Author Interview: Captain Lee Rosbach

Yes, you heard that right. The Captain Lee from the hit TV show Below Deck is in the house! I took a chance an tweeted him a message, asking him to do an author interview, and he said YES! I am so honored to be doing this, I just can’t sit still. I love the show, and I hold Captain Lee in very high regard. I love his ethics, his way with people, and his Leeisisms. I found him to be extremely nice and accommodating.

Let’s get to the interview.

What drew you to write your story?

Captain Lee: The motivation for me writing the book was Frances Berwick, the President of NBC Universal. We met at the launch of Below Deck Med and had a very enlightening conversation and she wondered why I hadn’t written a book about my Capt Leeism’s and while this current book did incorporate some of them in it, it wasn’t the total focus. But she was my inspiration for doing the book. And for that, I am very grateful to her.

How long did it take you to write your book?

Captain Lee: It took about a year to write the book, a lot of back and forth with my collaborator Michael Scholl, who without him we may have not gotten it done. My hat goes off to him.

A year isn’t that long at all to take a book from an idea to the final product. It took me three years for my first book. What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

Captain Lee: As far as advice for aspiring writers, I really don’t have the experience to be giving advice at this stage, but if I had one for first-time writers, it would be just DO IT. How many people have said I should write a book, I know all about this, but never happens, life gets in the way. Well, get it done. Just do it. You will regret not doing it and trust me you will have enough things in your life to regret, don’t let this be one of them.

I agree! Did you need to do any research?

Captain Lee: I didn’t have to research, all I had to do was remember. I lived it.

You’ve lived a very fascinating life, and I loved your book. Where did you like to write?

Captain Lee: I liked to do my writing out by the pool in the hot sun, cool drink, and conversing or not with my collaborator Michael. It was the best. I looked forward to it.

That sounds like a great place to write. What are your thoughts on good/bad reviews?

Captain Lee: My view on bad reviews, I don’t know yet, I haven’t had any yet. Some with some suggestions on what else they would like to see, but no negative reviews. Not that they won’t come, but, I’m not a writer by trade, I do it to convey what I have experienced to people the way I saw it. Nothing more, nothing less.

I hope you don’t get any bad reviews, and that’s the truth. How was your experience working with traditional publishing?

Captain Lee: I never had a bad experience with the publishing process. My publisher was Gallery Books, which is the pop culture division of Simon & Schuster. So my best experience was seeing the completed project come to life. Had to pinch myself the first time I walked into a bookstore and there I was. Surreal.

What do your fans mean to you?

Captain Lee: My fans, what do they mean to me? They mean the world to me. Without them, there is no there. I’m not where I am today without them. So when I’m out and about and someone comes up and wants a pic or just to be acknowledged, I say why not. If I can put a smile on someone’s face for 10-15 seconds of my time, why would I not do that?

That’s so nice to take the time to make a fan’s day. Do you read your reviews?

Captain Lee: Do I read my review, of course, there is no better gauge as to how you are perceived.

What do you want your tombstone to say?

Captain Lee: What do I want my tombstone to say? Tough one. I guess if I have one, I would like it to say that “The going up was worth the coming down”.

That is an incredible thing to have on your tombstone. I’m a little jealous I didn’t think of it first. Which famous person living or dead would you like to meet and why?

Captain Lee: Who would I like to meet or have met? John Wayne, he was a giant of a man, for his morals, his work ethic and integrity.

And I think you have a little John Wayne in you with your work ethic and integrity. Another question along that line. If you could have dinner with three people (living or dead), who would they be and why?

Captain Lee: Who are the three people I would love to have dinner with, John Wayne, Ronald Reagan, and my wife Mary Anne. Why would I want to deprive her of meeting these two giants among men. Both had everything that I admired then and still do now. That won’t ever change. At least not for me.

Aww. You and Mary Anne have the best relationship! So, at this dinner with John and President Reagan, what would be your favorite meal and beverage?

Captain Lee: My favorite meal is Kolbe Ribeye, which I don’t get very often, in fact only twice, mid-rare, baked potato with sour cream and chives, a side of broccoli al dente and a great glass of wine, maybe Caymus or something of that caliber.  As long as I’m wishing.

Thank you so much for stopping by and doing an interview with me. This has been one of my bucket list items that I can now cross off my list. Now if I could just be a guest on your yacht, that would pretty much round everything out for me. This was awesome!

Captain Lee was also kind enough to mail me a copy of his book, Running Against the Tide and will be reviewed by The Naked Reviews on February 6, 2019. We are so excited!