OK, already! The BIG confession about BIG AIR…

Thanks to everyone for their enthusiastic if not also colorful responses to my April Fool’s prank. Though I wish it were true, the book BIG AIR AT KITTY HAWK will not be released on August 19th to launch my nationwide signing tour, nor will the five-part HD 3-D documentary premier on public television on April 1, 2011.

Wow (or shall I say, Whoa?). What wild couple of days it has been. After launching the BIG AIR AT KITTY HAWK email blitz on March 31st that ran through April 1st, the responses were immediate. Here’s a quick look at some of the more interesting ones.

The editor of a prominent surfing periodical requested two complimentary copies be mailed to his office ASAP for review. (My kingdom for two books…)

One of several noted producers and directors receiving the release immediately forwarded the email to several of his peeps, broaching the subject of their grabbing the option on the book. At least one of them soon pointed out that his esteemed colleague had been punk’d. Then I heard back. Apparently, I may never work in Hollywood again. Should I ever work there, of course.

My oldest brother called, first leaving a hearty if not also amazed congratulatory message, followed soon after by another message calling me a “dirty rat” (hey, could have been worse!) after my sis-in-law pointed out to him that he’d been snookered. Funny, she’s the one he’s always claimed is the one to get the punchline last, if at all. Like Wilbur, according BIG AIR, once uttered, “Those confounded pesky brothers!”

On the other hand…

The manager of one large and successful bookstore emailed to inquire as to why she was unable to locate an ISBN number for the book, and why her manager could not locate contact info for Kukui Tree Press in her subsequent search of publishers. I think the poor dear was genuinely looking forward to reading the book and scheduling my signing stop! She’s still laughing, thankfully, and should BIG AIR indeed be published one day, I have a standing invite to start the tour there.

And I may one day take her up on it! Most of the producer/directors who received it, once they recovered from learning the truth about BIG news, have since settled down and urged me to flesh it out and even try a screenplay. It was quite honestly a fascinating research effort and, as the posted BIG AIR summary indicates, I darn near have the storyline of this historical fiction mapped out already. (FYI, I did in fact meet in advance with, and receive the blessing of, Wright Family members prior to putting the BIG AIR project together)

Look for the original “excerpt” to be published (with appropriate disclaimers and caveats) in at least two magazines – one surfing and one aviation – whose editors’ got the joke and love the concept. Each have asked me to keep it quiet until publication (What, no NDA to sign?). Of course I will post more here when I can share details.

I hope it’s been a bit of fun for you, too, and must thank a small group of researchers and designers, all friends who were sworn to secrecy and worked diligently behind the scenes to help me make BIG AIR a (almost) reality. Hey, does that sound sort of like an Oscar night speech in the making?…

However I truly do apologize to all those who were made sore at me by the BIG AIR news on April 1. As someone said to me this week, “You put the ‘fun’ in dysfunctional.” I think it was a compliment.

As for those amidst this chaos that pre-ordered the all new 2010 Surf Ohio t-shirts, Mahalo, and we expect to ship the week of April 19th.

And I still request that you to weigh in – which two actors would make the best Wright Brothers when the BIG AIR movie actually gets made? I’m seeing Owen Wilson as Orville… And hey, how about Nick Nolte as Bishop Milton Wright?…

Sorry, I just can’t stop!

Happy Easter, Passover and Mahalo!

Ron Kaplan, Author
BIG AIR AT KITTY HAWK
© 2010 Kukui Tree Press, All Rights Reserved