Adventures In Writing

Jimmy Buffett Pens Another Novel!

When most folks think of Jimmy Buffett, they think of Parrotheads and familiar tunes a lot of people have grown up with. “Margaritaville,” “Come Monday,” and “Cheeseburger in Paradise” are among the songs fans always cry out for during concerts.

Buffett is also a noted pilot and collector of old airplanes. He’s even been involved in a one-side dogfight with Jamaican police, while carrying U2’s Bono as a passenger.

Someone who’s lived a large and adventurous life is a natural storyteller. But a lot of people don’t know about Jimmy Buffett the author. Three of his books, Tales From Margaritaville, Who Is Joe Merchant?, and A Pirate Looks At Fifty all spent months on the New York Times bestseller lists over the last few years. The first two were novels while the third was a nonfiction title. Buffett’s one of only seven authors who have ever achieved that, putting him in the prestigious company of authors like Ernest Hemingway, John Steinbeck, and others.

Evidently Buffett is a Renaissance man. He just can’t devote himself to one thing; he’s constantly got to be spreading his wings and trying new things. Which is probably only natural for the pilot in him.

His new book, Swine Not? is set for release on May 13, and is already pulling Parrotheads (the name his fans are known by) into bookstores. But it’s also pulling in readers who have read his previous bestselling titles and are hoping for more great fiction. His previous novel, A Salty Piece of Land also reached bestselling status.

In Swine Not?, Buffett writes about a small town woman and her twins who move to New York City. Ellie McBride is from Vertigo, Tennessee, and her kids have a hard time getting rid of their pet pig, Rumpy. So, naturally, the family has to hide the pig out in the hotel Ellie’s working at. Meanwhile, the hotel chef become determined to trap Rumpy and serve him up for dinner.

I’m really looking forward to this book. If anyone can pull off something so bizarre and twisted, Buffett can. One of his most memorable characters in Who Is Joe Merchant? was a hit man who had eyes tattooed on his eyelids so it looked like he was always awake. I mean, who would think of something like that?

The book is also supposed to be geared for the family and is illustrated by Helen Bransford, so I’m really looking forward to reading it to my ten-year-old while we’re camping. Buffett has a wry sense of humor and an eye for realistic characters dealing with real life that’s just on the other side of normal. If you’re looking for something fun and different, it’ll be here on May 13.