Category Archives: Book Signings

Garden City, New York, U.S. September 29, 2022. FRED HAISE, former NASA astronaut; smiles and waves to audience as he leaves after discussing his autobiography ‘Never Panic Early: An Apollo 13 Astronaut's Journey' in the updated JetBlue Theater Planetarium at Cradle of Aviation Museum. (© 2022 Ann Parry, annparry.com).

Fred Haise: ‘Never Panic Early’ at Cradle of Aviation Museum

From LONG ISLAND – by Ann Parry (ann-parry.com)
October 5, 2022

an Apollo 13 astronaut’s journey

Former NASA astronaut FRED HAISE came to the Cradle of Aviation Museum last week for a discussion and book signing about his autobiography ‘Never Panic Early: An Apollo 13 Astronaut’s Journey.’ 

VIDEO: (17.5 minutes) Fred Haise at Cradle of Aviation MuseumThe sold-out audience greeted Haise with long, loud applause when he entered the updated JetBlue Sky Theater Planetarium with a huge moon laser-projected at the top of the full-dome.

  • my Photo Gallery – Fred Haise at Cradle of Aviation Museum (Plus, click each photo below to see larger one.)
Couple of Guys fundraiser

Garden City, N.Y., U.S. Sept. 29, 2022. FRED HAISE, former NASA astronaut, is about to discuss his autobiography ‘Never Panic Early: An Apollo 13 Astronaut’s Journey’ at Cradle of Aviation Museum. BILL MOORE, book co-author, is behind him. (© 2022 Ann Parry/AnnParry.com)

Thanks to the lively way Haise shared some dangerous times during his career – notably when the Apollo 13 spacecraft was damaged on its way to the Moon on April 13, 1970 – the time seemed to fly by fast enough to escape Earth’s gravity.

Couple of Guys fundraiser

Garden City, N.Y., U.S. Sept. 29, 2022. ANDREW PARTON. President of the Cradle of Aviation Museum, is introducing Fred Haise, former NASA astronaut, who will discuss his autobiography ‘Never Panic Early: An Apollo 13 Astronaut’s Journey’ in the updated JetBlue Theater Planetarium.(© 2022 Ann Parry/AnnParry.com)

The book’s co-author, BILL MOORE, was on stage with Haise, and after the discussion they both signed visitors’ books in front of the Museum Store.

Couple of Guys fundraiser

Garden City, N.Y., U.S. Sept. 29, 2022. L-R, FRED HAISE, former NASA astronaut, and co-author BILL MOORE are on stage to discuss Haise’s autobiography ‘Never Panic Early: An Apollo 13 Astronaut’s Journey’ in the JetBlue Theater Planetarium at Cradle of Aviation Museum. (© 2022 Ann Parry/AnnParry.com)

I’ve enjoyed seeing Fred Haise several times at the Cradle of Aviation Museum. As THOMAS RIEDY, a trustee of the museum, said shortly before the event, the Cradle is very lucky that Haise is so supportive, visiting so frequently over the years.

Couple of Guys fundraiser

Garden City, N.Y., U.S. Sept. 29, 2022. L-R, FRED HAISE, former NASA astronaut, and co-author BILL MOORE are on stage as they discuss Haise’s autobiography ‘Never Panic Early: An Apollo 13 Astronaut’s Journey’ in the JetBlue Theater Planetarium at Cradle of Aviation Museum. (© 2022 Ann Parry/AnnParry.com)

‘Never Panic Early’

Couple of Guys fundraiser

Garden City, N.Y., U.S. Sept. 29, 2022. At lower left, L-R, FRED HAISE, former NASA astronaut, with co-author BILL MOORE, discusses ‘Never Panic Early: An Apollo 13 Astronaut’s Journey’ in the JetBlue Theater Planetarium at Cradle of Aviation Museum. Pictures of Haise’s career are projected on the dome. (© 2022 Ann Parry/AnnParry.com)

‘Never Panic Early’

Couple of Guys fundraiser

Garden City, N.Y., U.S. September 29, 2022. FRED HAISE (at right in red tie) NASA astronaut, chats with audience members after he discussed his autobiography ‘Never Panic Early: An Apollo 13 Astronaut’s Journey’ at Cradle of Aviation Museum. (© 2022 Ann Parry/AnnParry.com)

‘Never Panic Early’

Couple of Guys fundraiser

Garden City, N.Y., U.S. Sept. 29, 2022. FRED HAISE, at left, NASA astronaut, inscribes his autobiographical book ‘Never Panic Early: An Apollo 13 Astronaut’s Journey’ for family of the young boy he’s talking with at Cradle of Aviation Museum. (© 2022 Ann Parry/AnnParry.com)


FEATURE PHOTO (at top of post) Garden City, N.Y., U.S. Sept. 29, 2022. FRED HAISE, former NASA astronaut, smiles and waves to audience after his discussion of autobiography ‘Never Panic Early: An Apollo 13 Astronaut’s Journey’ in JetBlue Theater Planetarium at Cradle of Aviation Museum.


Fred Haise ‘Never Panic Early’: my PHOTO GALLERY

Video (top of post):  vimeo.com/757716910

Cradle of Aviation Museum:  cradleofaviation.org

Fred Haise:  fredhaise.space  • ‘Never Panic Early’

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Couple of Guys fundraiser

Garden City, N.Y., U.S. Sept. 29, 2022. L-R, THOMAS RIEDY, a trustee of Cradle of Aviation Museum, and ANDREW PARTON, President of CAM, look up at full-dome of  JetBlue Theater Planetarium before event when Fred Haise, former NASA astronaut, discusses his autobiography ‘Never Panic Early: An Apollo 13 Astronaut’s Journey.’ (© 2022 Ann Parry/AnnParry.com)

Merrick, New York, U.S. December 20, 2019. [photo composite] KEVIN SHINICKdiscusses his novel during book signing for STAR WARS: FORCE COLLECTOR at North Merrick Library on Nassau County Force Collector Day. Author Shinick named home planet of Karr Nuq Sin, the main character of this canon Star Wars young adult novel, MEROKIA in honor of Merokee tribe who settled his Merrick hometown on Long Island. (© 2019 Ann Parry, annparry.com)

“STAR WARS: FORCE COLLECTOR”: From Merrick to Merokia

From LONG ISLAND – by Ann Parry (ann-parry.com)
December 24, 2019

Kevin Shinick’s Star Wars: Force Collector Book Signing at North Merrick Public Library

•   VIDEO 1 –  Reading Excerpt  of Ch. 13, “Star Wars: Force Collector”:


 VIDEO 2 –  Q&A  Kevin Shinick, his life, and Star Wars:


Launch time was 3 PM for the Star Wars: Force Collector Book Signing at the North Merrick Public Library on Friday, December 20th, soon after author KEVIN SHINICK‘s early afternoon presentation at his alma mater Calhoun High School, and before his evening book signing at Merrick Cinemas, where he worked as a teen.

Since children were just getting out of school around 3:00 that last day before Winter Break, few people were there at the start of the young adult novel event. But a stream of people – mostly parents with their young sons and daughters – soon started pouring into the large meeting room, with many adults standing along the walls so children could sit.

Some came mainly because of the Star Wars novel… some because Shinick’s a fellow Merokean, a friend… and two came because he’s their son.

• KEVIN SHINICK and his mom LOUISE SHINICK:

Merrick, New York, U.S. Dec. 20, 2019. L-R, Author KEVIN SHINICK and his mother LOUISE SHINICK, both holding his novel, pose at North Merrick Public Library banner during book signing for his STAR WARS: FORCE COLLECTOR, on Nassau County Force Collector Day. (© 2019 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

Merrick, NY, U.S. Dec. 20, 2019 L-R, Author KEVIN SHINICK and his mom LOUISE SHINICK, both holding his novel, pose at North Merrick Public Library banner during book signing for his STAR WARS: FORCE COLLECTOR. (© 2019 Ann Parry/AnnParry.com)

Q&A: “Everything he says is a lesson”

VIDEO 2 – Q&A:  Baby Yoda, Batman comic books; Best Star Wars Lightsaber Fight; Broadway; Fiction VS Nonfiction; Heidi Gardner; Debbie Gibson; TV Hosting; George Lucas; Eileen Meyers; Robot Chicken; Ringwood, NJ; SNL; Spiderman, Star Wars…

During his animated Q&A, Kevin Shinick talked at length about writing the official canon Star Wars YA novel, Star Wars: Force Connector.

Shinick said, “Working with George Lucas – everything he says is a lesson.”

After the project got the green light, he stayed for a month at Skywalker Ranch, the California home and workplace of GEORGE LUCAS, the film writer, director and producer who created Star Wars.

Shinick was glad he stayed at Skywalker Ranch for a month, so he had a chance to ground himself being around Lucas.

“For the first two weeks I didn’t hear anything he said. I heard wonk wonk wonk wonk [as he repeated to himself] You made Star Wars. You made Star Wars.”

“George Lucas [is] an independent experimental film maker, and he takes chances. [….] He wasn’t doing something to make us love him. He was doing something to show us something we had never seen before.”

“It’s hard as an artist not to get beaten down. You’re doing it because you set an objective and you succeed at that objective.”

“With this book [“Star Wars: Force Collector”] I can find 10 people who love it and 10 people who hate it.”

“Star Wars, too, for some reason, there’s no middle ground. You either have to love it or hate it – there’s no middle ground.”

• KEVIN SHINICK with his childhood friend, pastry chef BRIAN FISHMAN:

Merrick, New York, U.S. December 20, 2019. L-R, Author KEVIN SHINICK and his childhood friend BRIAN FISHMAN hold up cake Fishman decorated with cover of Shinick's book STAR WARS: FORCE COLLECTOR during book signing at North Merrick Library on Nassau County Force Collector Day.(© 2019 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

Merrick, NY, U.S. Dec. 20, 2019. L-R, Author KEVIN SHINICK and his childhood friend BRIAN FISHMAN hold up cake Fishman decorated with cover of Shinick’s book STAR WARS: FORCE COLLECTOR during book signing at North Merrick Public Library.(© 2019 Ann Parry/AnnParry.com)

Shinick Rules

Shinick  shared a few of his life rules, wrapped in anecdotes often a bit humorous, self-deprecating – as in his Skywalker Ranch “wonk wonk wonk wonk” saga. Three of the rules he shared:

(1)  You’ve got to keep your community. You’ve got to keep people who support you, have your best interests in heart, who challenge you. People succeed in groups.”

(2)  “You have to know who you are.”
He wanted to be like Han Solo, but it’s his lot in life to know he’s more Luke Skywalker.

(3) 1st half: “Always go to the door that opens.”
He didn’t expect to be a host of “Where in Time is Carmen Sandiago?” but he took it when offered.

     2nd half:  “Don’t be afraid to shut that door.”
After “Where in Time…,” he “got a lot of hosting gigs.” Then one day – as he was driving to a meeting about an offer to host the show Extreme Gong – he had, as he looked back on it, a rather cinematic epiphany:

“I can’t do this,” [he thought to himself] and called my agent – no more hosting.” 

“Every time I did it, something was missing, and people weren’t looking at me as other things. I have to stop this.”

He added that he wasn’t negating hosting – it just wasn’t his dream.

After the book reading and signing, the strong affection and memories Shinick shared with many there at his hometown library burst into hyperdrive, with a force evaporating the time and space since they last met.

 
• TOM SHINICK suggested capturing a photo of his son KEVIN SHINICK with JAKE LEFEBURE, 10, an enthusiastic Star Wars fan (see Video 2 – Q&A):

Merrick, New York, U.S. December 20, 2019. L-R, JAKE LEFEBURE, 10, of West Babylon, holding signed book, and author KEVIN SHINICK, 50, strike funny pose at book signing for Shinick's STAR WARS: FORCE COLLECTOR at North Merrick Library on Nassau County Force Collector Day. Author Shinick named home planet of Karr Nuq Sin, the main character of this canon Star Wars young adult novel, MEROKIA in honor of Merokee tribe who settled his Merrick hometown on Long Island. (© 2019 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

Merrick, NY, U.S. Dec. 20, 2019. L-R, JAKE LEFEBURE, 10, of West Babylon, holding signed book, and author KEVIN SHINICK, 50, strike a pose at book signing for Shinick’s STAR WARS: FORCE COLLECTOR at North Merrick Library. (© 2019 Ann Parry/AnnParry.com)

“Star Wars: Force Collector”

KARR NUQ SIN, a teen who suffers from mysterious headaches, is the main character of Star Wars: Force Collector, a canon Star Wars young adult novel published by Disney Books.

Karr leaves his planet Merokia on a quest concerning the fabled Jedi and the Force. Karr travels with his friend MAIZE RAYNSHI and his droid RZ-7 (Arzee).

• In VIDEO 1, Shinick reads a scene from Chapter 13, when Karr and RZ-7 go to a bar in a cantina on planet Oba Diah.

Shinick named Karr’s home planet MEROKIA in honor of the Meroke tribe who settled his Merrick hometown on Long Island, New York.

That was the main reason I looked forward to covering the event, held on what Nassau County Supervisor Laura Curran officially proclaimed Nassau County Force Collector Day.

Plus, there were similarities in our orbits, including that my younger daughter Laurie was a member of the Calhoun H. S. On Tour Company, under Director SAL SALERNO, about a dozen years after Kevin Shinick was.

In a more tenuous, colorful coincidence, my mom, MARY ANN PARRY, an opera singer, gave brief voice lessons to teen DEBBIE GIBSON, Shinick’s On Tour co-star in Fiddler on the Roof in the late 1980s.

• L-R, KEVIN SHINICK, CHRIS BARRON, and ANN PARRY after Shinick signs copies of his Star Wars novel. (Please CONTACT ME if you know photographer’s name):

Merrick, New York, U.S. Dec. 20, 2019. L-R, Kevin Shinick, Chris Barron, and Ann Parry strike a pose at book signing for author Shinick's STAR WARS: FORCE COLLECTOR at North Merrick Library on Nassau County Force Collector Day. (© 2019 need photographer's name)

Merrick, NY, U.S. Dec. 20, 2019 L-R, KEVIN SHINICK, CHRIS BARRON, and ANN PARRY strike a pose at book signing for author Shinick’s STAR WARS: FORCE COLLECTOR at North Merrick Library on Nassau County Force Collector Day. (© 2019 need photographer’s name.)


BIO –  Briefly, Kevin Shinick is a Broadway actor; a voice artist; a writer – for films, plays, TV shows, a Netflix comedy, Marvel and DC Comics, a children’s book (“Star Wars: Chewie and the Porgs“), and stop-motion series “Robot Chicken,” which he won Emmy for; a host for TV shows such as “Where in Time is Carmen Sandiego?”; writer and director of Spider-Man Live!; the husband of producer Eileen Meyer; and dad of someone who isn’t (yet) a pilot.


• Baby Yoda says: “Winner You Are! Feel the Force -The Book, You Must Enjoy”:

Merrick, New York, U.S. Dec. 20, 2019. Boy holds his winning ticket, with picture of baby Yoda and'Winner You Are! Feel the Force' on it, at book signing for author Kevin Shinick's STAR WARS: FORCE COLLECTOR at North Merrick Library on Nassau County Force Collector Day. (© 2019 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

Merrick, NY, U.S. Dec. 20, 2019 Boy holds his winning ticket, with picture of baby Yoda and ‘Winner You Are! Feel the Force’ on it, at book signing for author Kevin Shinick’s STAR WARS: FORCE COLLECTOR at North Merrick Library. (© 2019 Ann Parry/AnnParry.com)


FEATURE PHOTO at top of post: Merrick, NY, U.S. Dec. 20, 2019. KEVIN SHINICK, shown in photo composite, discusses his novel during book signing for his STAR WARS: FORCE COLLECTOR at North Merrick Library on Nassau County Force Collector Day.


Kevin Shinick’s Star Wars: Force Collectormy PHOTO GALLERY

VIDEO 1 – Reading: vimeo.com/annparry/readstarwars

VIDEO 2 – Q&A:  vimeo.com/annparry/starwarsshinick

Kevin Shinick:  facebook

Director Sal Salerno:  site

Sweet Karma Desserts:  facebook  •  site     

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