I have to post this. It is posively incredible. Forgive me if there are errors in here, my eyes aren't dry yet.
Last night, I went to the kickoff party for Ray Negron's "The Boy of Steel". It was supposed to be a small event held in the Long Island Children's Museum but the number attending made them move it down the block to The Cradle of Aviation Museum's atrium -- a huge glass room with real airplanes soaring three stories or more overhead. The museum is just beautiful.
I estimate there were more than 500 people there. A local credit union (Bethpage Federal Credit Union) sponsored the party. There were 4 hot buffet stations with "kid friendly food" and also a hotdog cart, a hot popcorn cart and a hot pretzel cart. It was amazing being served a hotdog from someone in a tuxedo and white gloves. Later on, popsicles and chocolate chip cookies were passed through the crowd by more white gloved waiters. The idea was for us all to feel like kids again. It worked.
Guests included executives and employees of the bank, people from the local charities the book will help, friends, family and baseball fans. The room was loaded with kids and it was rocking!!
There was a stage set up with a huge screen showing pictures from the book. So many people came up on the stage from local charities to say how excited they were about the book and what it meant for their organization. It will benefit kids with cancer, women with breast cancer, many people. Jeremy Schapp of ESPN spoke. He and Ray have been friends since they were kids. Jeremy said he has written five books. He said "I don't write books for free. Hemingway didnt write books for free. Shakespeare didnt write for free. Ray Negron writes for free." Omar Minaya, General Manager of the Mets missed last night's game to speak - even though the book is about the Yankees. He,too, has been a friend since childhood. Former Yankee Roy White spoke about Ray's time as a Yankee batboy. A video tape was sent from Kansas City where the Yankees were playing with best wishes from everyone from A-Rod, Johnny Damon, Mariano Rivera, Bobby Abreau to Joe Torre and yes, George Steinbrenner himself.
Finally, the author took the stage. Instead of giving a speech, he presented "awards" - plaques he gave to people who have touched his life and who have fought cancer. For each one, he told a story about their personal battle. He brought one little boy up onstage and explained that when he first met the boy, he was in chemo and bald. When he told the boy to take off his hat and show off his hair, everyone just fell apart. I have never seen so many happy tears in a room. Someone had to bring Ray a tissue. He told the story of how the book was created and showed a photo of the late John Steel Wilkins dressed in superman pajamas in the hospital. All I could think of was how much my nephew Paul (now 25) loved flying around in the same pajamas. Ray concluded his remarks by telling each of us to promise to go home and before the night was over hug our own kids and thank God for them. By that time, there wasn't a dry eye in the room.
The artist flew in from San Francisco and exhibited the original drawings. Some were sold. She signed every book along with the author.
There were people there who took home 10 or more books - all signed. I would say he sold 3,000 or more books last night between 6:30 and 10. An organization honored a local school who collected one million pennies by buying them 500 or more books to re-sell at a book fair and raise more money. Ray posed for pics with everyone.
It was wonderful to be there to see this amazing evening. I got to see Ray's kids all grown up (I haven't seen the oldest three in years!) and meet so many of his friends from back when we were kids and he played ball with my brother.
I was among the last to get my books signed. When I walked up to him, I said "Boy Little Brother, you sure do know how to throw a book signing!" He just smiled.
I am attaching a link of photos my son took on his cellphone (as usual I forgot a camera) To all of you who write children's books, and in fact to all of you who write at all, I wish you a book launching just like this one. It will go down as one of the most memorable nights of my entire life. And Ray, should you happen to join here and post, I love you, babe and I am so very proud of you. Charie
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