Tony Gets it All in One Trip

Tony the merch manager getting it all in one trip!

If you’ve been to any of my hundreds of events over the past few years and bought a book or a T-shirt or even a Sneezing Cow can koozie, you’ve probably met Tony.

My whole deal is a weird little trip. Above all, I write. Hours and hours alone, writing. Books, mostly, essays, scripts, songs sometimes. But I’ve also developed this odd little public performer/speaker/rolling store niche that fits inside a 2002 Toyota Sienna but is nonetheless just a little too big for me to handle on my own.

And that’s where Tony comes in. He regularly does the driving so I can write on the move. He shows up when he says he’ll show up. He’s unfailingly polite and conscientious. He has a fascinating personal background and is thus a great conversation partner when the road gets long. He’s fine with a nice hotel room or a short-term couch. When we’re in some midwestern town all day and I have to hole up and write, he amuses himself.

Tony, folks. How fortunate I am to work with him.

P.S. He’s obsessed with keeping those book stacks all squared up, so don’t be putting things down off-kilter. 😂


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