Pretty Paper: A Christmas Tale

Description

It's the early Sixties and Willie is down and out, barely eking out a living as a singer songwriter. The week before Christmas, he spots a legless man on a cart, selling wares in front of Leonard's Department Store. The humble figure, known as Vernon Clay, incites Willie's curiosity, but Vernon is private and - despite Willie's charming queries - has no interest in telling his story. Willie is tenacious, though, and he eventually learns that Vernon is a fellow musician, a fine guitarist and singer...

Willie Nelson is an American country music singer-songwriter, as well as a poet, actor, and activist. He is also the author of six previous books. Nelson was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1993. David Ritz coauthored Nelson's memoir, It's a Long Story, and has collaborated with everyone from Ray Charles to Don Rickles.

Praise for Pretty Paper "This is a touching, well-crafted, hard-knocks tale that earns its bittersweet ending; it stays with you like a mournful melody you can't quite shake."-Jocelyn McClurg, USA Today "Pretty Paper has an It's a Wonderful Life quality."-David Martindale, The Dallas Morning News "Always a fine songwriter and poet, Nelson now fictionalizes one of his songs....It reads like a chapter out of Nelson's life."-The Roanoke Times "Willie Nelson has a gift for finding the beauty in the commonplace, and his song 'Pretty Paper' is a perfect example of the genius in his craft. A Christmas song that has been recorded by everyone from Roy Orbison to Chris Issak, it is a poignant holiday tale about a disabled vendor selling his wares on the street....Nelson tries to pay those who've inspired him back the best way he can -- by giving them the dignity of a great story."-Sarah Lee, The Blaze "Utterly charming and page-turning."-Bob Ruggiero, Houston Press "An inspiring, fictionalized account of the man behind the lyrics....Nelson spins a fast-paced story that is hard to put down."-Glenn Dromgoole, Abilene Reporter-News "Willie established long ago that he can conjure up a haunting two-minute tale in three-quarter time. But perhaps he should have been writing long-form feel-good fiction as well-because Pretty Paper is a good story well told...wholesome and heartfelt and rings true in every way...the reading experience will feel as if you've sat down with Willie Nelson in his tour bus and listened for a spell as he shared a homespun story from his adventure-filled life."-David Martindale, The Fort Worth Star-Telegram "Willie Nelson fans-you don't have to go far to find these-will love it...smooth and insistent prose...in the manner that Willie would talk if he were just sitting down with you and telling you the story (and what a treat that would be)."-Larry Thornberry, The American Spectator "A warm, witty holiday fable."-Parade "Willie Nelson, who has always told wonderful stories in song form, proves he can be just as effective in print narrative."-Booklist "This engaging holiday musical treat by a country music star will delight all readers, particularly Nelson's fans."-Library Journal