Yet there wasn???t a hint of self-pity in any of McNair???s tales. ???Being able to sit on a stage and talk about your book???instead of sitting in an audience listening to somebody else talk about his book???it???s so profoundly different,??? he said. ???It???s exhilarating to have a book out and go places where you can wave it in the air, meet readers and other writers, spread the word.