Bookstore officials hail 'Rollercoaster' success

Copperfield's book-signing by 'Rollercoaster' author called 'one of best since store opened'

Woody Weingarten signs "Rollercoaster."

The title of a classic movie from 57 years ago may best sum up what I experienced last weekend:

"The Sweet Smell of Success." 

That's what I, Woody Weingarten, gleefully felt after my first book signing — at Copperfield's bookstore in San Rafael.

Jake James, assistant manager, and Alex Steinmetz, community events coordinator, agreed that my "meet-and-greet" was "one of the best since we opened this store" at the end of 2013.

It was my first-ever signing for "Rollercoaster: How a man can survive his partner's breast cancer."

Happily, it drew friends, friends of friends, friends of friends of friends, relatives, neighbors, former co-workers, members of my Marin Man to Man support and film groups, members of my wife's cancer support and book groups — plus a sprinkling of strangers.

Happily, too, many of them bought books — three to four times as many as average meet-and-greet purchases, according to store officials.

"Rollercoaster" is aimed at caregivers. It’s a hybrid book, a memoir-chronicle, a love story, and a guide to research, meds and where to find help.

It tracks a caregiver’s bumpy yet uplifting journey from the depths of a wife’s diagnosis to the heights of their climbing the Great Wall of China. And it illustrates that most couples can successfully deal with the disease itself, “slash, poison and burn” treatments, fear, and the repercussions of it all — and that there truly can be light at the end of the tunnel.

Author sets in-person bookstore appearance

'Rollercoaster' author plans 'meet-and-greet' in San Rafael Copperfield's — his first ever

I'm going to do my first-ever “meet-and-greet” book-signing this Saturday, Feb. 28, at Copperfield’s bookstore in San Rafael, California.

You'll find a cheery me, Woody Weingarten, at a table at 850 4th St. between 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. chatting up my new VitalityPress book, "Rollercoaster: How a man can survive his partner's breast cancer."

“I’d appreciate it if everyone I know would drop by if only to say hello and offer support,” I told myself in a mock interview I conducted.

"And if some of you want to offer even more support by buying the book (and having me personally inscribe it), that would be a bonus."

“Rollercoaster” is aimed at caregivers. It’s a hybrid — a chronicle-memoir, a love story, and a guide to research, meds and where to find help.

The book tracks a caregiver’s bumpy yet uplifting journey from the depths of a wife’s diagnosis to the heights of our climbing the Great Wall of China. It illustrates that most couples can successfully deal with the disease itself, “slash, poison and burn” treatments, fear, and the repercussions of it all — and that there truly can be light at the end of the tunnel.

On this very weblog I've noted there are 35 million caregivers in the United States. My mostly tongue-in-cheek hope is that, over the course of time, I can sell at least one copy of “Rollercoaster” to each of them.

For anyone who might not yet know, I've been an award-winning professional newspaper editor and writer for 50 years, and have run a support group for male caregivers for two decades. I've also been the recipient of two “healing partner” awards. 

Come to Copperfield's in San Rafael and help me help others.