Who says it's impossible to get a book published?
Not Sturgeon Bay native Jim Mihaley.
Mihaley -- a former all-state basketball player at Sturgeon Bay High School and stepson of former Palmer Johnson president Mike Kelsey Sr. -- recently landed a major publishing deal with Macmillan for his new children's novel, You Can't Have My Planet: But Take My Brother, Please.
The Los Angeles-based Mihaley says after a couple of leads for potential literary agents didn't pan out things were looking "rather bleak." But he says his fortunes changed when he decided to contact Rosemary Stimola, the same agent who represents Suzanne Collins of The Hunger Games fame.
"Writers always hear all these horror stories about how it takes forever to sell a book," says Mihaley. "I just found it to be really inspiring for other writers to hear -- and refreshing -- to know that something can happen quickly."
Mihaley says the book's story revolves around the idea that humans are merely renting earth and we're about to get evicted because we're such lousy tenants.
Mihaley says it's a funny book with an environmental theme and is quick to point out that, unlike The Hunger Games, his is not a violent book.
Mihaley will be in Door County for a pair of book-related events, one at Sturgeon Bay's Third Avenue Playhouse at 2 p.m. on July 22; the other at the Sister Bay Fire Station at 10 a.m. on July 28.
To listen to Bob Dohr's entire conversation with Jim Mihaley, click the link below:
Bob Dohr talks to Door County native Jim Mihaley about his new book and upcoming visit to Door County
