First person to read the book:

My wife, Betsy.

First person to order the book:

Ann W.

First person to own the book:

Karl R.

First person to ask me to autograph the book:

Karl R.

First person to write a review:

Joyce L. at Amazon.com

First person to recognize me because of the book:

I'm waiting!!

First person to ask me to sign an article about the book:

Karl R. - AGAIN - THANK YOU!!!!

First physical book store to carry the book:

The Bookstore in Buckhannon

First newpaper article about the book:

The Record Delta - 05/20/2005

First radio broadcast:

The Morning Show with Bob Edwards - WBUC 1460 - 02/17/2006

First television appearance:

TV3 with Gary Mallonee - 02/17/2006

First royalty check:

03/02/2006 - Now I can afford two sodas a day

First public appearance:

BU Middle School - 05/12/2006 Dianne W. English class

Included in the Annie Merner Pfeiffer Library at West Virginia Wesleyan College:

06/06/2006 - Thank you, Beth R. http://www.wvwc.edu/lib/ wv_authors/authors/a_leigh.htm

Oh, pooh

Something my friend Sandy likes to say.

Well forevermore

Grandma Leigh's catch phrase.

Lugwig lumps!

I made it up. FYI, a lugwig would be a camel on Earth.

Grandfather's farm east of Buckhannon, WV

Doesn't exist. But I own some land east of Buckhannon.

Brothers and sisters in Utah and West Virginia

It's true.

Reference to August 29th on page 17

The day I married Betsy.

Page 50 - squirrel hunting with Dad

True story.

Fishing story on page 117

Mostly true.

Grandma's rocking chair

She had one but it's not in the book.

John Bourdeau's grandfather died at age 81

My Grandfather Leigh died at age 81.

Nickname "bird-legs" on page 142

One of my nicknames when I was young.

The aliens known as Landorians

They LANDED on Earth first. What else would I call them? Besides, the name 'Vulcans' was already taken.

Page 29 - Mr. Mercer's drugstore

Mercer is the last name of a friend at work.

The planet Yawlway

A play on the word Yahweh.

Mentioning John Denver on page 87

I am a BIG John Denver fan.

John's first "miracle" on page 95 - restoring water in a dry well

Jesus performed his first public miracle at a wedding and it involved water.

Scarleta - Minglia's home planet

John is going to be naughty and get his Scarlet Letter.

John's friend Ciligan

He's a warrior and is going to 'kill again'.

Gooch

The nickname of a friend at work.

All the 'hard-to-pronounce' names

It's the message in the book that's important, not the names.

A friend told me that I didn't spend enough time developing the character of John's first wife, Julie. It was obvious that John loved her, but the reader never really got to know her. I agree. It's too late for me to make changes to the book. But I will tell you that Julie looked a lot like...

The name Mr. Stickle came from a mispronunciation of my brother-in-law's last name. He told me that if the book ever became a movie, he wanted me to expand the part of Mr. Stickle to include a love scene with Jessica Simpson. Of course, he would play Mr. Stickle. But my sister said that there would be no Jessica Simpson or he would be 'Stickle-less'. Now why would she say such a thing?

Although PublishAmerica did not use my book cover design, they did use my concept. I used darker tones to represent the suffering of Jesus on the cross and the color purple for Lent. The brilliant light shining from above symbolized God's gift of salvation. PublishAmerica used brighter colors but you can still find some purple here and there. And they kept the light shining from above. Overall, I am pleased with their design.