Interview with Gary Fry

Author of Doug’s Story

Where are you from originally and where do you reside now?

I am originally from Bellaire, Ohio, a river town in eastern Ohio. I now live in Jacksonville, Florida.

If you currently reside somewhere besides where you were born, what’s the story that lead from there to here?

I was stationed at Homestead Air Force Base, just below Miami,
Florida and I got sand in my shoes. After completing college at The Ohio
State University and working in Indianapolis, Indiana for ten years we decided to
go back to Florida where I worked in transportation and then in production with Anheuser-Busch.

What made you decide to write and publish your first book?

My son, Doug, has Down Syndrome and he is a wheeler-dealer. He is leading a full life of work, travel, sports and high adventure. Over the years, I have told friends and groups of his success and battles. I was encouraged to put the stories in writing.
The book was a way of celebrating Doug and his adventures.

How would you describe your books to first time readers?

This is the story of a young man with a disability who wants to be as independent
as possible and a family who has encouraged and cheered him on and fights for his rights and dreams. Doug and our family have met many helpful, outstanding individuals during this ride. The adventures of Doug are funny, heartwarming and inspiring.

Who do you feel is most likely to connect with the topics you write about?

Anyone who has a family member or friend with a disability or simply anyone who wants to be entertained. I also hope to educate people about persons with a disability.
This book is a motivator to readers of all temperaments. When parents and advocates put their special talents to work and put their special needs
children and adults in the right environment, good things will happen.

What unexpected or surprising thing did you learn during the process of writing and publishing?

Writing the story reinforced how much time and support my wife and daughters, Jennifer and Jill freely gave to Doug. Jennifer and Jill actually compete over who spends time with Doug. Doug moreover is received as one of the group wherever he goes.

If you could, what advice would you give to your past self before embarking on this journey?

The story covers many years and I wrote with no notes or written reminders. The book came from recall and conversations with friends and family. I missed several adventures by either not recalling or having a written list. One missed story was when Doug and I were flying in a small four seat aircraft with a friend, Kyle Brady. Kyle was having difficulty getting the plane to land when he noticed Doug had control of the plane form the copilot seat. All ended well.

How many people would you ideally like to reach with your books?

I do not have a number in mind. I did not write the book to make money but to honor
Doug and motivate and inspire many people who have someone with a disability in the family. Doug’s Story was used as a learning tool in a ninth grade Civics class in a
Columbus, Ohio school and also at First Coast High school in Jacksonville, Florida.
Doug has been the featured speaker at national Down syndrome conventions in Orlando and Detroit. Doug also was the featured speaker at meetings in Dublin and Limerick, Ireland. Needless to say he had the audience rolling on the floor. Book signings went well and we set a record for one day sales at a Barnes & Noble in Jacksonville.

books

What has been the biggest challenge and frustration during the process to date?

I have been unable to reach my target market in Special Education classes and schools. Many letters, emails and phone calls led to only a small response. I took a class to self market the book and I have a Masters degree in Marketing. I thought that I would have done better.

What’s your biggest strengths when it comes to book a) writing, b) publishing and c) marketing?

My biggest strength was the wealth of material supplied by the hero of this story. Doug has worked for the same grocery chain for twenty-six years. He is a world traveler, having been on over forty cruises. He simply takes over a cruise ship. He makes it a point to meet the Captain and is often invited to the bridge or to take a small part in the shows. Doug has been to most of the Caribbean Islands and to most of the states including Alaska and Hawaii. He has also visited Ireland, Scotland, Japan, China and Hong Kong and left people smiling and laughing at each destination.
Doug has befriended many great athletes such as Dale Earnhardt, Mark Brunell,
Tom Coughlin, Gabe Kapler, Chi Chi Rodriguiz, and Frank Beamer. Doug excels in sports and has hundreds of trophies in basketball, track, baseball, bowling and swimming.

Scotland

What’s your biggest weakness when it comes to book a) writing, b) publishing and c) marketing?

Finding a publisher was a chore. I was accepted by four self publishers. I was not writing the book to make money but to share Doug’s victories and mention some of the struggles along the way. My wife was my editor, and since she has a more extensive vocabulary than I do, many changes were made. My best marketing tool was my employer,
Anheuser-Busch, who set up a book signing. We sold over four hundred books in about three hours During the signing, Doug suggested that I leave since all of these people came to see him, not me. Social media was also a big help as well as several speaking
speaking engagements. Kathleen, Doug and I were featured in the Ohio State Alumni magazine which has a large national distribution
My biggest weakness was a lack of experience. Although I have a Masters degree in Marketing, I have worked mainly in Production where my writing was limited to training manuals.

When do you think you will write your next book?

I have been keeping notes on Doug and have a few ideas but I am not there yet. I am trying to get Kathleen and our daughters to write from their perspective.

Are you self published or did you use a hybrid publisher, or a traditional publisher?

I used a hybrid publisher mostly for the speed and costs. The publisher was moderately acceptable and accessible but gave me very little marketing help.