Another wonderful true-life Christmas Jars miracle

I've heard many of these stories since Christmas Jars first hit stores in 2005, but they never get old. The latest story, just sent to me today, is one of my all-time favorites. It's a timely reminder that the world is full of good people, no matter what you hear on the news.

(Name withheld)

I'm excited today! I'm giving my Christmas jar and book to a young man at Starbucks. Divorced with 2 little boys, living with his parents and dividing custody. He's attending Tech school working on computers to help his future. I saved all year and am so blessed to be able to do this. The book touched me when I read it. It brought back many memories of hard times when I was younger not gifts of cash but how neighbors helped my mom with 4 kids and Dad passing away when I was 10. I just hought "what a great way to pay it forward". I pray that he will see that he is loved and will do the same when he has his life together. Will I do it again? Without a doubt!! Thank you so much for allowing me to reopen my heart.

A video that will put a smile on your face, guaranteed

The Christmas Sweater is #1!

One of the greatest privileges of my writing career was working on Glenn Beck's new novel, The Christmas Sweater. As you've probably heard, it's based closely on an experience he had as a child and it's a deeply personal book.

The New York Times has just released their list for last week and we're #1! So big time congrats to Glenn and to my other co-writer, Kevin Balfe. Way to go!

Jason's Cheesy Web Videos - Episode #7

I had the true pleasure today of meeting two of the coolest ladies on earth. Ann and her chum Joyce are on a trip from PA to NC. They took a detour through Woodstock today to see some of the sights mentioned in The Wednesday Letters. I arranged to meet them at Ben Franklin for hot chocolate and a few good laughs. And we had plenty!

Check out this very special episode of Jason's Cheesy Web Videos.

And to Ann and Joyce, in case you're reading this from some hotel somewhere, thanks for the most fun I've had in ages. You're fantastic! (FYI Ann, I still have your lips marks on my cheek!)

Win an all-expenses paid trip to the beautiful Shenandoah Valley of Virginia!

If you're on my email list then you've already heard about this. If not, get a load of the cool prize in my latest and greatest contest.

Win an all-expenses paid trip to the beautiful Shenandoah Valley of Virginia!

Click here for all the info and get entered!

We have winners in the "Free Books for Life" drawing!

Congrats to our three winners! Our next contest will be announced soon and you will not be disappointed. It's easily our best prize ever--by a long shot!

Home

Doesn't that one word say it all?

It's so nice after an incredibly hectic two months to finally sleep in my own bed and tuck my kids in. I returned home early yesterday morning (2:30) and I'm still walking around in a state of disbelief. Where are the wake up calls? The chocolate on pillows? The beds making themselves magically? The little soaps in boxes?

I'll have much more to say very soon, but for now I wanted to draw your attention to a contest I'm running over at PoliticalDerby.com to celebrate a friend's new book.

Click here to win a copy of The Paper Bag Christmas by Kevin Milne.

Also thought you might enjoy this clip my publisher produced a few weeks ago for the Barnes & Noble web site.



More soon!

Kudos to Wil for a brilliant episode of Jason's Cheesy Web Videos

The good news is I'm home for a couple days. The bad news is I'm home because I'm sick. I picked up a nasty flu bug on tour last week and had to head home from Nashville before my Portland events. Sorry Portland! We're already working hard to get another event scheduled before Christmas. And I assure you that you did not, repeat did not want to see me Friday and Saturday. It wasn't purty.

Hopefully by tomorrow (Monday) I'll be back in tip top shape, because I'm off on a road trip to Boise, ID. Can't wait!

So... I often get asked what signings are like. Thanks to my nephew Wil (aka Wilma, the Wilster, the Wilmanator) we have footage from a recent event in my old stomping grounds of Charlottesville, Virginia. It's not exactly a typical signing because I knew quite a few of the folks already, but it sure was fun.

Since Wil did such a fabulous job producing, directing and editing this, we decided it was worthy to be called Episode 5 of Jason's Cheesy Web Videos. Way to go, Wil!

Catch a fun podcast with PsychJourney

I did a podcast with Jamie Mason for PsychJourney.com. Jamie was a real pro, better than most of the radio interviews I've ever done!

Click here to hear our discussion about Recovering Charles.

The incredible world of your local bookstore

I'll have more to say about life and the state of the tour soon, but for now I thought I'd pass along this incredible note I got from a dear friend in the bookstore business. I'll let it speak for itself.

If you ever are without a story I highly recommend you sit in a large book store for a couple of months to observe....

Perhaps you will notice the lady running into the store as fast as she can to the women's restroom and locking herself in a stall. The Best Buy managers are not far behind chasing her through the store. Police follow however they are all men so they can't retrieve her and it's possibly too dangerous for us to go in and get her. A female police officer is called and she goes in and brings her out in handcuffs for credit card fraud.

One week later at 2:30 in the afternoon you would notice the lady entering the store absolutely falling down drunk screaming through the store for her children who we have paged but who are not in the store because they are in school! After falling down several times she purchases The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, leaves the store and attempts to enter 5 or 6 cars because she can't remember where hers is. She sits down to smoke a cigarette and we wonder what has happened in her life to cause her to be in this shape. We call 911. She finds her car and rolls down the window screaming for her kids as she drives by the store. Police arrive, and she voluntarily lays across the police car opening her mouth to allow the breathalizer to take place, and then is placed in handcuffs and taken away.

You might notice the nicely dressed gentleman who sits at the front of the store reading and sleeping all day long. Sometimes he arrives at 9 am and sometimes he arrives later in the day and we have to wake him up at closing. He has become homeless in the last 3 to 4 months. He is friendly but guarded. Nice gentleman, doesn't bother anyone or anything....just needs a place to rest his body....the recipient of my Christmas Jar this year.

Another gentleman is so excited to find the CD's his wife has wanted for a long time.....he is in the store waiting for his son to finish his Lasik surgery across the parking lot. He purchases his CD's, walks to the history department and drops dead of a massive heart attack despite attempts to revive him.

There is a younger gentleman who is walking around the store with his cell phone...as he approaches women wearing skirts he slips his camera under their skirt (without them knowing) and takes a picture. One woman reports him, we chase him out of the store and call police. One employee is able to bring him back but he gets in his car to drive away. The woman's husband stands in front of his car to keep him from leaving but he leaves anyway attempting to run over the husband.

As I walk past the restrooms one evening a genlteman comes out of the woman's restroom!! I'm a little stunned but don't think much more about it. A week later I'm at customer service looking down at something and when I look up there is the gentleman who walked out of the woman's restroom but he is now dressed as a woman! Reddish hair, large hands but manicured nails, knit top and a skirt....He/She asks for an application and applies as Angel!

Yes these events have all taken place at my store....in a nice, very well to do area, one of the fastest growing counties in the US!! I could go on and on and on!! Until I worked there I always assumed the book store was a nice quiet place to sit and read a book while drinking a hot coffee and enjoying a warm cookie!! My eyes have been opened!! So....if you are ever without a topic just sit yourself down in the book store....there are many stories and a ton of characters and they are not on the shelf!!!

KUTV appearance and episode 4 of Jason's Cheesy Web Videos

I'm home! After another week on the road I'm home for a few days. Then it's off to events in Fairfax and Charlottesville.

Last week we had a great interview in Salt Lake on Channel 2. (see below) And I'm tickled peach to present Episode 4 of Jason's Cheesy Web Videos starring Cherie Call.

New Orleans and a "Second Verse"

Well that was fast... I only had about 15 hours in New Orleans and I'm posting this from my next stop, Phoenix. I was in the Big Easy just long enough to check-in to my hotel, change, take a cab to my event at the wonderful Octavia Books, take the same cab back, eat dinner nearby, sleep, and take a tour on the way to the airport in the morning.

But it was the cab ride I'll most remember. I was so fortunate to meet Walter the night before and keep him for all my rides. He's a NOLA native and he gave me an hour long tour of the Lower Ninth Ward. He was so gracious and accommodating.

I couldn't include everything we saw, and I apologize that the quality in places isn't the greatest, but I hope it reminds us all how much work is left to be done. If anyone or anything has ever deserved a "Second Verse" - it's New Orleans.

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!