Although this discussion area has the aura of a ghost town, should a wayward traveler happen this way, I wanted to alert you to a very neat fact about a member of HONNA and a neighbor.

Lee Irby recently had his first novel published and is getting good press. This news has additional relevance to our neighborhood (indirectly) because the novel is based on Babe Ruth and spring training in St. Petersburg.

Here's a good review of the book:
http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/sptimes/779398901.html?MAC=54a60825ebd386e562b281793c45cf2a&did=779398901&FMT=FT&FMTS=FT&date=Jan+16%2C+2005&author=COLETTE+BANCROFT&printformat=&desc=Bootleggers%2C+blonds+and+the+Babe+Series%3A+BOOKS

Here's a good review of Lee (!):
http://www.sptimes.com/2005/01/21/Floridian/The_sultan_of_plot.shtml

You may have to go to the Times archives for that last link. Search for ''sultan of plot''.

Here's a link to Amazon.com which provides some good exercpts from the book:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0385511892/qid=1106360009/sr=8-1/ref=pd_ka_1/002-4244247-8668015?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

Finally, here are some of Lee's book signing engagements:

Lee Irby will read from and sign 7,000 Clams at 2 p.m. Saturday at Waldenbooks, Countryside Mall, Clearwater.

He will also be reading and signing...

at 6 p.m. Feb. 4 at Bayboro Books on the USF St. Petersburg campus;

at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 10 at Barnes and Noble, 11802 N Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa; and

at 7 p.m. Feb. 26 at Borders, Tyrone Square Mall, St. Petersburg.



By Joe OConnor