GUEST BLOG: If My Book Were a Movie by Bill Fentress Plus Giveaway!

Well now, that would be interesting. That’s probably not even relevant, and mostly a dream. Ok…let’s just dream!

And since we are dreaming,  let’s start …say…with me! My book covers 50 years from 1967 to now. But I  suppose my first impulse is to think of myself only in my prime…and to have Robert Redford in his prime (like in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid) play me…in my glory years. But I’m not blonde (at least I wasn’t before I was mostly gray), so I guess that would not work. Alright then. Let’s look at Brad Pitt. There’s a good prospect. Is he blonde? Uh oh. And, ah…it could be that back-in-the-day, I may have only had, say,  a 4- pack and not a 6-pack…can’t remember exactly. Dern. ‘Ol Brad may not work either. Got it! Let’s go with Gregory  Peck. Yessir. I would give him all the creative reins he needed to be a combination of Atticus Finch and Capt. Keith Mallory from The Guns of Navarone!  There you go! That is me to a tee right there! Strong, intellectual, commanding presence! Yessir…that was easy peezy. Ok,  if you are under the age of 45, you probably have no idea who I am talking about. So be it. I can’t think of anyone under 45 that I would want to play me anyway…or who would even want to go through that adventure. Of course,  I can’t think of an actor under 45…period.

Now for my wife,  Susan. If by chance, Brad Pitt was chosen to play me, the director would have no choice but to cast my wife as herself. She would be clamoring all over the set to get that part, I can assure you. No, she cannot act. Never acted a day in her life. Don’t matter. Nope. If my boy Brad was there,  she would suddenly become Cate Blanchett, or whoever won the Oscar last year. That director’s life would be a lot easier to just go with Susan…as herself. Trust me. Perhaps I could stay married…not sure about that. But then again, if we didn’t stay married, and as ramrod of this movie, I would just cast Natalie Wood as my wife.  And ‘ol Brad boy could get out of the way himself. I’d be me…done deal.

But If  Gregory was chosen…well…Susan would still like to play herself, but she could be persuaded to let, say Julia Roberts (as in Pretty Woman),  play her. I’d be ok letting Gregory handle it then too.

As Sarah, my daughter, I would cast Melissa Gilbert…about the same age as Half Pint in 1976. Sweet, adorable, always looking up at her Daddy. I probably could not tolerate many of the character daughters I’ve seen since 1985—I am more of an Andy Griffith type.  Perfect – if Half Pint could shoot. But Melissa would also have to sing…not sure I ever heard her sing? If not, we could get a young Julie Andrews. Sarah played Louisa in The Sound of Music one time…so there you go!

As my dog Mack,  I would have to cast …Mack. Just can’t improve on that setter dog…no way. There may be better pointing dogs in some kennels, but none with his personality, lovability, and sweetness. Same with Luke.  I would cast Luke as Luke. He was one of a kind. A special dog …at a special time in my life.

As Uncle Simmons,  I would cast Bruce Willis. Uncle Simmons always had a little (ok, a lot) of smart-aleck in him and he could shoot, just like Bruce in Die Hard. As Mom,  I would cast another one of my all-time favorites, Grace Kelly. Her first name always seemed to me to be the most appropriate first name ever. Never seen a pleated skirt worn more smartly. As my stepfather,  I’d go with maybe Claude Akins—good, solid. And Granddaddy would be played by John Wayne…as in The Cowboys.

I suppose it’s nice to play make-believe occasionally. One can daydream about how a perceived perfect person would navigate through one’s life.  And contemplate what it would be like to have Brad call himself “Bill Fentress” or see Natalie walk into the room as “Susan.” Maybe it’s ok to peek there…just a little. But it isn’t real. My book, The Yellow Honeysuckle is the Sweetest, is real…all real. Perhaps it’s just impossible to cast a movie and assign actors to play the true, genuine influences in my life that are portrayed in my book. Yeah, I reckon it may be nice to think of Natalie Wood, but I’ve got Susan. And my life has been better than any movie I’ve ever seen.

Publication Date: February 3, 2022

THE YELLOW HONEYSUCKLE IS THE SWEETEST is a salute by the author to a lifetime of outdoor experiences in eastern North Carolina and beyond. It encompasses 14 true short stories about family, friendships, and the emotions involved in hunting, fishing, and other outdoor-related topics. It is not a how-to book, nor just a compilation of hunting and fishing stories; it describes how simple family and personal interactions, with the outdoor sports and unmatched natural beauty as a backdrop, can result in treasured memories like perhaps no other pursuits.

If you hunt and fish, or grew up enjoying histories of family traditions and friendships revolving around the outdoors – whether it be in North Carolina, or elsewhere – THE YELLOW HONEYSUCKLE IS THE SWEETEST is for you.

This is a giveaway hosted by Providence Book Promotions for Bill Fentress. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.

Bill Fentress is a retired banker and current Finance Officer in eastern North Carolina. A current resident of New Bern, NC, Bill grew up in Pamlico County, North Carolina, where many of his hunting and fishing experiences in The Yellow Honeysuckle is the Sweetest take place. He has enjoyed nature’s beauty and God’s gifts of family and the outdoors throughout his lifetime, in North Carolina and elsewhere.

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