First draft of front cover…click to enlarge

April 6, 2016 (Sun Valley, Idaho) —

It’s been about six months since my last update but this project is still “on track”. The Ford Presidential Museum in Grand Rapids, Michigan closed last year while they added a new wing and re-worked many of the permanent exhibits that had been in place since the facility first opened in 1981. The re-opening is now scheduled for June 7, 2016. So…it’s time to ramp up my fund-raising campaign again and plan my research trip for this summer. I’ll be spending a week or so at both the Library in Ann Arbor and the “new” Museum in Grand Rapids. I’m really getting excited!

The writing of the book has continued with some breaks as I moved both my home and office to beautiful Sun Valley, Idaho. I have spent about half my time here (and half in the Puget Sound area) for the past three years, and in fact most of the planning, researching, and writing of my book has taken place here over the past year. Start to finish this will be a two year project…an amazing walk down Memory Lane.

First draft of back cover…click to enlarge

Since I last posted, two very exciting things have happened…almost simultaneously. First, the draft design of the book’s front have back cover has been completed. This was like a “shot in the arm” for me to get serious about the remaining writing and getting the text draft off for editing. Second, my good friend and nationally syndicated radio interview show host, Steven Maggi, completed the editing of Part II of our interview. It’s perfect! Parts I and II are posted on this website now under “Interviews” in the main navigation. Together there is over 80 minutes of interesting and fun audio…well worth the listen.

Now I have a favor to ask of everyone who reads this…

Please go to my GoFundMe page and pre-order your book(s). For only $65 you will receive your copy “hot off the press”. My goal is to sell at least 75 books over the next two months…the proceeds to be used to fund my research trip to the Ford Presidential Library and Museum and to help defray the pre-publication costs of producing a finished book. You will find various funding options on my GoFundMe page and also on the “Funding” page of this website.

Thanks in advance for your support…I’m getting very excited about having the finished book proudly displayed on my coffee table…and yours!

Bill Brockett