Bad Advice

Okay, now I’ll find out if anyone’s reading this. I need your help, all you writers out there! I’m thinking about putting together a book based on the concept of bad advice we’ve received from our parents. I started out thinking sports advice because I’ve overheard a lot of bad parent advice during my years as a youth coach, but why limit it? If you’ve ever received bad advice from a parent, or maybe you’re a parent now and are honest enough to acknowledge that you’ve given bad advice to a kid, I’d like to hear from you. You can put it in any form you’d like, but I’d prefer something concise with lots of good details but no names, at least no last names. I’m thinking the book will be aimed at general audiences including older kids, so the material should be somewhere in the area of PG-13 or gentler. If the book gets written and sold, and I use your vignette, I’ll credit you with a first name and geographical clue (city and state or both) to your identity. The more ridiculous or misguided or funny the better, but if in doubt, send it to me and I’ll decide. I also reserve the right to edit (but not alter the basic facts) of your tale. If I don’t use what you send or the book never gets written or published, I apologize. I know it won’t be much consolation, but that’s part of being a writer. At least that’s what they tell me every time I get turned down. Think of it as good practice for that eventual masterpiece. E-mail me at (david@patneaude.com). Thanks!