The Book I Cannot Wait To Tell You About

TimTrey (3)

“We’d like for you to tell our story,” Congressman Trey Gowdy said to me in a conference call more than a year ago. We had five people on the call that stretched across the country, and I was in a job interview. They were looking for an author.

South Carolina Senator Tim Scott and Congressman Trey Gowdy wanted to write a memoir of their friendship, a remarkable story of two men who came from very different paths that converged upon the backdrop of Washington DC.

I really, really wanted to write this book. But I had a confession to make. “I think I should tell you that I’m apolitical. Politics is not something I do.”

“And that’s why we want you.”

The Congressman went on to say, “Tricia, I read your blog when I was on an airline flight, and that’s not my most ideal time to start crying, as I was seated between two strangers. But I read your story, and you made me want to kiss my wife, without ever telling me to kiss my wife.”

And that may be the best compliment of my writing that I’ve ever received. He said that my writing compels people to action without telling them what to do. And that’s the kind of writer they wanted.

They invited me to join their team, and then he said, “We just have one request: please don’t Google us. We love that you don’t know our story, and we’d like to paint on the clean canvas. Let us tell the story we want to tell, not the story that’s already been told.”

Deal. I Googled nobody.

A few weeks later, I flew to South Carolina to be sequestered for a few days with a senator, a congressman, and our editorial manager, Janet Thoma. She has retired from the publishing industry where she owned her own imprint, so she’s an expert of all experts. Janet brought us into her lakefront home, she oversaw each word of the project, and she fed us extravagantly.

From the very start, they set me straight on another expectation: “Please. Call us Tim and Trey.” And that’s how the names of two White House leaders became household names to me.

I spent three days with them, asking them questions and hearing their stories, recording it all, hour after hour. I flew back home, and I got to work on my greatest writing challenge yet. For a girl who writes memoir of her own experiences in her own voice, it was quite a different journey to write in the voices of two men who are unbelievably intelligent in topics I’ve never studied. And it was one of the great honors of my professional life so far.

I spent months thinking in their voices, learning their stories, defending their editorial preferences, and texting them for specific word choices. I had the time of my life.

Here’s what I can tell you about Congressman Trey Gowdy and Senator Tim Scott: these two men are the Real Deal.

Their brand is authenticity, and they never ever contradicted themselves, each other, or their values. They are funny and authentic, brilliant and wise, compassionate and loyal. If you’re hungry for some leaders who remain worthy of our trust, please read this book.

And let me just add this: if either of them ever runs for President, my vote is a solid YES.

TimTrey

“Unified tells the remarkable story of two men who came from very different backgrounds:
one the ambitious grandson of a cotton picker, the other trained as a lawyer.
Decades ago, no one would have predicted their paths would one day be intertwined.
But they became good friends and an inspiration to others.

If such a friendship can thrive in the competitive world of Washington DC,
it can happen in your community as well.
We can restore our communities, one friendship at a time.

Our nation is hungry for unity.
Most Americans would rather celebrate what we have in common than focus on our differences,
but the feelings of division are real.

We long for a story that will give us a glimpse of how to once again find harmony within our diversity.
This is that story.”

~ Unified:
How Our Unlikely Friendship Gives Us Hope for a Divided Country

By:
Senator Tim Scott and Congressman Trey Gowdy

92CCBCBF-CF09-49A0-98AC-AE2F0B2DA669

Tricia Lott Williford

Comments are closed

  1. This makes me SO EXCITED. I will pre-order this!!!

    • Okay so it’s available now. Don’t I feel sheepish! Going to order it and devour it.

  2. So awesome! What an honor and what a tremendous book for our times. I’m just starting my writing life and it’s so encouraging to see what’s possible! How God can use the talent He’s give.

  3. This is amazing! Can not wait to read this book! I think very highly of these two men and love your writing!

  4. Wow. And wow, again. Can’t wait to read this and share with friends.

  5. Tricia, I was so excited when I read this I spilled my whole cup of coffee! We love these 2 men from our wonderful state of South Carolina. I am ecstatic about you writing their story!!! I am still shocked but amazed how God is using you to tell their story of friendship. I know it will be a page turner; so very proud of you Tricia!

  6. Tricia this is amazing…Can’t wait to read it!

  7. Sign me up! Can’t wait to read the book – and see how you told this intriguing story.

  8. I cannot wait to read this book, Tricia!

  9. Wow! This is awesome. I admire these two men and commend them for choosing you you to write their story.

  10. I admire these two men so much. Honest, smart and compassionate, they both make South Carolina proud!

  11. Can’t wait to get my hands on this book!

  12. Fabulous! Can’t wait to read the book.

  13. Sounds great, when can we read it?

  14. How awesome is this! I can imagine how this would be stretching for you, Trish, but I cannot think of a better author choice for this story! Congratulations! Onward for unity and diversity.

  15. Hooray! Hallelujah and good for you Tricia! Good for them for choosing you as their author! I have great respect for each of these gentlemen and can’t wait to read your newest labor of love! God is using you greatly and is opening huge opportunity for your unique style of telling the story.

  16. Wow Tricia, I love these two honorable gentleman. Can’t wait to read this story.

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