I Talk About Bruno

What happens when your husband gives you fifty years of material? You write a book about him. And apparently, a whole lot of songs.

Gail Robin Raes has been talking about Bruno since they met in 1976—or, as Bruno prefers to tell people, since they “met in jail.”

Technically true. Wildly misleading.

Over nearly fifty years together, Bruno has been her husband, the father of their children, Papa to a growing family, a home brewer, Jeep enthusiast, reluctant source of writing material, inspiration for fictional characters, and even the man behind Papa Dragon.

He once made the mistake of asking his writer wife, “Can you write a nice Bruno?”

She did.

Then she wrote another Bruno.

And another.

Eventually, she started writing songs about him too.

I Talk About Bruno: Songs, Stories, Beer & the Man Who Inspired Them is a funny, affectionate look at marriage, family, inside jokes, storytelling, and what happens when you've known someone long enough to collect a lifetime of stories about them.

Part memoir, part behind-the-scenes look at a writer's imagination, and part musical adventure, the book also includes original songs inspired by Bruno—with links and QR codes so readers can listen along.

Some stories are sweet.

Some are ridiculous.

Some may have been slightly improved for entertainment purposes.

Bruno will probably have opinions about which is which.

But after nearly fifty years, Gail knows one thing for certain:

If you don't know how great Bruno is, just give him five minutes. He'll tell you.