By Hays Blinckmann

A lot has happened since last May for a little book called “Gringo: My Life on the Edge as an International Fugitive,” written by local resident Dan “Tito” Davis and Peter Conti. Last spring seemed to be just the beginning of what now has become quite a journey for the book and author.

Gringo’s story is a jaw-dropping, thrill-ride biography about Davis’ life as a drug trafficker turned fugitive. Follow his story from modest beginnings in South Dakota to the bright lights of Vegas, from jail to running with the Medellin Cartel, plastic surgery, the endless pursuits of ID and passports, hidden money, multiple wives, businesses, a wild trip to Mumbai and winning a Venezuelan kite-surfing championship. Davis had a lot happen to him during the 13 years he lived as fugitive from the FBI.

Now, Davis is living a completely different story, traveling around the world promoting his extraordinary biography. Since publishing as an ebook, “Gringo” went number one on Amazon, first in “Hot New Releases,” then in at least three categories simultaneously: “Organized Crime,” “Page-turning Narratives” and “Violence in Society”.

“I have had a personal audience with the Dalai Lama in India,” said Davis. “After that exposure, a Bollywood film producer read my book in two days. He was so enthused that he invited me visit him in Bombay, but I told him I wasn’t interested in doing a Bollywood movie. I did spend a few days with Hollywood actors and people in the industry.”

Davis has done numerous interviews but said, “What I need is national TV exposure. I’ve done national radio, been in USA Today and over 300 other media outlets. It’s just a matter of a time and this book will be a major movie or a mini-series.” Now, Davis is working with the book’s co author, Conti, going forward with movie production talks with Brad Pitt’s company Plan B and working on a screenplay.

He also has met with executives of Lola Lola, leaders in product branding for the upcoming legalized recreational marijuana in California. “Being a former smoker and having a best-selling book on Amazon, they want to feature me as the poster boy for recreational pot in California,” said Davis.

The former convict and fugitive is taking in all his success with a lot of humor: “It’s not easy being a professional book pimp.”

Key Weekly