I was organizing my stored emails yesterday when I came across the first email I got from Paul. I had ordered a limited edition from Gauntlet, and Barry Hoffman had replied to a comment I had made (great customer service at Gauntlet). Anyway, Barry passed along some positive comments to Paul, and Paul replied to me by email! I never expected a best-selling author (my favorite one, no less) to email me.

Well, that was two years ago last month. In the interim, I've joined this board, met with Paul at two GUs, and had the great pleasure of getting to know a lot of wonderful people. I think the occasion of Paul's birthday would be a great opportunity for us to share the circumstances surrounding how we first "met" him, whether in cyber-space, at a book signing, or whatever. Any takers?

And thanks Paul for bringing us all together. I've enjoyed countless hours on this board; and I'm sure the rest of us have as well.

I still haven't had the pleasure to meet FPW in person or communicate through email. I do remember the first time I saw he replied to a post of mine of the board. My thoughts were, how cool is this? A best selling author that in touch with his fans?...Good stuff Batman.

I am NOT a collector or an autograph seeker. I have two autographs that I really wanted and cherish, first is Carlton Fisk's, my favorite all time Redsox player and baseball player, the second is of John Stockton, my favorite all time basketball player, both hard nosed no nonsense guys. Lately a desire to get FPW to sign one of his books for me has started to creep in....so who knows, if I give in to the dark side I may end up with 3 autographs in my vast collection.

But isn't the percentage of politicians who are lawyers in the 90% range?

Not even close, at least at the local and state level that I'm aware of. Congress may be a higher percentage than local or state, but I doubt it's much over 50%. I guess you could find out, but it would probably take some digging.

Not even close, at least at the local and state level that I'm aware of. Congress may be a higher percentage than local or state, but I doubt it's much over 50%. I guess you could find out, but it would probably take some digging.

Your right I was way off, here is what I could find. (see attachment).

Here are some great quotes about the subject as well. Not that I am attacking lawyers...well, not that I am attacking you Biggles.


"...having lawyers write the laws is like having doctors create diseases." -- Matt Beauchamp

"Letting lawyers be law makers is like letting munitions manufacturers start wars." -- Bert Rand

"The law is a system that protects everybody who can afford to hire a good lawyer." -- Mark Twain

"We have too many lawyers making laws. We need some un-lawyers un-making some laws." -- Carl Strang, ex-mayor, Winter Haven, FL

"Half the lawyers in Congress and the state legislatures create prohibitive laws and restrictive regulations, and the other half earns fees to help people get around these freedom-stifling laws and restraints." -- Ted Lang

"If there's a distinct group of Americans who harbor open contempt for constitutional principles and rule of law, it's lawyers, judges and members of Congress." -- Walter Williams in his column, "Attacks on the Rule of Law"

"The cultivation -- even celebration -- of victimhood by intellectuals, tort lawyers, politicians and the media is both cause and effect of today's culture of complaint." -- George Will

"Some of my best friends are lawyers." -- Neal Boortz, attorney at law

“A lawyer with his briefcase can steal more than a hundred men with guns.” -- Mario Puzo

It is, perhaps, a fact provocative of sour mirth that the Bill of Rights was
designed trustfully to prohibit forever two of the favorite crimes of all known
governments: the seizure of private property without adequate compensation
and the invasion of the citizen's liberty without justifiable cause.... It is a fact
provocative of mirth yet more sour that the execution of these prohibitions
was put into the hands of courts, which s to say, into the hands of lawyers,
which is to say, into the hands of men specifically educated to discover legal
excuses for dishonest, dishonorable and anti-social acts.
-- H. L. Mencken, Prejudices: A Selection, pp. 180-82

Well, that was two years ago last month. In the interim, I've joined this board, met with Paul at two GUs, and had the great pleasure of getting to know a lot of wonderful people. I think the occasion of Paul's birthday would be a great opportunity for us to share the circumstances surrounding how we first "met" him, whether in cyber-space, at a book signing, or whatever. Any takers?

I'll bite. I'm glad cyber-space has provided FPW with an opportunity to interact with his fans because the first time I thought about contacting him was when he solicited comments in snail mail form at the back of-you're not going to believe this, but I can't remember which one- a book over ten years ago. I went so far as to write him a letter that remained unsent due to my paralyzing fear of anyone reading anything I had written.

Then about 3 years ago, I noticed the website listed in the back of another book and decided to check it out. Upon arriving at RJ.com, I was shocked to learn that there were indeed other people who worshipped his writing and was completely floored when I discovered that The FPW who responded to my very first post was the real McCoy. Since then, there is nary a day I don't at least take a peek at the board. It is great to find a group of people like yourselves who share similar tastes-an all too rare occurrence for me. This forum is the first place where I have dared reveal any sort of writing and have actually taken steps to become a writer, so it is both a pleasure and an honor for me to participate here.

And I did go to see him at a convention in Iowa at couple of years ago. I didn't have the courage to visit with him outside of his scheduled events, but even just meeting him under those circumstances, it was obvious that he is as personable as all of you lucky enough to have broke bread with him at the GUs say he is.

And thanks Paul for bringing us all together. I've enjoyed countless hours on this board; and I'm sure the rest of us have as well.

You got that right.

And I did go to see him at a convention in Iowa at couple of years ago. I didn't have the courage to visit with him outside of his scheduled events, but even just meeting him under those circumstances, it was obvious that he is as personable as all of you lucky enough to have broke bread with him at the GUs say he is.

Just wait until you have a beer with him. Man, what an experience!

Paul,
Happy happy birthday!

I'd like to take a moment and thank you. You've made a great difference in my life, through your books and through this website, each providing countless hours of enjoyment and escape.

Additionally, because you are who you are, and you write as you do and you act as you do, you've attracted a really wonderful group of people to this board, several of whom I've been lucky enough to meet and play with. For heaven's sake, I've met great playmates because of you, F. Paul Wilson!

You deserve a fabulous day and a fabulous year, Paul. May all your dreams (not nightmares!) come true. Although, given the fact that you turned a nightmare into the fabulous rooftop Mother Rakoshi vs RJ battle, maybe having your nightmares come true is not such a bad thing after all.

Best wishes,
Maggers

Earlier in this thread, before Biggles suggested it, I described a little of what it has meant for me to discover this board and to meet Paul. That's in the above quote.

Several folks have mentioned how much fun it is to come here and write. I heartily agree. I used to keep a journal, more or less every day. I've always had the need to write, not a book mind you, but I've always enjoyed putting pen to paper to acknowledge where I am in my life. This board has helped me do that in a forum more public than my journals.

Addtionally, to meet so many varied and interesting people from around the country and around the world has been an absolute blast. Varied though we may be, our love of Paul's writing has brought us together, and from there, we've found other common interests. All of which are discussed at length in this venue.

I feel that if I went to say, Madision, WI, on business, I could look up Stacy and have a friend with whom to have dinner. Same goes for any number of cities.

Finally, to have had the opportunity to attend a GU, especially so shortly after having joined the board, and to have been so warmly welcomed by the other, "older" GU'ers and The Man, himself, (not to mention his wonderful wife!), well...words fail me. It was a marvelous treat and the most fun I've had in a group in a very long time.

I love the writing of F. Paul Wilson, and I love this board. 'Nuff said.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Sending you lots of leprechauns to brighten your day!

I'll bite. I'm glad cyber-space has provided FPW with an opportunity to interact with his fans because the first time I thought about contacting him was when he solicited comments in snail mail form at the back of-you're not going to believe this, but I can't remember which one- a book over ten years ago. I went so far as to write him a letter that remained unsent due to my paralyzing fear of anyone reading anything I had written.

Oh DITTO!!! Actually, I saw the snail mail info, thought about writing, put it aside, lost it, found it at various times over the past 10 or more years, then found this!!

And, I am SO glad to know that, unlike my favorite mystery writer - who always credited his wife with doing his research, but, since his wife died, has stated he will not and cannot write any more books without her (meaning, his wife, who had been an Editor at a big publishing house in the UK before meeting and marrying him, actually did the writing ) - YOU really DO write your own books!!

And, thank you, Mary, for supporting him and helping him reach this and MANY MORE birthdays!!

CHEERS!!!

Just wait until you have a beer with him. Man, what an experience!

Or a tequila shot. The first shot's on him (literally if Tony is there).

Happy belated birthday Paul!

LX seems so much better than "60", doesn't it? And yes, I know it's not until tomorrow, but Kenji always beats everyone else to the punch because of the whole time zone thing, so I figured what the Hell.

Besides, tomorrow's going to be a short day, by a few seconds anyway, so I need to get a head start!