A Time to Bill

Buy the new book, "Beaucoup Arlo & Janis!"Today's "Arlo & Janis!"
I thought I’d celebrate the beginning of the week of the Fourth of July with some beach reading. As you probably know, best-selling author John Grisham has a new book out, “The Confession.” It’s a return to his roots, a legal pot-boiler set in the south. I had some fun with such Grisham fare in this 1997 spoof, but I’ve always enjoyed reading his books. Besides, he got the last laugh. I happened to be in Tupelo, Mississippi, at Reed’s Gumtree Bookstore last April. I was there at lunchtime to sign copies of “Beaucoup Arlo & Janis.” It wasn’t one of my best appearances. Not many people wanted to give up lunch and come downtown just for me. However, “The Confession” was due to be released the next day, and a truck was dropping off the store’s supply—2,000 copies! All during the time I was there, people would walk in, look at me, go directly to the sales desk and ask, “Can I get the new John Grisham novel?” The answer was “No, you’ll have to come back tomorrow.” Frustrated and annoyed, they’d glare at me as they breezed out the door.