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Colorado author Don Morreale signs new book about Coloradans in Frisco

Special to the Daily
Special to the Daily |

If you go

What: Book signing with Don Morreale, author of “Cowboys, Yogis and One-legged Ski Bums: The Extraordinary Lives of Ordinary Coloradans”

When: 1-5 p.m. Saturday, June 20

Where: The Next Page Books & Nosh, 409 Main St., Frisco

Cost: Free; books will be available for purchase

More information: Visit http://www.nextpagebooks.com

On hiatus from grad school in September 2009, Don Morreale began writing brief biographical sketches of Colorado people who’d undergone life-changing experiences.

“I’d always been interested in the turning points in people’s lives,” he said, “those epiphanic moments — a debilitating accident, a devastating diagnosis, a tour of duty in a war zone — that precipitate a change of direction.”

At the prompting of a reporter friend, he submitted his stories to the online newspaper Examiner.com. It wasn’t long before they were also appearing in the Denver Post’s YourHub and attracting a local following.



Five years into the project, he’s written more than 200 stories. His new book, “Cowboys, Yogis and One-legged Ski Bums: The Extraordinary Lives of Ordinary Coloradans,” is a collection of some of his favorites, and Morreale will be on hand to sign copies of it on Saturday, June 20, at The Next Page Books & Nosh during the Colorado BBQ Challenge in Frisco.

“Don’t miss this great book and the opportunity to chat with Don,” wrote Karen Berg, owner of The Next Page, in an email. “He will be here all afternoon, so enjoy some great barbecue and come in for some added fun.”



According to the author, at the debut signing of “Cowboys, Yogis and One-legged Ski Bums” in Denver, it sold out in an hour and a half.

“It was an amazing turnout,” he said. “We sold close to 100 copies and ended up having to turn people away.”

The book’s appeal isn’t a huge surprise, considering its subject matter. It is, after all, a book about Colorado people written by a Coloradan. But Morreale thinks there’s a deeper reason for its burgeoning popularity.

“There’s a natural curiosity among people to know about their fellow humans — what they believe, what makes them tick, how they’re getting on in life — which is probably why everyone seems so fascinated by the lives of celebrities these days,” he said.

“But celebs are not the only ones with interesting lives. Ordinary folks also have stories to tell, often surprisingly compelling ones as it happens. I think in the end, what I want my readers to know is that personal transformation is a viable option for each and every one of us.”

About the author

The son of a U.S. Army chaplain, Morreale spent much of his childhood on military bases in Japan, Germany and Taiwan before settling in Colorado with his family at the age of 14. He holds a bachelor’s degree in comparative religions from the University of Denver and a master’s in creative writing from the University of Denver’s University College. The author of two books on Buddhism in America, he teaches meditation both in Colorado and worldwide on Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines.

To learn more about the author, visit his website at http://www.donmorreale.com; for more about “Cowboys, Yogis and One-legged Ski Bums,” visit http://www.cowboysyogis.com.


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