Countdown to Born to Darkness

March 6, 2012

14 days…

until Born to Darkness
hits bookstores and eReaders

Day Sixteen.

A recommended viewing, and a recommended read!The recommended DVD: WINNEBAGO MAN, a documentary about the angriest man in the world.The recommended book: CATCH ME by Lisa Gardner.Video first.Remember back when the Internet was young and going viral meant calling in sick with a stomach bug for a week?

Well, back even before YouTube, filmmakers and film afficiandos passed around a VHS tape of outtakes from a grueling industrial video shoot for the Winnebago RV company, featuring former Winnebago executive Jack Rebney, who was lovingly dubbed “the angriest man in the world.” (In truth, I think the title he deserves is “funniest man in the world.”) Jack was legendary among those “in the know,” for his explosively funny and expletive-littered reactions to his own missed lines and mistakes. (He sure knows the proper usage of Sam’s favorite word. So, warning! Warning! The video below should not be played at work or around young children!)

Of course, then the internet happened, and the worn-out VHS of outtakes was transformed into digitial, and uploaded onto YouTube.

Where it went viral. Jack Rebney became one of the first internet celebrities. (Although his response was immediately to go into hiding.)

Some years ago, a young documentary filmmaker who was a fan of Jack’s thought it would be cool if he tried to track down the angriest man in the world. Was Jack even still alive? No one knew. But thus began the documentary film that would be called WINNEBAGO MAN.

I love documentaries, and this was a fun one. The filmmaker becomes a character in his own story of his search for Jack — it’s funny, sweet, intriguing and entertaining.

Here’s the website for WINNEBAGO MAN. (The movie is available on DVD or via download from itunes. I HIGHLY recommend it.

Here’s a video with the trailer from the movie. (And if you want to see the original viral video, just google “angriest man in the world.”) (Salty verbiage alert! Lower your volume or watch at home!)

Born to Darkness

And okay. Recommended read! There is absolutely NO connection between today’s recommended viewing and today’s recommended read other than the fact that I loved them both.Lisa Gardner wrote my favorite book of 2011, called LOVE YOU MORE (which is now available in paperback). I was so psyched to hear that she had another book coming out this spring, featuring Boston detective D.D. Warren. And when I read CATCH ME, I loved it, too.Lisa writes such strong female protagonists. I love her characters. I love her stories. I love her crackling and brilliant writing. I love her books. And I loved CATCH ME. (I was up until the wee hours finishing it. Couldn’t save the end for tomorrow. )

So if you’re looking for something to read between now and March 20th, check out LOVE YOU MORE and CATCH ME. (No need to read them in any particular order.)

Here’s the very lovely book trailer video for CATCH ME:

(Totally watchable at work, but a little scary for young children!)

That’s today’s countdown.

Facebook users, pop over to my Suzanne Brockmann Facebook page to talk about today’s page! Come back tomorrow to see another video featuring the cast of BORN TO DARKNESS!