Perry Droast
Hi, I’m Perry Droast.

I'm a freelance direct-response copywriter living with my wife and daughter in the heart of Central California. This part of the California is also known as the San Joaquin Valley.

If you know much about this area, you’re probably asking yourself “Why would you choose to live in an area with some of the worst air pollution in the US, 100 degree plus temperatures in the summer, and thick tule fog in the winter?

Uhhh… we like it?

The best answer I can come up with is…my wife’s family lives here. Plus, my family lives 4 short hours away in Northern California. And the third reason is: our best friends live a few blocks away.

And last but not least, the cost of living is fairly reasonable. At least compared to many areas of California.

Fortunately, there’s plenty of relief from the air and the weather within two to three hours drive.

Relief to the West: The Pacific Ocean and the beach

Pismo Beach is only two hours away even while pulling our fifth wheel trailer. On Independence Day, the City of Pismo Beach puts on the best fireworks show I've ever witnessed. Huge crowds jam the beach every year. You better arrive early. The best spots are taken well before noon.

At 9PM fireworks begin shooting skyward off the pier over the bay.

We love camping in Pismo Beach. Our favorite RV Park - Pismo Coast Village - is tucked between a lagoon and the dunes right next to the beach. Front row seats are guaranteed just by taking a short walk out the back gate onto the beach.

Our friends bring their travel trailer too and we have a grand old time eating homemade barbeque. The local fish and chips together with some really fine clam chowder from the Splash Cafe round out the epicurean delights.

Because the park has wireless Internet access throughout the park, I just keep working during our visits if I need to. I take a printer and a laptop. Voila - I have everything I need to continue making money while my wife sits on the beach eating bon-bons. (She’ll kill me once she reads this.)

In the evening a roaring campfire helps stimulate some great conversation. The coals make it easy to roast a few marshmallows for smores helping to satisfy our sweet tooth.

Relief to the East: The Sierra Nevada Mountains

A couple-hour drive to the northeast and we’re surrounded by the grandeur of Yosemite National Park.

Due east and you’re soon in Kings Canyon/Sequoia National Park. We like to think of these two parks as being married since they share a common border.

In the winter, we can be on the snow, cross-country or downhill skiing, or even snowboarding, in a couple hours as well.

Wishon Village RV Park helps us escape the heat during the summer. At 6700ft the temperature doesn’t usually hit over the low 90s by day and cools off very nicely in the evening. The lakes in the area provide some great trout fishing. Because snowmelt provides the water, swimming requires a little more motivation. I go in just to get the kids to go in. : )

Relief to the South: Disneyland

Last but not least, my wife insists I tell you Disneyland is only three hours to the south. It’s her favorite place to spend a day or two.

St. Croix, located in the U.S. Virgin Islands, ranks a very close second.

My son lives in the San Diego area about 5 hours south…if you don’t hit any bad traffic in Los Angeles.

My daughter graduates from high school in the class of 2007. We promised her we wouldn't move until she made it out of high school.

Besides, we’re not done remodeling the house. Once that's finished, we won't want to move. But my wife envisions living on St. Croix during the winter.

So you can see Central California isn't so bad after all. Now if we could just do something about the taxes.


So why do I write?

I like it.

And my fourth grade teacher told me to.

During the fourth grade, my teacher told my mother I should become a writer. My mother never forgot that. She still brings it up regularly, even though that was back in 1964.

My mother thinks I should write books or magazine articles for a living. I keep telling her I would probably starve or have to move back in with her if I did that. She laughs and tells me to keep doing what I do now in that case.

I went to college in the early 1970s. Like most of my friends, I majored in Partying. But listing “Business” as my official major kept the school and my parents off my back. For some reason, I loved the marketing and anthropology classes the most. I know, it’s an odd combo.

Unlike my CPA father, I never learned to like accounting.

So after 3 years at California State University - Chico, much to the disappointment of my parents, I dropped out. A year later I decided College of the Redwoods in Eureka, California had the answer to my career needs. During the year I spent there, I learned auto repair, along with a little welding, machine shop, and woodworking.

After I tired of full-time school and part-time work, several jobs provided sustenance and taught me what real hard work was all about.

• I fought wildfires for the U.S. Forest Service (3 fire seasons)
• Learned antique restoration paid my boss much better than me
• Built and finished bedroom furniture and waterbeds
• Constructed houses, apartments, and office buildings
• Made candy and granola bars
• Transmission mechanic and sales

Growing tired of burning my arms on catalytic converters and greasy fingernails, I gave school one more shot.

This time I went to trade school. I studied electronics and computer technology. After graduating, I spent 23 years in the medical equipment industry. To summarize my stay in that industry I repaired, maintained, and wrote about medical laboratory analyzers.

The most fun I ever had in the medical industry was working with sales and marketing on a mobile laboratory automation demonstration setup. This unit was located inside a huge tractor-trailer rig. It was the most interactive selling and marketing I've done since my transmission shop days. That was a hoot.

The Recipe is complete.

Mix together all my previous experience; add three tries at multi-level marketing, along with a couple of small businesses with my wife. Cook just long enough for me to figure out my real passion and calling.

Stick a toothpick in it. The cake is done.

Now I write direct response advertising copy.

It’s the finest thing I’ve done yet.

Perry

P.S. email me if you would like to find out more about Central California or my writing and marketing consulting services. Samples available on request.