I realized how much I love to write. Telling stories about moments that brought me such great joy brought emotions back, some of which had been suppressed for some time. I had a smile on my face every night I wrote.
Jay Nachlis – 22 April 2017
The Back Flap
How did a geeky kid from California get to drink beers with Bono, watch Duran Duran while hanging out with the Barenaked Ladies at the Playboy Mansion, have lunch with Ringo Starr, and get cheered on by Robin Williams?
Never Trust A Grown Man With A Ponytail is a memoir of life in the radio industry, told through rapid-fire short stories. Author Jay Nachlis takes readers backstage to experience all the awesome and awkward moments, from a one-sided conversation with Prince to an after-party where one of the world’s hottest bands soaked in a hot tub and sang karaoke.
In this book, discover personal tales previously known by few. These include sneaking into a convention, keeping a radio station on the air when the DJ was unable to, answering request lines during the 1989 San Francisco earthquake, and getting kicked out of an awards show.
There are emotional journeys as well.
Discover the gut-wrenching moment as a teenager that inspired the author to dedicate much of his adult life to raising money for sick children.
Mostly, Never Trust A Grown Man With A Ponytail is a joyful ride. Come along, as a regular guy lives vicariously through his musical heroes thanks to a life in the radio industry.
“In the same way Forrest Gump seemed to always be in the right place at the right time, that is Jay’s life in radio. His ability to share these moments is captivating. I started reading and couldn’t put it down.” – Dave Rose, President/Deep South Entertainment
10% of all profits earned from the sale of Never Trust A Grown Man With A Ponytai” will be donated to the St. Baldrick’s Foundation to fund childhood cancer research.
About the book
What is the book about?
Never Trust A Grown Man With A Ponytail is a behind-the-scenes look at life in the radio industry. It’s full of celebrity encounters and awkward moments, from the lens of a regular guy’s perspective.
When did you start writing the book?
One of the early chapters refers to a cab ride I took in Southern California in 2011. I was at a radio conference, and this was the first time I heard a cabbie listening to Pandora (in its early days) instead of traditional “terrestrial” radio. I was inspired to begin writing soon after.
How long did it take you to write it?
Generally speaking, it took about one year. I dedicated two hours per night, every night, for a straight year. It sat on the shelf because of my fear of putting it out until I revisited it last year and spent another few months finishing the project.
Where did you get the idea from?
Just about everyone I ever worked with in radio talks about writing a book someday. The reason I wrote the book was to have a document of all the fun I’ve had in radio – for me, for my children, and anyone who was interested. Actually publishing the book was icing on the cake.
Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?
There are some very emotional parts in the book, specifically the chapter called “Cancer,” that were hard to write but therapeutic. That chapter really frames how I chose to use radio as a platform for giving back. I wish I dug a little deeper on some of the stories. I find myself talking to readers about some of the stories and then laugh about details I left out.
What came easily?
I realized how much I love to write. Telling stories about moments that brought me such great joy brought emotions back, some of which had been suppressed for some time. I had a smile on my face every night I wrote.
Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?
Never Trust A Grown Man With A Ponytail is a memoir, so the characters are all real people.
We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?
The style of my book was influenced by some of my favorite marketing, business, and “life lessons” books. These are books that went by very fast for me as the reader and had a number of takeaways. Some examples are Purple Cow by Seth Godin, The Energy Bus by Jon Gordon, and Positioning: The Battle for your Mind by Al Ries and Jack Trout.
Do you have a target reader?
The core reader will be in their 30s or 40s, having been heavily influenced by the celebrities in the book and radio itself. But I really do feel the stories and lessons will apply to all readers.
About Writing
Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?
It started with writing down topics of just about every radio story I could remember, then creating brief bullet-pointed summaries of each. From there, I narrowed it down to the stories I thought were most entertaining. Then, I organized each event chronologically, and started writing the chapters.
Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?
I wanted the chapter titles to have resonance, so I spent time on those to match the story. An example is the story about Edwin McCain, who sang the hit I’ll Be in the 90’s. The tale of us partying together ends with an incident with a plant, so the chapter is called I’ll Be the Greatest Plant of Your Life. I outline with bullet points about each story.
Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?
I did some minor editing as I went along, but saved most of it for later so that the process wasn’t interrupted too often.
Did you hire a professional editor?
I did not hire a professional editor, but I did have it edited and reviewed.
Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?
It would be wrong for a radio guy to not listen to music while he writes, wouldn’t it? I listened to a lot of classic R&B. Stevie Wonder, Otis Redding, Sam Cooke.
About Publishing
Did you submit your work to Agents?
I did not submit my work to agents, at least initially.
What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?
My experience in the music industry framed my decision to self-publish. Just like bands need to develop a following before getting signed by a label, I felt it made sense as a new author to self-publish before attempting to step up to the big leagues.
Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?
I had the cover professionally designed and was thrilled with the results.
Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?
Because it is a radio book and I came from radio, I am starting with radio and social media. I’ve had a couple of radio interviews so far and am working that angle. I’m also planning book readings, as the material makes for great storytelling. Like I mentioned before, there is much “added value” I can add to the existing content as well. I’m also donating 10% of all profits to St. Baldrick’s to benefit childhood cancer research.
Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?
Just start writing! The self-publishing market has made it so accessible for anyone that wants to be heard. Even if you do it for yourself and nobody else, you should start writing and network with other authors.
About You
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in San Francisco. Actually in the City, not Petaluma or Marin as some people say when you ask them what part of San Francisco they are from.
Where do you live now?
My radio career brought me to Syracuse, San Francisco, Buffalo, Detroit, and now Raleigh. Raleigh became my grown-up home. We’ve lived here for 14 years and absolutely love it.
What would you like readers to know about you?
Readers should know that I’m just like them and I hope that why they’ll love the book. Have you ever thought what you would say if you were face-to-face with Prince, Ringo Starr, or Robin Williams? So did I. Sometimes the experience was pure perfection, and sometimes I acted like a complete idiot. Each moment made for a great story.
End of Interview:
For more from Jay, visit his website, like his Facebook page, or follow him on Twitter.
Get your copy of Never Trust a Grown Man with a Ponytail from Amazon US or Amazon UK.
