So much to “write” about. So just write it. OK. But... it’s a little extra scary writing this month since the issue features amazing writers wearing equally spectacular eyewear in 20/20’s “The Write Men in the Right Eyewear.”

To put it “writely” we are honored that five bestselling authors had time to help showing off the current crop of the best in men’s eyewear. So here they are, basically in the order I met them:

Andy Gross has been a friend since our early days as copy boys for Women’s Wear Daily. Back then, writers would give us typed pages of their stories and we would run that copy from writer to editor and then to some contraption that sent the copy to the printer. We also specialized in sorting and delivering the mail. These days Andy delivers his own words to countless readers thrilled by his bestselling novels, most recently Don’t Look Twice.

I know Michael Gross from my “daze” as a rock and roll writer. I first met him on the hunt for a David Bowie interview. In those days Bowie was the thin, white duke and Michael had a boundless energy for capturing the frenzy of rock at its decadent best. These days he captures scandal, intrigue and drama in a way that charges his books with simmering readability. You haven’t toured a museum until you’ve done it with Michael guiding the way as in his latest, Rogue’s Gallery.

Believe it or not, I once had a gig as art director at a sports mag. That’s where my friendship trail crossed with Brian Biegel. No one tells a story better than Bri and if you’re in the mood for one of the greatest sport legend searches of all time catch Miracle Ball, which is a verbal homerun about the most famous baseball ever.

The life I lived in the magazine “whirl” led me to an amazing book a few years ago, Slab Rat by Ted Heller. Another claim to fame in MY book is his being married to 20/20 art director Iris Johnson.

I didn’t know Patrick Rosal’s writing until introduced to his searing poetry by our creative services designer Debbie Silva. Thank you, Debbie. And thanks again to this issue’s featured cast of great writers.

And again, thank you Debbie. As expressed on this issue’s inside back cover, we miss you.

—James J. Spina
Editor-in-Chief
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