Thank you. Thank you all.
Books are strange creations. It’s difficult for me to even remember sitting down and starting the one that officially releases today. It was last spring, maybe, though I can’t recall the weather, nor what I was wearing, nor my state of mind. I do remember going to stay a weekend at The Charlie in West Hollywood mid-way through to make real progress. It is how I write, I suppose. Fumbling around, interviewing, researching, compiling, finding a rhythm, then going away for two days and trying to write an entire book.
I got way too drunk the night I checked in but forced myself up at 4 am so if the whole thing feels like a giant hangover that’s why.
It is probably not the best process but it is mine.
Anyhow, as of today it is out in the world in both Australia, The United States, iBooks, Audible, Kindle etc. I hope you, of every group of potential readers, enjoy it. You are my favorite.
I am doing a reading at Warwick’s in La Jolla tonight at 7:30 if you are around. Before the reading I am going to thank all those who suffered my questions, who suffered me, as I wrote. My wife, above all. Derek Rielly, who I love. Matt Warshaw, Nick Carroll, Brad Melekian, Scott Hulet, Ian Cairns, Pete Taras, Jimmy Wilson and the rest of the dysfunctional surf industry.
I don’t know if people want to be thanked in a book titled Cocaine + Surfing but without them there is nothing. And without you I am bored and uninspired.
So thank you.
Thank you all/this is your fault.
Oh! And if you try and order on Amazon it says 1 – 2 months delivery but it’s not true. They just sold out their entire stock this morning but more is on the way as of today.
Commented on Disqus? Log out, tap the Disqus button, and your old name and comments come back. The box is ours.
Your comments are still here. Every one of them.
Twelve years of BeachGrit comments came across from Disqus. Connect and we will show you how many are yours. We get your username, nothing else.
Connect Disqus to reveal.
As soon as I get my next paycheck (or the one after) I’ll for sure give it a read.
Why do some of them say “outrageous expose”, some say “love story” and others say “sordid history of surfing’s greatest love affair”?
Didn’t you want the words surfing, cocaine and love to be trending on the NYT bestseller’s list???
Can your next book follow up on the cocaine + surfing crowd? and be called Cavalry Chapel + surfing?
Random people from my past that I’m strangely still connected with via social media have purchased this book. On ya, Chas!
Ah well. There’s always the next book.
Ashton won the book signing tonight.
Been listening to the audiobook today through Audible. A couple of chapters in. Good stuff
Done! Just kidding, two chapters in already. But Deadliest Catch was on so had to stop for now. Will pick up in the AM with coffee and my morning constitution. BTW, anyone interested in a slightly used copy once I finish?
So Chas wrote this:
I got way too drunk the night I checked in but forced myself up at 4 am so if the whole thing feels like a giant hangover that’s why. It is probably not the best process but it is mine” etc.
Congrats!!!
Right on Chas Smith!!!
as I’m a fan of Charles Bukowski, a now deceased, legendary drunk~ard writer,
well I look forward to readin’ your latest prose whenever I go ahead + fork over some de~niro
to buy and then read your latest. I hope that it makes ya some decent Hollywood movie screen~play cash someday! $600,000.00 or many more, boy!
I say this with some personal experience,
as years ago in the 2000’s, well I dated + helped support a strugglin’ female writer with famous Hollywood genealogy, a gal whose famous lil’ sister used to date an A~list actor dude named Brad, whom 1 of my casual friends often trains. My ol’ girly~friends younger lil’ sister starred in some movie I’d never even watched called Natural Born Killers, + others movies too, seen kissin’ De Niro, etc.
Hahaha,
1 of my 3 lil’ sisters, Teresa, seen here loungin’ on an L.A.beach years ago:
https://uploads.disquscdn.c…
tripped out when I told her who I was currently f**kin’, err datin’ then, + so she had to play me some ‘NBK’~er’s theme song that was on her lil’ cellie~phone ringer, she told me D’s lil sis’ Juliette is kinda gnarly, etc, hahaha, f**kin’ Hollywood, what do I know?, except that ya can make some serious $,$$$,$$$.00
So dude,
even though I ain’t no Hollywood kinda guy,
well I can kinda dig what your own wife does+goes through to help you in your creative endeavors as a strugglin’ writer. As I watched too as my old chick struggled to get her writing onto the big screen, even though her daddy had worked with Clint many times before, been on the cover of tv guide, + 1 of her best friends has the name of Amy, Redford’s lil’ girl, etc…
Hollywood?
Hmmmm. It’s tough, but hey, Go For It!
Chas, I hope that your latest book goes good and ya make some serious screen~play/rights CASH! someday.
Bet your wife will appreciate it too. Yea!!!
jesus h
yep WTF!!
Congratulations Chas!
How did the reading go JeffBE? Did you reveal yourself?
Happy Days Chas. Congrats from all your Australian fans.
Never seen a comment section devolve to a discussion on favorite authors
Started reading it last night, but if I’m honest it hasn’t really grabbed me. Probably go back to the b-grade end of the world sci-fi smuck I’ve been reading and finish it on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Probably because I don’t care about other surfers or cocaine.
Can’t help posting this again for your benefit Chas.
https://uploads.disquscdn.c…
The Aussie cover is sooo much better.
https://www.goodreads.com/b… What have we here? a 1* rating from none other than Rory “nosy” Parker. BLOOD FEUD!
https://uploads.disquscdn.c…
Would Chas reviewing Rory’s review be too meta? Who am I kidding, nothing is too meta for this joint.
Review needs a P.S. The author tried to punch me once and i’m a bit jealous that he’s written more books than me.
Why cant i get the kindle version in Argentina? got the free audible but as a non native english speaker i prefer to read at my own retarded rythm https://uploads.disquscdn.c…
I think it has to do with copyright laws or licensing agreements. It isn’t available in Europe either, and I often have this problem when I want to buy books by Australian authors. You need to have your kindle registered in the right country. Tis a bugger
Should have read “For Rory Parker”, congratulations Chas!
Ooooh, btw: are you gonna do a read in Newport, home of the Black Flys cocaine empire? Or is that too close to the fire?
whatever it takes to get it done, man, is good process. congrats!!
i am so excited to read!