#FollowFriday: Passing Through

Typically I keep my #FollowFriday recommendations to business-oriented blogs and books, but I just finished reading “Passing Through” and thought you should know about it for three reasons: 1) It was written by a friend of mine, 2) It was self-published so he has no marketing or promotion behind him, and 3) It’s REALLY good!

That being said, I’m getting nothing from recommending this book to you…other than a rouge comment that Gwyneth Paltrow in Iron Man 2 reminds the author of me (huge compliment, BTW!). Which brings me to Robert Downey, Jr., who is on my top five list. Oh wait. Another blog post. Another day.

A great piece of fiction, “Passing Through” is written by Ron Smith, a man I worked with at Fleishman-Hillard more than 10 years ago (I was 10). Coined Ron-down-the-hall (RDTH) because his office was down the hall from mine, we became fast friends and have recently reconnected via Facebook. Which is how I learned he finally wrote that book he’s always talked about writing. An editor for Southwest Farm Press, the book is quite a diversion from cotton farmers and cattle ranchers.

I’ll be honest. I started reading it and thought, “Hmmm…this is way too predictable.” But then there was a twist I didn’t expect and was completely surprised. The premise is about a man who dies and is passing through life into heaven, but has one last deed on earth in the home he lived after he retired. The connection between life and death that RDTH makes is nothing but predictable and he helps you really connect with the Eastman family, as if they’re part of your own. I’ve not spent a lot of time on the beaches in North Carolina, but I was transferred there while I read. I could even smell the salt air.  It’s one of those books you want to stay awake all night and finish reading…and then you’re sad that you finished it.

Check it out by reading an excerpt here. And then buy it by clicking here. It’ll make his wife happy that you’re buying his book and you’ll be happy that you missed an entire night of sleep.

About Gini Dietrich

Gini Dietrich is the founder and CEO of Arment Dietrich, a Chicago-based integrated marketing communications firm. She is the lead blogger here at Spin Sucks and is the founder of Spin Sucks Pro. She is the co-author of Marketing in the Round and co-host of Inside PR. Her second book, Spin Sucks, is due out in November 2013

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