heard of ’em.”
David: “Well, anyway, I’ve done about 300 of them over the past few years, and some of those have gotten terrific response. Lots of comments, a few laughs, and some requests for reprints. So rather than ask people to print out a bunch of columns, or to cut ’em out and stash them in a drawer somewhere, I’ve put them into a neat little book. I’ve chosen about 62 of them, each around three or four pages, so you can pick up the book, turn to any page, and find a new story.”
Garry: “In other words, you’ve written a bathroom book.”
David: “Yes. At least the paperback version. The hardback is more of the coffee table variety, and the audio book is a stack of CD’s, so you can take me along in your car.”
Garry:” You’ve been in my car. You tend to sing too much.”
David: “There’s no singing here. Well, maybe just a little bit. I may have to put a warning on the label.”
Garry: “So who did you write about?”
David: “My family of course, with stories about growing up in the family store, itching to be on the radio. Once I got into radio, I met some unforgettable people, and a lot of funny things happened along the way, especially during my teenage disc jockey years. I write about some of the famous people I’ve met. Of course, I have some school stories from all the years I’ve covered education. My “southern-ism” stories are there, because they make people laugh. I write about pop music, everything from the worst songs ever, to misunderstood lyrics. I’ve included personality profiles of my broadcasting heroes, past and present, like Luther, Miss Marcia and Bob Brandy. But most of it is humor. When I was out promoting the first book, I focused on making people laugh. There’s a lot of tension in the country right now, so if I can make someone smile, either from reading my book, or hearing me in person, that’s a good day.”
Garry: “What’s the best way to get one?”
David: “When I was promoting the first book, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that most folks who bought it wanted a personal autograph. That’s a real honor, in my opinion. So while I’m sure it’s available in some stores, and various websites, I like to sell them myself. That way, I can autograph it to you directly. If you go to ChattanoogaRadioTV.com, you can click a link to buy it with PayPal or a credit card. On the same page, my mailing address is included, so you can just send a check. (It’s David Carroll Book, PO Box 15185, Chattanooga, TN 37415) Either way, I will autograph it to you.
Garry: “Do you have autographed copies anywhere in town?”
David: “Yes, Allure Beauty Salon on Highway 58, the Erlanger gift shop on the main floor, and Wally’s Restaurant in East Ridge have them. If anyone else wants to sell them, just let me know.”
Garry: “Are you going to go out and speak to groups like you did the last time?”
David: “Absolutely! I’ll be speaking soon to Red Bank Baptist Church, First Baptist Church of Cleveland, Bayside Baptist Church on Highway 58, Hospice of Chattanooga’s annual Holiday Hearts banquet, and I’m adding more dates every day. I love to speak to church groups, clubs, anyone that will have me. I always guarantee lots of laughs, and so far that’s how it’s worked out. And there’s no mention of Trump or Clinton anywhere in my program. People always cheer when I tell them that. And I give away prizes too, thanks to Food City and Hardee’s.”
Garry: “How about book signings?”
David: “I just swung a big deal, really big. I’ll be appearing at a couple of local Hardee’s on Saturdays in a few weeks. Just sittin’ over in a corner booth with a milk shake, and if anybody wants an autographed book, I’ll be there for them. We might even share a biscuit.”
Garry: “So if anyone wants to get in touch to schedule an appearance?”
David: “Well, they can always find me at Channel 3. My email is dcarroll@wrcbtv.com, and my phone number is 267-5412, ext 122. I’d love to hear from anyone who wants to enjoy a fun new book, and have a good time!”
Garry: “While you’ve been doing all the talking, I’ve been enjoying a great cheeseburger. Yours got cold. What do you have to say about that?”
David: “Check please!”
Maybe somebody will buy me a copy for Christmas!!