CKR: August 2011 - THE FINAL POST

(continued from July 2011...)

“CKR” Diary Post No. 69,

or The Happy End…ing

Saturday, August 06, 2011

If, on February 16, 2006, you had suggested I write a book titled CHASING KID ROCK, I’d have told you to go fuck yourself. I’m a fan, yes, but not a groupie. Okay, not a BIG groupie. Whatever the case, Kid Rock didn’t need my help then any more than he needs it now. And, though I’ve bought ALL his albums (at least once), seen every South Florida concert (except one when I had to work and the boy used my ticket), and booked passage on his cruise (3 times!), HE hasn’t done a damn thing for ME lately. Or ever. What possible motivation could I have for spending FIVE YEARS at the keyboard, writing an homage to Kid Motherfuckin’ Rock?

Not only that, every step of the way has been a fight. First for my health. Later for my marriage. Even the final act of publishing gave me gray hair – I rejected the proof not once, not twice, but three times! AND squeezed in a vacation to the Pacific Northwest during the process. This book crushed me, physically, mentally, emotionally, and everywhere in between. I’m literally exhausted.

Why, then, did I write CKR? For money? Please. Check the previous Diary post – 90 cents a book. Cha-fuckin-ching. That might have brought in some coin for Mark Twain, but who the hell is Dawn Scovill? For notoriety, then? As if. Have you read the headlines? Seen the billboards? Caught the TV commercials? No? That’s because there aren’t any. I’m on my own here, promoting myself and my work on a blog and via Facebook and Twitter pages. Unless my trailer goes viral on YouTube, or I stuff my kid in a trunk, say she’s with a nanny, and get acquitted for her murder after she turns up dead, the TODAY show’s not going to call.

I wrote CKR because I want to see more men read, and because the book’s underlying message is important to me. Plus, I’m a writer, and the story – concept, theme, people, places – was too good to pass on. I don’t want to merely write books for the rest of my life, I want to SELL them. That means my stuff can’t be “just” good, it has to be interesting, topical, relevant, and entertaining enough to make you want to drop the TV remote. It’s a tall order. But I think I’ve hit the mark this time.

Regardless of my intentions, I expect a few haters. Someone’s going to complain about my using Kid Rock’s name. A few women will take issue with the threesomes (and foursome) thing. A husband or two will get bitched at for reading it – and liking it too much. Overall, though, I think it’ll do alright. I might even sell more books than Paris Hilton and her dog. Most importantly, it’ll get a few rednecks to read. Hopefully one in particular. I’ll be happy with that. Then again, I’m simply happy it’s finished. Where it goes from here is now in the hands of destiny.

To Kat, Emily, Chip and Deb, Don and Angie, Eman, Dr. C, Trysh, Joe Dogg, Snarls, Ben, Craig, Cindy, Elaine, Maggie and Jeff-or-Dave, Mark and Dwight (miss you, my love), and Scott (of course), and everyone I’m forgetting who’s been with me since the beginning: THANK YOU for reading, for riding, and for holding my hand. When I first stepped onto the MySpace stage, I never imagined The End would take five years. That so many of you stuck with me all this time is a testament to the Internet’s ability to bring people together. We’ve forged friendships that will last a lifetime. YOU, more than any other, are the reason I never gave up.

To Kathleen (Kat 2 ;)), Sherri, Katie, Rhett, Brandi, Dorothy, Diane, Annette, Kimmie, and all the rest who’ve jumped on this ride late in the game: Thank you for your faith. Our paths might have crossed at the end of this story, but you know as well as I do the ride’s not over yet. This is, in fact, only the beginning. CKR will be released any day (minute), and the world will see it for the first time. After that, whatever fortune – or misfortune – befalls me will trickle onto you. It’s a kind of law of physics for friends of writers. But don’t worry, it won’t hurt. My only suggestion is to pack a raincoat; I feel a storm coming on. ;)

Much, much love to ALL,

~ Dawn

The End