Greetings from Beamont, TX!
Greetings everyone!
Mary and I are now in Beaumont, Texas….city # 15 on the 56 city book tour. We have several wonderful events in Beaumont including a fundraiser for the local Betty Greenberg Theatre, and an event with the Beaumont Rotary Club….one of the largest group of Rotarians in Texas. We have had the # 1 Best seller for the week following my appearances in each city we’ve visited so far….Spartanburg, SC, Atlanta, GA, Greenville, MS, Greenwood, MS, Washington, DC, Oxford, MS, Amory, MS, Jackson, MS, Biloxi, MS, Virginia Beach, VA, Fairhope, AL, Monroe, LA, and Los Angeles, CA. Tyson Cornel at Book Soup, the largest independent Book Store in Los Angeles, was quoted as saying, “We haven’t moved this many books (Promises I Made My Mother) since the release of the book honoring the 40th Anniversary of The Doors!”. I have also spoken at Rotary meetings in Atlanta, GA, Hattiesburg, MS, Greenville, MS, Buckhead, GA, Jackson, MS, and Sunset Rotary in Fairhope, AL.
In every city we visit, I meet wonderful people who share stories of their own life journies, stories of their own mothers, and stories of hope, faith and love. We laugh and cry together every single day. I am humbled at the response this book is receiving.
My friends and family were treated to a wonderful celebrity concert honoring the book’s release in my hometown of Amory, MS two weeks ago. Michael Feinstein headlined the event that was hosted by Lucie Arnaz. Sela Ward, Debbie Allen, Miss America Katie Stam, Mary Donnelly Haskell, Blake Ewing, Mary Lane Haskell, and Miss Mississippi Christine Kozlowski were there to perform as well. We raised $75,000 for the Mary Kirkpatrick Haskell Scholarship Foundation, named for my mother, to help send deserving High School Seniors to college. To date we have raised over Four Million Dollars to help the children of Mississippi get an education.
Also, I’m so proud to let you know that Promises I Made My Mother just debuted on the Los Angeles Times Best Seller List at # 11! In addition to the 12 national shows I’ve already appeared on including The Today Show with Matt Lauer, CBS Early Show, Fox and Friends, Bonnie Hunt Show, 700 Club, Tavis Smiley, Larry King, Greta Van Sustern, and The Mike Huckabee Show, I will also be appearing on Joe Scarborough’s national morning Show, “Morning Joe” on MSNBC on June 9th, Food Network’s Iron Chef on July 14th, The Crystal Cathedral’s Hour Of Power on July 26 with my dear friend Kathy Ireland, and The Sean Hannity Show on Fox News on August 14th.
Mary has been with me for most of the tour, and I honestly could not have done this without her. Mary is the heart and soul of everything I am and everything that I do. Thanks to each of you for your part in this book’s success, and keep checking out my website for more updates as the tour continues.
Love to all,
SAM