FAQ’s

Welcome to the Been Delayed Blog & Please Hug Me Series
created by Jeff Michaels

FAQ’s

Q. What is this Please Hug Me stuff all about anyway?
A. The Please Hug Me series combines humor with helpful advice for handling real-life situations. The series is published by Greenleaf Book Group Press in Austin, TX.

Q. Don’t you need two books for a series?
A. Actually, you need three. So we’re currently two short. But they are already in production and scheduled for release in 2011. In fact, if you sign up for our newsletter we’ll be able to inform you the moment they are completed.

Q. What are the next books about?
A. What’s the first rule of Fight Club?

Q. Oh, right. Got it. So, I noticed Abraham Lincoln and Amelia Earhart both enjoyed the book. Has anyone real reviewed Please Hug Me – I’ve Been Delayed?
A. We’ve had numerous newspaper and magazine articles along with new reviews coming out all the time. Check our Reviews page for the latest and greatest.

Q. I don’t really travel much. Will I still enjoy this book?
A. Yes.

Q. How did you come up with the idea for the book?
A. After a particularly exhausting summer where I was traveling coast-to-coast every other week and spending far too many hours in airport terminals due to delays, I began coming up with ways to amuse myself, and things I would do to fix the situation if I were in charge.  (Like organizing rows by drink preference so the moment you sit down they can bring you a beverage without having to wait.) Eventually, I developed all the ideas into a book, and pitched it to countless publishers until I met the great folks at Greenleaf who recognized the need to help out frustrated frequent flyers.

Q. Have any airlines implemented your idea to charge $5 more per ticket for a guaranteed seat in a crying-baby free row? That’s brilliant.
A. We’re working on it.

Q. How long did it take to write Please Hug Me-I’ve Been Delayed?
A. About a year and a half.

Q. How many of your flights were delayed during that time?
A. Nearly all of them.

Q. Did you get paid to write about the companies you mention?
A. No. Everything is purely from my own painstaking life experiences in dealing with the hassles of modern air travel. Very, very painstaking.

Q. Do you have a favorite airport?
A. Seattle Tacoma is pretty sweet. Mostly because I like Seattle and my favorite airline Virgin America takes me there. (Still trying for some free roundtrip tickets here…)

Q. A least-favorite?
A. Any airport that makes you take a train to get to another terminal. Lame.

Q. I really am a fearful flyer. Do you have any recommendations for me?
A. Yes. The fear of flying is far more common than you might imagine, which is why I dedicated an entire chapter to it in the book. Being a former fearful flyer myself, I learned quite a bit on how to cope with what can potentially be a debilitating or embarrassing situation. (For the Anatomy of a Panic Attack, click here.) Beyond reading the book, best thing to do is check out some of the many fear of flying resources online, such as one of my favorites, SOAR. If Captain Tom proves too nice and you prefer to be yelled at in a British accent, check out this one sponsored by my favorite airline, Virgin Atlantic. (Of course, if you live in the U.S. you will need to fly to London to get there first.)

Q. Can I get an autographed copy of the book?
A. While we can’t promise to fulfill every request, you can include an autograph request in the Special Instructions box when ordering at www.pleasehugmeseries.com. If you plan on reselling your copy on eBay after you’re done (which is completely illegal), you may want to skip this.

Q. Why aren’t there any pictures in the book? I rarely buy books without pictures.
A. There are actually 43 pictures of tiny airplanes throughout the book. Also, I can draw you a picture if you request an autographed copy. (See above.) Please be aware I can really only draw tiny airplanes, and rather awkward stick figure animals.

Q. Who produced those commercials?
A. Myself and my video producer, Tom Gruber. The Hug Me theme song in commercial #1 was written by my good friend, Scott Barkan. Additional comedic consulting provided Dr. Genius from Long Island.

Q. How can I contact you if I have a question about the book?
A. Visit the contacts page or you can email me directly at info@pleasehugmeseries.com.

Q. Do you read all the emails you receive?
A. Yes.

Q. Really?
A. Yes.

Q. I read somewhere you’re also a piano player. Is that true?
A. Yes, the rumors are correct. My night gig is recording and touring with my band Even Elroy, currently located both in Boston and San Francisco… hence you see why this requires so much flying.

Q. So what’s next?
A. Along with the next books in the series, there are two novels coming out (one clean, one dirty), and my band will be recording a new album next year. Although none of this is as important as my continued random musings posts on my blog.