The Accidental Millionaire Virtual Book Tour July ‘10
Authors on Tour, Featured — By Dorothy Thompson on June 18, 2010 at 5:01 pm
Join Gary Fong, author of the memoir, The Accidental Millionaire: How to Succeed in Life Without Really Trying (Ben Bella Books Inc.), as he virtually tours the blogosphere in July ‘10 on his first virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book!
About Gary Fong
Gary Fong is a world-renowned photographer, inventor and entrepreneur who has made multiple fortunes in business and real estate. From his inauspicious beginnings in a tiny, hairspray-saturated apartment that doubled as his parents’ wig studio, he went on to become, at a very young age, one of the world’s most successful wedding photographers. After making millions by revolutionizing an industry traditionally reserved for small businessmen, he “stumbled” upon serial successes in photo printing, software, real estate and camera accessories by making unconventional decisions based on his own quirky impulses. Gary has photographed celebrities such as Sylvester Stallone, Paul McCartney and Ronald Reagan, invented and marketed the Lightsphere, and co-founded Pictage, which became the largest dedicated online digital/web solution in the United States and sold for $29 million.
His latest book is The Accidental Millionaire: How to Succeed in Life Without Really Trying.
You can visit his website at www.garyfongaccidentalmillionaire.com.
About The Accidental Millionaire: How to Succeed in Life Without Even Trying
The Accidental Millionaire is the memoir of Gary Fong, would-be slacker who revolutionized wedding photography, inventor of popular photography aids, entrepreneur, contrarian, bon vivant and a man who really, really didn’t want to become a doctor. A first-generation Chinese-American, Gary was raised in one of Los Angeles’ least-desirable neighborhoods and was forced to deal—in his own quirky and often very funny way—with the burdens of poverty, crime and his parents’ relentless aspirations. These issues almost overwhelmed him until he had a dramatic epiphany. Spotting a bumper sticker that read “Since I gave up hope, I feel much better,” Gary promptly did just that.
He stopped trying and started succeeding. At turns hilarious, insightful and instructive, The Accidental Millionaire is Horatio Alger-meets-David Sedaris. Turning the traditional self-help principles upside down, The Accidental Millionaire disdains the goal-oriented approaches of traditional self-help philosophies. Sometimes not knowing where you are going is the best possible way to get there.
Read the Excerpt!
The Plan was for me to go to medical school and eventually pull down a respectable salary of about $150,000 a year.
Had I gone with The Plan, by this point in my life (I’m in my mid-forties) I probably would have just finished paying off my student loans and would be eyeing that thirty-two-foot Catalina sailboat with the FOR SALE sign that I passed every night on my way home from the clinic. I’d be settled into a comfortable home in the ‘burbs, with my wife of twenty years and me 2.3 kids, driving a Lexus sedan. And living the life of my dreams.
Well, my parents’ dreams.
Which I tried, for a time, to convince myself were my dreams too.
Following The Plan made me cry a lot. Eventually I found myself with a literal gun to my own head. That’s when I ran from The Plan and began an adventure into uncharted territory.
Uncharted territory goes completely against the grain of my upbringin.
My parents were first-generation Asian immigrants. Their lives’ territory was very well charted. And they’d charted mine too. My destiny was determined before I was born, and I had absolutely no say in it. My parents didn’t know (or particularly care) if I was going to be gay or blind or a violent psychopath. All they knew was that I was going to be a doctor. Secondarily to that, of course, I would be married at a young age to a nice Chinese girl whom my mother endorsed, and I would deliver my mother numerous grandchildren for her to spoil. ASAP.
While I was growing up, my family suffered through sobering bouts of poverty. My parents sacrificed everythign to ensure that I could get a good education. All they wanted was for me to not have to face the same financial struggles that they had. As a side benefit, they also weren’t going to mind the privilege of saying, “My son, the doctor.”
I didn’t want to live in poverty either, so I gave The Plan a go for ma ny years. I even got a degree in pharmacology in my attempt to become a physician.
I failed.
And what did I do instead? I became a wedding photographer.
You can imagine the songs of joy this caused to leap from my parents’ hearts.
And yet, spring-boarding from that career, which began with moving back into my parents’ apartment and shooting weddings for $150 each, I became a multi-millionaire within a fairly short period of time. And it happened due to one improbably accident after another.
Here’s what reviewers are saying about The Accidental Millionaire:
This is not your typical “how to get rich” book. This is the story of a man’s life; an illustration of the major events that influenced his thinking and behavior. Fong’s story includes not only his successes, but also his failures in business and his personal life that drove him to constantly reassess his approach. This is a book that will shake up your way of being in the world, maybe even crack open a door for a few accidents of your own to tumble through. I highly recommend it.
– Melissa Levine, Independent Book Reviewers
Fong has succeeded in narrating a gripping success story that offers insight after business insight. It is more than a tale about a shrewd businessman, but rather a story about a visionary that will inspire readers to think creatively and individually, and not be prevented from taking action by limited resources.
– Norm Goldman, Publisher & Editor Bookpleasures
It certainly is not an accident Gary Fong has succeeded in life, and has earned millions of dollars. A person of his wit, self-confidence, and integrity exemplifies the “American Dream” in our “Land of Opportunity.” Opposed to ego flaunting books of success by guys like Donald Trump, Gary Fong takes the humble route, full of self-mockery and modest remarks, as he casts his fate to the wind to free himself and let life lead his path. He is very unlike the Jack Welch type of millionaire that professes the full control of cognitive evaluation of risk approach, or the scores of books offering money making formulas investing in real estate.
–Pacific Book Review
Watch the trailer!
The Accidental Millionaire Tour Schedule
Tuesday, July 6
Guest blogging at Literarily Speaking
Wednesday, July 7
Interviewed at The Writer’s Life
Thursday, July 8
Book spotlighted at Between the Covers
Friday, July 9
Interviewed at Beyond the Books
Monday, July 12
Interviewed at Literarily Speaking
Tuesday, July 13
Interviewed at Pump Up Your Book
Wednesday, July 14
Book spotlighted at Examiner
Thursday, July 15
Interviewed at Review From Here
Friday, July 16
Interviewed at Blogcritics
Monday, July 19
Interviewed at The Hot Author Report
Tuesday, July 20
Book reviewed at The Book Faery Reviews
Wednesday, July 21
Book reviewed at Review From Here
Thursday, July 22
Interviewed at Examiner
Friday, July 23
Interviewed at Paperback Writer
Monday, July 26
Book reviewed at You Have How Many Kids?
Tuesday, July 27
Book trailer spotlighted at If Books Could Talk
Guest blogging at The Story Behind the Book
Wednesday, July 28
Guest blogging at The Book Connection
Friday, July 30
Interviewed at Personovelty
Gary Fong’s THE ACCIDENTAL MILLIONAIRE VIRTUAL BLOG TOUR ‘10 will officially begin on July 6 and end on July 30 2010. Please contact Dorothy Thompson at thewriterslife@yahoo.com before June 30 if you are interested in hosting and/or reviewing his book or click here to use the form. Thank you!
Update: Gary’s tour is finalized. Thanks to all participating blog hosts and reviewers!
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Tags: Ben Bella Books, blog tour, book entrepreneur, book promotions, book publicity, book tour, Gary Fong, inventor, Lightsphere, memoir, online book promotion, Paul McCartney, Photo printing, Pictage, renowned photographer, Ronald Reagan, story-booking, Sylvestor Stallone, The Accidental Millionaire, virtual blog tour, virtual book tour, wedding photography
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