Back on the road or….

….up in  the air again. Good news today that the 787 may be cleared for flight in a few weeks. I have booked a midnight flight on a 787 with  China  Eastern in a few weeks from Shanghai to Singapore. As I will be arriving at the Shanghai airport from Los Angeles just 3 hours earlier, I am planning a full nights sleep on one of those great 787 flat beds. Wish me luck!

The adventures of an Irish/American teenager who ran away to sea

“A novelized yarn describing the adventures of an Irish/American teenager who ran away to sea in the mid-1950s.

The author David Paul Collins was, indeed, shanghaied from the American port of Mobile, Alabama. It is later revealed that he was sold aboard ship by a gang for $100.
He was lucky. He landed on a ship crewed by a great bunch of West Indian and Filipino sailors. They looked after him, protected him from the first mate and educated him in a way that no school ever could.

His few months aboard taught him invaluable lessons about the world, about people, about racism and, even, about the sea and ships. It prepared him well for his formal education and, later, for the real world.

A very good read from a very perceptive writer.”

Excerpted from a review published by Baird Publications Ltd, Hong Kong

“Shanghaied” wins Moonbeam Children’s Book Award

Shanghaied by David Paul Collins wins Bronze in Young Adult Fiction – General
in Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards.

Greater Los Angeles Writers Society at the West Hollywood Book Fair 2012

Sunday,  September 30
The Greater Los Angeles Writers Society at the West Hollywood Book Fair 2012

The Greater Los Angeles Writers Society is proud to present a talented slate of authors at the Annual West Hollywood Book Fair at West Hollywood Park from IOam to 6pm at the GLAWS Booths.

This event is so popular, GLAWS takes an entire tent!

Award-winning author David Paul Collins will appear and his book Shanghaied will be available for purchase. Mr. Collins will sign his book for attendees.  Almost 30 author/members are scheduled to appear.

You don’t need a TV

“Shanghaied is one of those fun reads that reminds you why you don’t need a TV. I completely enjoyed the tale and Mr. Collins’ prose made me wish to be young again and to be able to chase a dream and live a life of adventure.”  Michael G

Big Orange Book Festival

David Paul Collins, author of the award-winning book Shanghaied, is one of the Ten at the Top speakers at the upcoming Big Orange Book Festival on the Chapman University campus, Friday and Saturday, Sept. 21 – 22.

Called FROM STEAMPUNK TO POETRY IN 2 DAYS, the fair is touted as a “Festival for wordies, film buffs and artists in the heart of Orange County.”

Collins will have a booth Friday 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.  He will be speaking at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday in the Fish Interfaith Center and again at 2:00 p.m. in Beckman Hall.  Click here for complete speaker schedule.

Click here to see map of Chapman University venues.   There is also free parking in the underground parking structure below the football field.

For more information please visit  BigOrangeBookFestival.com

For information about other events see ShanghaiedTheBook.com

A Little IPPY History Lesson

Looking back at the IPPY awards from previous years, the growth of the independent publishing community is evident. For the 5th annual IPPY Awards in 2001, there were 770 publishers who participated in only 49 categories. This year, 2,400 independent authors and publishers entered the awards. With 72 national categories, 22 regional categories, and the chance to be an Outstanding Book of the Year, the IPPY awards continue to capture the diversity of the creative work of independent authors and publishers.

This year marked the first time that e-Books were acknowledged in the IPPY Awards with five diverse categories that recognized fiction, non-fiction, juvenile fiction, and children’s illustrated eBooks. Since the 2003 IPPYs, the number of winners using e-Books has been on the rise.

Author David Collins, who won the silver medal in Best Juvenile Fiction e-Book for Shanghaied, explained, “E-Books boost sales in ways that paper cannot. Writers want to be published by mainstream houses and readership numbers help a great deal. Winning in the e-Book category could not be better.” With the new categories recognizing eBooks, the IPPY Awards have been able to adapt so the awards reflect the ever-changing environment of the independent publishing community.

By Nicolette Amstutz, author of article “Seven iUniverse Authors Win 2012 IPPY Awards”

“Shanghaied” selected as Finalist in 2012 Readers Favorite Book Awards

Shanghaied by David Collins has been selected as a Finalist in the 2012 Readers Favorite Annual Award Contest  for Young Adult General Fiction.

Readers Favorite Review of “Shanghaied” by David Collins

“Just the thoughts of a fifteen year old boy waking up on an African ship with no idea how he got there give me chills, but that is what happens to Jack Sligo in this story. And it is what happened to David Paul Collins in real life. Spellbound by his Irish grandfather’s tales of adventure, Jack Sligo had dreams of traveling around the world as part of the crew on a cruise ship. But did he dream of starting out this way? “Shanghaied” is a novel based on the author’s own true story as a merchant seaman, making this not just a fictional story, but a story told with realistic accounts of what actually happens in the life of a merchant seaman.

I was hooked from the beginning of this story because I wanted to see what happened to Jack Sligo. I can only imagine the shock this guy felt waking up on that ship of strangers! In this well-written story, David Collins takes you to the sea with him as he starts his sea journey at a very early age. I have never been at sea, but it felt almost as if I was there, smelling the sea, feeling the spray of salt water, and as a merchant, taking in everything on the entire ship from top to bottom. I always enjoy reading a book by an author writing from personal experiences, and this is truly one of my favorites. I enjoyed the writing style of Collins, and felt I could laugh and cry with him throughout his journey. I highly recommend this book as a fantastic read for anyone, and especially for those looking for a great adventure. This book will take your adventurous juices and take them to a level you never knew you had. After reading “Shanghaied”, you will want to take those adventures with a stronger determination.”  Reviewed by Joy H. for Readers Favorite  http://readersfavorite.com/review/6662

Burl Ives sings “Shanghaied”

Enjoy!

Original video on YouTube