South Dakota International Bestselling Author of “Gringo: My Life on the Edge as an International Fugitive” Dan “Tito” Davis wraps up his seven continent book signing tour in Antarctica. Davis has been promoting his book and his message of growth through adversity for the last 18 months after being released from prison. Before then Tito spent 13 years on the run from the US government as an international fugitive. Davis is one of the first, if not the only author, to do a book signing tour across all seven continents. Gringo is simply one of the best books of the year!
Your bestselling book “Gringo: My Life on the Edge as an International Fugitive” takes readers on a wild ride. When I read your book it was clear that you are a survivor one who went from being on the run to taking your bestselling book on a world tour and becoming a famous South Dakota writer. What do you hope people take away from reading your work and of course meeting you?
I hope that people enjoy Gringo and that they realize not everybody lives the same kind of life. I made a lot of mistakes and hopefully people realize that a life of crime does not pay. But I guess I’m living proof that you could turn your life around. You can turn lemons into lemonade. I had everything in the world going against me, the technology, not being on the streets for a generation, being a felon, being kidnapped, being divorced, being broke, and it goes on and on, but I came back from nothing.
I left prison with everything against me; all I had was $50 in my pocket and a story. If I can turn my life around, maybe, I’ll be an inspiration for somebody else that’s really down on their luck, saying, “Hey, if Dan Tito Davis did it, I definitely can.” With any luck, I’m going to give people hope.
If you could go back in time and tell your younger self what you have been up to what do you think he would say?
If I told my younger self what I’d been up to, he wouldn’t believe it. When I was young I didn’t really think about being old. I didn’t plan. I thought I was somebody I wasn’t. I was some little college kid that got lucky and started making a lot of money. I thought I was a rock star, throwing money left and right. I got stupid. I got arrested. I got thrown in prison.
I’ve been a fugitive or under some type of federal supervision, prison, or parole for the last 33 years except for the last 18 months. Not a good record to have. What would my younger self say? I guess that is like looking in the rearview mirror. You can see that you definitely made some serious mistakes, and if I had to do over again, I’d quit right at the White Crosses as I had the world by the tail.
White Crosses?
I basically had corned the market on what was the Red Bull of the day. I had it all. If I had just stayed with the White Crosses, and paid my taxes, who knows what would happen. I didn’t and the rest is history.
When I looked you up besides being a former fugitive and a bestselling author I discovered that you are alumni of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and Black Hills State University. Given your story that is pretty amazing. What does that feel like?
Most people probably don’t think things like this happen to most college graduates. That they would deal with the people I did or put themselves in the type of situations that I put myself in. I guess that is one reason my book, “Gringo: My life on the Edge as an International Fugitive” did so well.
As far as being recognised by as a notable alumnus at the University of Nevada Las Vegas, UNLV and at Black Hills State University, that is a sincere honor!! I’m glad they claim me. What can I say? I’m more than honored!!!
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