stores and by the end of the summer he read all 12 and his reading skills went crazy, and when jack cook sateds he had a perfect score in reading. that is what can happen. it's not going to necessarily wind up with an 800 s.a.t. but the kids become good readers if they read enough, most kids. and parentses need to take responsibility for that. they need to understand it's their job. the same way you teach you boy how to throw a baseball or your girl how to rite a book and that's good to be but getting them reading even more important. >> host: prior to becoming an author you had life. >> was in advertising for several years. but i've been clean for over 20 years now. so, i don't know why you brought that up. no, it got me to understand communications better. got me to understand that there's an audience. you are going to talk to people and you have to hold them. you have to hold their attention and they're not necessarily interested in what you have to say. i think that's particularly important with childrens books. >> host: the first manuscript you wrote, what was and it was itese to sell. >>