Virtual Book Tour + #Giveaway: Jay Got Married by James Robinson Jr @GoddessFish

Jay Got Married

by James Robinson Jr.

GENRE:   Non-Fiction Humor

BLURB:

Jay Got Married consists of 9 humorous and, at times, poignant essays chronicling the ironies of everyday life in word and picture. Take for example the lead essay, aptly titled, "Jay got Married," where I find myself mired in a horrendous dream.

In the fantasy, my aging father--dressed in his favorite Champion t-shirt with stains covering the front--marries my wife and I like he did 42 years ago but, this time around, the my 92-year-old ex-clergy dad forgets his lines causing me to coach him through the event with hints like: "ask for the rings, ask for the rings." All the while, my best man sings Sonny and Cher's, "I Got You Babe."

Finally married, my wife and I end the ceremony with a kiss. But as I turn to exit, my eyes catch a glimpse of the bridesmaid who is no longer my wife's best friend but now Gal Gadot from Dell Comics and Wonder Woman Fame. She is dressed in full Wonder Women regalia and looks totally shocked by the whole affair.

My mother turns to my father (now in the audience) with a quizzical look and says, “Dad, look at that bridesmaid. Isn’t that Superman?” She doesn't get out much.

As we exit the church, and the bubbles fill the air--no one uses rice anymore—my wife ignores the limo and takes off on a sleek motorcycle, leaving me in the lurch—hence the cover. 
Sure, it's sounds crazy. But, in truth, isn't the world of marriage crazy these days? In my case, what would one do when faced with the prospect of losing their beloved wife after 42 years? At age 67, would they remarry? Would they even want to remarry? These and other marital tidbits are discussed with humor and as much reverence as I could muster.

P.S. The author pairs up with Wonder Woman again in a final bit of photo wizardry Why? How? How are tricky copyright infringement laws avoided? Read Jay Got Married and find out.

Excerpt:

I had a frightful dream. I was standing at the altar with my wife and 400 guests in attendance. It seemed to be a repeat of our wedding in 1976. My now 95-year-old father performed the ceremony for my wife and me the first time around, and that’s how old he appeared to be in this vision. He kept forgetting the lines and was forever looking at me for support. At one point, I was whispering, “The rings, the rings.” I kept reaching for them, but they were disappearing before I could grab them.

Albie, my cousin and best man from my first wedding, was singing Sonny and Cher’s, I Got You Babe. Normally, he can’t sing for shit, but in this scenario, he had his hand on his chest and his head back, sounding like Luciano Pavarotti. What was this all about?

My father, the minister, wearing his trademark Champion sweatshirt, with coffee stains on the chest portions, pronounced us man and wife. I turned to kiss my new bride and caught a glimpse of her bridesmaid. But instead of her best friend who was her attendant back in the day, it was Gal Godot from DC Comics and the movies.

She was wearing her Wonder Woman garb, but she didn’t seem primed for a wedding. In fact, she appeared to be totally shocked by the whole affair. What kind of dream was this?

My wife and I ended the ceremony with a kiss. My mother turned to my father (who was then in attendance in the audience) with a quizzical look and said, “Dad, look at that bridesmaid. Isn’t that Superman?”

She was close. She doesn’t get out much.

Interview with James Robinson Jr

What was the hardest scene from the book to write?

There were no scenes; the book was made up of real-life experiences. But, in general, I would have to say that writing this book was probably the easiest. Having written six books, now—three non-fiction—I’m comfortable with my style and not afraid to experiment a little to make it better.

Why did you choose to write in your particular field or genre?

Writing essays or vignettes allows me the freedom to write different stories and reflect upon different subjects and ideas.

If you write in more than one genre, how do you balance them?

In non-fiction, I call upon my experiences and tell them in a humorous, tongue-in-cheek manner, throwing in a little social commentary. When writing fiction, I start with one idea and one set of fictitious characters and let it grow from there. But the fiction author always must be conscious of style, setting, point of view, etc. So, you have to be clear on what the boundaries are.

What did you enjoy most about writing this book?

I enjoyed the idea of making people laugh. I often chuckle myself when I’m writing. If I laugh, I figure some readers will find it amusing. And putting in clipart to accentuate the facts was a lot of fun. I even used pictures of myself and went to a studio to recreate certain photos. Check out this one:

Admit it. It’s kind of cute.

What book that you have read has most influenced your life?

The Autobiography of Malcolm X.

Tell us a little about yourself. Perhaps something not many of us know.

I graduated from high school in 1970 which makes me a child of the tempestuous 60’s. A decade that included the Watts riots, the killing of the three freedom workers in Greenwood, Mississippi, the march from Selma, AL to Montgomery, and the assassination of Martin Luther King. My father, a minister and Civil rights worker, was involved in all these events. I wrote a book about him and about my mother who later joined him in the 70’s in a struggle to educate the children in the small hamlet of Manchester in Pittsburgh. 

Can you tell us something about your book that is not in the summary?

The book caused a bit of a riff between my wife and I over the lead essay which is also entitled, Jay Got Married, my wife objected to the way in which made mention of her in the chapter. The essay deals with marriage in the year 2020 and difficult it is to find a mate. I proposed a what-if scenario. My position is that if something happened to her I would be hard-pressed to find someone like her, especially at my age. But her take on the supposition was, “you killed me off!” Now, ladies, is that fair?

Not only did she refuse to read the rest of that essay, she declined to read the rest of the book. Then when she when acquiesced and wanted to read it, I refused to let he. A real conundrum.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

James Robinson, Jr. is an award-wining author who has written 6 books in both the fiction and non-fiction genres. His first book Fighting the Effects of Gravity: A Bittersweet Journey Into Middle Life, was an Indie Award winner for nonfiction. His first foray into fiction, Book of Samuel, was a Readers’ Favorite Award Winner. His latest book—Jay Got Married—is a collection of 9 humorous, sometimes poignant essays.

           

Mr. Robinson resides in Pittsburgh, PA with his wife of 43 years. He is the father of three daughters ages 37, 38, and 40 and has six grandchildren

Amazon Author Page ~ Facebook ~ Twitter

The book is on sale for $0.99.

Giveaway:

$25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC

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