Greetings from New Orleans

I know, where the heck have you been, Jason? So much has happened in the last two weeks and I promise on a stack of empty Snicker Bar wrappers that I'll give a full update shortly.

Tomorrow I'm planning our best edition ever of Jason's Cheesy Web Videos, filmed right here in NOLA. Then it's off to Arizona, Utah, and home!

Another fun interview with Glenn Beck

Our fourth interview with Glenn was such fun. We were in the makeup room together beforehand and had an fascinating discussion about Hurricane Katrina and how it was used against him in the media. Glenn is as personable and kind off-screen as he is on-screen. So did you miss it? Watch below!

Free Books for Life Contest Update

My agent will probably accuse me of not getting enough sleep on tour, but I've come up with a fun idea for a new contest. I've decided to give away signed copies of my first four books plus a free copy of every book I write for the rest of my career!

Three winners will be chosen at random on November 1st and all three will receive a signed and personalized copy of The James Miracle, Christmas Jars, The Wednesday Letters and Recovering Charles.

But wait! As Billy Mays says, "That's not all!" All three winners will also receive a free copy of every book I ever write in both hardcover and paperback.

How do you enter?

STEP 1: Send your friends and family an email referring them to RecoveringCharles.com.

STEP 2: In that email, invite your friends and family to join our list on the front page so they can learn more about the novels, win prizes, and hear Cherie Call's new song "Love Me If You Can". All for free!

STEP 3: Instruct your friends to enter YOUR name as their "referrer" in the field at the very bottom. (picture of sign-up form as shown above)

For every person who joins our list and enters YOUR name, you'll receive one entry in the drawing. Simple enough?

Refer 5 people to the list who join; receive 5 entries in the drawing. Refer 100 people who join and you'll be entered 100 times in the drawing. It's as simple as that. The more people who accept your invitation to join our community, the more chances you have to win.

Remember, the deadline is November 1st to refer those friends. And of course once your friends are on the list, they can enter too!

Did you miss our last drawing of this kind? Click here to watch it here.

WANT TO SEE A SAMPLE EMAIL TO SEND YOUR FRIENDS?

Hi friends! I'm participating in a contest to win free books for life. An author named Jason Wright has a new book in stores with a beautiful theme song by songwriter Cherie Call. It's about second verses in your life and I know you'll love it!

You can hear it for free right now at http://www.recoveringcharles.com

I hope you'll visit the site and join his email list. He won't SPAM you (I promise!) and you'll be the first to hear about events, contests, and even get sneak peeks at his manuscripts.

And be sure to check out his latest contest and enter MY name as your referrer when you sign up! That's how I hope to win his books for life :)

Greetings from New York and a Glenn Beck update

What a crazy 24 hours! I'm so tired I actually fell asleep this afternoon in the back of the car that drove me from Manhattan to my hotel in Long Island. I haven't done since I rode in a car seat! Wow, I am getting way too old for this...

Last night's signing was great fun. There was a moment I looked around the bookstore (Borders in the Time Warner Building) and couldn't believe I was actually there. I remember once going into that store during a visit to CNN. It was long before my books were available nationally and I wondered if I'd ever be able to buy my book there. Then last night I was reading from my books and signing them. Surreal.



You might have watched Glenn Beck last night and noticed I wasn't on. Sorry! I meant to post a note that we only taped yesterday, the actual interview will air Thursday at 7PM and 9PM EST. With all the financial news dominating the landscape they thought it was best to hold the segment a day or two. So tune in tomorrow!

Finally, I am pleased to present Episode 2 of Jason's Cheesy Web Diary. Live from New York, it's Jason on Times Square!

Is it really September 16th already?

Seems like just last week I was locked up in a Holiday Inn Express cranking through Recovering Charles as my deadline barreled down on me. Now here we are just 5 short months later on release day.

Can you say, stressed?

I often get asked what it feels like on the day a new book hits store shelves. I usually say it feels like giving birth. Then my wife, if she's standing nearby, elbows me sharply in the ribs and says "You have no clue what you're talking about..." And, as usual, she's probably right.

Maybe it's like dating a woman for a long time and facing the moment of truth: The proposal. There you are on one knee in Central Park, or on the beach, or in a hot air balloon, or in a department store (that was me, true story). You've waited for this big moment. It's a huge commitment. You know she likes you, but will she love you? You're about to put it all on the line, to open yourself up more than you ever have to acceptance or rejection. Will she say yes? If she does it's bliss. If she doesn't, well, it stinks.

Or maybe it's nothing like that at all.

Maybe it's more like opening a restaurant. On opening night you know you'll have a big crowd. But will they like your entrees? Will the chocolate lava cake be lava-ey enough? You've worked so hard for this big day. If they like it, you know they'll tell their friends and come back. If not, well, you'll never cook in this town again.

Or maybe it's nothing like that at all.

Maybe it's like giving birth...

In any case, pick your analogy and then pick up a copy of Recovering Charles online at Barnes & Noble, Amazon, or your local bookstore. And most importantly, come back and tell me what you think. Good, bad or indifferent.

Now excuse me while I get my gown on. Contractions are just two minutes apart...

Wednesday is definitely my favorite day

We just learned that The Wednesday Letters has landed at #16 on the NYT Paperback Bestseller list. Wow! I'm so thankful to all of you that bought an extra case :)

Thank you thank you thank you! (Did I mention how thankful I am?)

The NYT list for the coming week is always released on Wednesday afternoons. How appropriate, eh?

Overstock.com promotion

As you know, I'm normally shamelessly promoting my own stuff here at everyone's favorite blog. But today I'm shamelessly promoting someone else promoting my own stuff!

Overstock.com is doing a special Wednesday Letters promotion and giving away 25 signed copies of the new paperback. It's free and easy! Click here to enter.

Just about the most fun I've ever had on stage

I have always wanted to thank my wife for being such a trooper about my ridiculous travel schedule. I finally had a chance in Sacramento yesterday at a Time Out for Women event. Everyone was such a good sport about it! Watch the short clip below:



Thanks to everyone for making that such a fantastic day!

Watch Episode #1 of Jason's Cheesy Web Diary

My publisher, publicist and agent have been encouraging me to do short web videos for quite a while. I wonder if they'll still feel that way after watching Episode #1?

The Wednesday Letters is out in paperback!

Whew! Finally! After many months of working with the fantabulous peeps at Penguin, specifically their Berkley imprint, TWL is available nationwide in a gorgeous paperback edition. I just couldn't be happier with the way it turned out.

Equally exciting is today's ad in USAToday! It's a first for me to have an ad in a national publication and I owe the folks at Penguin a big thanks (and some free pizza) for rolling the dice and running this. (It will run again next week. And a different version featuring Recovering Charles more prominently will run in mid-September.)

So if you don't yet have your copy of TWL in paperback, might I suggest your local Wal-Mart, Target or online at Amazon :-)

New and improved fall schedule is live!

We just updated the fall schedule with all sorts of craziness. Check it out here:

http://www.jasonfwright.com/events.php

Please let me know if you're near an event and plan to say hello!

What will your second verse sound like?

I've been thinking a lot about my dad lately. Specifically, I've been wondering what he'd think of my life and career if he were still alive.

When I was young my dream was to be an author who wrote books that both my parents would enjoy and be proud of. Of course my mom is my number one fan, and I love her for it, but I also wonder what dad would say about the craziness that's become my life.

As I was writing Recovering Charles I began to realize that too often life's tragedies sing a tune we choose not to hear. It is the sweet, comforting sound of a second verse.

Many of you may know that when I was 16-years-old my father was taken by cancer. In the weeks and months after I heard only sorrow, grief, self-pity and loneliness. But in time I learned to hear something more.

My life had a second verse.

Not only do I now think of my life's greatest tragedy with a set of more mature emotions, I have learned to value it. I have been blessed in the years since with a deeper understanding of who I am and what my dad's legacy was.

So far my life's second verse is trying to be less selfish, more charitable, and more kind each and every day.

I have a long, long way to go, but at least I can hear my second verse playing faintly in the background.

I believe we all can have a second verse, if we choose. And it's not just individuals, it's couples, angry neighbors, families and yes, even an entire community.

A few years ago I was gripped by Hurricane Katrina. The coverage was numbing and the suffering so intense and real I found myself aching for complete strangers.

It was something I hadn't felt since 9/11 and it was, perhaps, even stronger.

It was during those days following this national tragedy in the Crescent City that I began to believe that even a city deserves a second verse, not just the people on planes and buses aimed for new lives. It deserves to be rebuilt stronger and smarter and safer.

Yes, New Orleans deserves a second verse. So too does the entire Gulf.

And the drunk driver, the widow, the widower, the neighbor, the wayward child, and you.

But only you can write it.

So what will yours sound like?

Latest greatest schedule for fall tour

OK, this is hot off the presses. I'd love to know who lives near any of these cities so I can be on the lookout for you!

Sept. 6 - Sacramento, CA – Speaking engagement
Sept. 13 - Springfield, MO
Sept. 16 - New York – Borders, Columbus Circle
Sept. 17 – New York – B&N, Long Island
Sept. 19 – Springfield, MA
Sept. 20 – Springfield, MA – Speaking engagement
Sept. 23 – Harrisburg, PA
Sept. 24 – Pittsburg, PA
Sept. 25 – Akron, OH
Sept. 26 – Woodstock, VA
Sept. 27 – Winchester, VA
Sept. 30 – New Orleans, LA
Oct. 2 – Phoenix, AZ
Oct. 3 – Salt Lake City, UT
Oct. 4 – Salt Lake City, UT
Oct. 14 – Indianapolis, IN
Oct. 15 – Lexington, KY
Oct. 16 – Nashville, TN
Oct. 18 – Portland, OR – Speaking Engagement
Oct. 20-24 Dallas & Tulsa
Oct. 25 – San Antonio, TX – Speaking Engagement

No dates yet: Richmond, VA; Charlottesville, VA; Fairfax, VA

Nice mention for Recovering Charles in Publishers Weekly

It's starting to get exciting! Seeing this article in PW today really opened my eyes to just how close we are to the street date. Not to mention it reminded me how crazy my schedule is about to become.

I've had lots of interesting experiences lately and I promise I'll share them asap!

My first visit to CNN's American Morning

We've been talking about trying a segment here for about a year. Finally happened on Wednesday morning. How'd we do?

We have our winners in the "Win Jason's Hannah Montana Tickets" Sweepstakes!

Well it never goes exactly as planned, does it? Despite our wild ending, we finally have a grand prize winner! He/She will receive my tickets to the Stadium of Fire extravaganza on July 4th featuring Glenn Beck, Hannah Montana and the Blue Man Group.

We also have five runners up. Are you a winner? Watch the video to find out! And if so, please drop me an email pronto. Congrats!

Check out my famous nephew!

One of my sister's 42 kids was featured in this newspaper article today. He made tote bags to haul around his Fablehaven books after author Brandon Mull paid a visit to his school. What a great kid! If you like, drop him a nice comment here and I'll be sure my Sis reads them to him. You'll make his day!

Warning: Only watch these clips if you literally have NOTHING else to accomplish in this life

Jason wears an unnatural amount of makeup on Friday's FoxNews interview

Never have they caked me up so thick with makeup. My face gained 11 pounds with all this gunk!

See Jason's grey hair on BYU-TV tonight

If you’re interested, or bored-to-death, I’ll be on BYU-TV tonight at 6:30, EST. The interview was taped so long ago I have no clue what I said. Hopefully nothing as crazy as giving out my cell phone number!