Colorful Characters Goes to Press

After more than a year of writing, rewriting, editing, designing, proofreading, and sweating, The Colorful Characters of St. Louis went to press last week. It’s great to come that closer to getting the final product in the middle of September.

With the final book comes the final cover above. It’s not that much different than before.  As with earlier versions, the faces of Colorful Characters Phyllis Diller, Steve Mizerany, Josephine Baker and Yogi Berra are outside. One newcomer is a living Colorful Character, Steven Fitzpatrick Smith, on the upper left hand corner. He’s the owner of The Royale at 3132 South Kingshighway on the South Side. I’ve known him since I wrote a story about a 2008 presidential election watch party in his courtyard for the old South Side Journal. I can say he deserves to be among the eighty Colorful Characters of St. Louis. The Royale will be the locale for my book release party from 2-5 p.m. Sunday, October 2. When you come, make sure you shake his hand. He’s looking forward to hosting you.