There comes a time in every funny names aficionado’s life when you come across a person so well named, so compelling named you need to talk about it. This is one of those times.
I’m sitting in the Writer’s Cafe at a writer’s conference doing the “writerly-thing”—figuring out what session I’m attending next. Halfway down the the page, a session called “How Do I sell a Million Books and Never Leave the Author’s Cave?”
Score, I’m all over it.
Then I see the presenter’s name.
Meet Carew (pronounced cah-roo´) Papritz author of “The Legacy Letters” and a bona fide cowboy to boot. He’s no Alfalfa Desperado.
Carew introduced himself as a renaissance man in an age that lauds specialist. Wearing a cowboy hat, vest, large belt buckle on his blue jeans and cowboy boots, he spoke to our writerly souls—addressing a group of writers, an audience separated by large amounts of space like sage brush on the rolling prairie. Those of us hiding in the cave. Those of us creating our novels. Those of us rarely seeing the light of day. And he explained how to sell it—the stories, all while being an introvert. (Except I’m not an introvert).
Larger-than-life cowboy author, Carew Papritz. Okay maybe it’s because I’m not that tall.
He published his first book at age 21, an editorial cartoon anthology. By 23, he published his second cartoon anthology. Both became best sellers. Then his writing career took a hiatus.
He spent time traveling the world, worked in Hollywood, escaped Hollywood, traveled to his grandfather’s remote ranch in southern Arizona, embarking on his career as a cowboy.
While sitting on the back of a pick-up truck on the open range, he composed the story that would become The Legacy Letters.
As with all twists of fate, a friend of his couldn’t guide a tourist-filled trail ride, so he subbed in . . . wrangling his future bride.
His charismatic persona created opportunities for him. A book signing with the Naked Cowboy singing in Time Square. A book signing and interview on top of a volcano: Mt. St. Helens in Washington State. And the first ever book signing on horse back—the horse he married his wife on.
But that’s not all. In an era where 80 percent of all books bought in this country are romance novels purchased by women, he was invited to speak at the Romance Writer’s of America conference in New Jersey.
A cowboy set loose among hundreds of romance writers? Put on your spurs ladies you’re in for the ride of your life.
Dozens of ladies enjoyed his roping exploits. I want to read some of the scenes that moment inspired. 😉
See you on the dusty trail, buckaroos.
Tracy — Fannie Cranium’s Guide to Irreverent Wisdom
P.S. To the members of the Horsey Award Committee. Can we add a category for “Best Named Cowboy” this year? Not that I’m hinting or anything. 😀
The Blog of Funny Names 
Absolutely spot-on name!
Thanks Damyanti! And Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
perfect name. giddy-up!
“Giddy-up”. . .I love it.
Reblogged this on Fannie Cranium's and commented:
This month’s contribution to the BoFN. Our first cowboy author, Carew Papritz.
Is that true? 80% is romance novels? I read a few in high school, but I haven’t read any since. Who knew? As for Carew Papritz–wow. Not your typical cowboy name. And I’ve met several cowboys. Sounds more like an Italian chef. Cashew Paprika. Caraway? Anyway, he sounds spicy. I read that he was born in Yosemite National Park. You gotta be outdoorsy, if that’s the case. I wonder if there is even one more Carew in this world.
Regarding the romance novels, that is the number presented at our writer’s conference. It may be more like 60 percent, but if you’ve ever seen a RWA (Romance Writers of America) conference, you’d understand the power, power, power of romance novels in this country.
I met Carew’s mom and brother at the conference, great family support. I’d wager he’s the only Carew in the country. And I’d bet his parents are where he got his outdoor spirit.
Well, I DO have to wade through rows of corset-ripping paperbacks to get to my clearance section at the bookstore. Men just must not be giving us enough excitement in our day-to-day lives, eh?
“Corset-ripping” is my new favorite adjective. I may forget this fact by the end of the day, but hopefully Arto can remind me. He’s good at remembering stuff like that!
On behalf of all men, I’m sorry.
LOL. And in many cases, bodice-ripping.
As one of the reps for the Horsey Committee (just FYI, any of us can form and dissolve a committee at our whim) I wholeheartedly agree Best Named Cowboy needs to be an option, at least for this year!
Yippey ki yay, Dave.
Yes, that is a bona fide cowboy term, not just a prefix for Bruce Willis to “swear by”. 😀
Haha, good to know, and clever wordplay in there too!
This is a true classic BoFN post! And I’m so envious you got to meet the fella! Boy howdy, it seems like a rip-roarin’ good time!
I really need to work on my cowboy exclamations!
Hope you had tons of fun at the conference!
The only thing we were missing from the conference was the saloon with piano, the hotel piano bar does not count . . .
We were “a hoopin’ and a hollerin” at the conference, but because it’s all writers twas in our heads. Heaven forbid, we should come out of our writer’s cave to make noise.
The best part of being at the conference this year: J.A. Jance and Nancy Kress! I have great respect for those two women. And they are funny. 🙂
Wow, you’re so on top of the cowboy lingo, my mind is blown! Yeehaw!
I have a hypothesis (not a theory, since a theory needs to be tested and meet the standards of disprovability) that men stopped buying “romance novels” when people stopped buying Playboy magazines (although I’m sure the proprietor of my local liquor and sandwich store begs to differ… yes, there is a liquor and sandwich store near a college campus – no surprise there!)
Interesting hypothesis.
I don’t follow your hypothesis. Or theory, since it’s conversational usage decidedly outside the scientific arena.
Haha, my point was that men never bought romance novels, and that women buy the romance novels for the same reason men bought Playboy. But men stopped buying Playboy, whereas apparently romance novels still have a strong following!
In any case, don’t judge me for my random hypotheses dreamed up during my video prep work!
Haha, I follow now! The “men’s romance section” isn’t what it used to be.
Papritz is a good cowboy name. I bet they call him Pap down on the range.
I’ll have to ask him next time I see him. 🙂
“. . . from out there where the deer and the antelope play, Fannie rounds up a hootin’ heapful o’ down home funny name goodness . . .”
“. . . Like a rider charging out of the box, Fannie ropes that there funny name and wrassles the little doggie to the ground faster ‘n you can say yippee ki-yay . . .”
“. . . a rollickin’, rousin’ buckin’ bronco of a post . . . YEEEE HAWWWWW!”
Haha, this comment brought much joy to my evening!
Well played, Diddy. However, I don’t know if my monitor thanks you. It wore a smattering of my favorite morning beverage in a lovely spray pattern. 🙂
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The committee is me–and I can be bribed. 😛
Good to know, Mark. Good to know. 😉
Yeeeeeee-haw, Fannie. You are now welcomed as part of the Cowboy Carew.
lol Mark. You do some fancy ropin’ with your words.