LAURINBURG – Local author Tony Morgan is an adventurer at heart and has included Laurinburg and some of its residents in his recently released book, which talks about some of his adventures and life experiences, in “Complacency Can Kill You.”
“I have lived in Laurinburg almost my entire life, close to 60 years there,” said Morgan, “So the book does center around Laurinburg and gives the town the credit of being a great town for me growing up — my son is the fourth generation to have lived in Laurinburg.”
Morgan was sure to give Laurinburg the praise it deserves and wants others to visit and experience the community for themselves.
“The website for the book has listings for things in Laurinburg to do so that out-of-town readers can go to and hopefully visit,” said Morgan.
“I have recently moved from Laurinburg with my fiancé Valerie, but only because I had retired and just happen to come across a great deal on a home at Lake Tillery that I just could not walk away from,” continued Morgan. “Had it not been for that I was going to live out my life in the home that I built with my own hands there in Laurinburg. But I still have my family and friends in Laurinburg and visit often.”
Morgan was inspired by his family to write the book so he could leave something behind for future generations.
‘Because I knew very little about my great-grandparents and have led such a wild, unusual life myself, even though I was living in a small town, I decided to write about these things for future grand- and great-grandkids to know about me,” said Morgan.
“During the writing of these adventures and private things,” continued Morgan, “Different family members read it, loved it, and suggested that some of it should be published as a book.”
The book is just a small portion of Morgan’s life, highlighting different areas — as he put it, “a drop in the bucket, so to speak.”
Readers can enjoy reading the book not only for its adventurous content, but also for the fact that, as they read it they can try to figure out who the author is referring to in his writings.
“The fun thing for the locals of Laurinburg reading this book is that everyone in it wanted their names used in the book to be part of it, and with almost 30 people in it actually named, mainly just first names, only three are made-up names, because I could not locate them to ask them,” said Morgan.
“Unfortunately, a few of the good friends are no longer with us including my mom,” continued Morgan. “But local readers who have lived here in Laurinburg will recognize some of the names in the book and know some of these people.”
There have been so many adventures and different styles of adventures in Morgan’s life it is hard for him to say which of his adventures has been the most memorable.
“Probably one of the most action-packed was the trip to Australia and New Zealand,” said Morgan. ‘By using credit card points and other similar means, I and a companion were able to take almost a three-week trip for practically nothing, as far as money.
“What stands out with this trip is there was something planned every day and it was a wide span of adrenaline items such as, skydiving, scuba diving, snowboarding, horseback riding, white water rafting, bungee jumping, rappelling down sheer cliffs or gorges, floating down an underground stream for over an hour not seeing daylight, engaging with native animals and tribes, hot air ballooning, just to name the major ones. So much excitement crammed in one trip made it quite memorable.”
Morgan has logged around 900 scuba diving trips and more than 600 skydives that were adventures in themselves.
He also has a wide range of titles.
“My background is wide and varied, from a licensed embalmer and funeral director to an exotic animal breeder, an equipment accessory designer to a licensed instructor in scuba and skydiving and more,” said Morgan.
As far as his adventurous nature, Morgan attributes it to role models he had as a child from television shows and supportive parents who encouraged him to follow his dreams.
Morgan has a message that he is hoping he is able to convey to his readers.
“I would like to instill a sense and need of more adventure into the reader’s lives,” said Morgan. “Not necessarily having to do the things that I have done or do, but to look for whatever it takes to get their adrenaline cranked up a little and get out and see this beautiful planet we live on.
Morgan’s father, siblings and son still call Laurinburg home.
“My son Will is also adventurous, just not on the level of his old man,” said Morgan. “He runs business operations there in Laurinburg.”
Any local book store can make Morgan’s book available along with online stores such as Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Books-a-Million, etc. However, due to the current coronavirus, online stores such as these are delaying the book itself until summer but making the eBook available right now.
Those interested in purchasing the book can go to the book website complacencycankillyou.com and click on the “Buy Now” button — it will take them directly to the publisher and they can order the book and/or the eBook.
“Test readers of the book said it was probably best described as similar to sitting down at home with family and friends, listening to the funny and exciting stories of the family members. I am not a writer so it is an easy, fun read,” said Morgan.
JJ Melton can be reached at jmelton@laurinburgexch.wpenginepowered.com.
