Palo Alto, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/29/2013 -- "When faced with first-time fatherhood at the age of 49, I didn't know whether to celebrate with champagne… or hemlock. But it's turned out to be the best thing I've ever done," writes author Len Filppu in PRIME TIME DADS: 45 Reasons to Embrace Midlife Fatherhood to be released on Father’s Day, June 16, 2013.

The new non-fiction parenting book puts forth in humorous, heartfelt, real-life essays the radical notion that mature men are well-suited for the foxhole of fatherhood, and that rather than being just better late than never, midlife fatherhood can actually be better later.

Filppu, a regular blogger for Huffington Post Parents, is father to a healthy and thriving 13-year-old son and 10-year-old daughter. He understands that later-in-life fatherhood is not for everyone. “Midlife fatherhood is not for the faint-hearted, frail, or fumbling,” he said. “It’s for those with a big appetite for life, a life that can sometimes teeter on the frazzled edge. Around our house, it’s often more like Ozzie Osbourne than Ozzy and Harriet.”

PRIME TIME DADS, published by Bright Lights Press (www.brightlightspress.com) of Palo Alto, California, launches on Father’s Day, June 16, 2013, and will be available as a print book for $14.95 and as an ebook for $9.99 through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and most other major book retailers. To order the book, go here: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_0_10?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=len+filppu&sprefix=len+filppu%2Caps%2C306.

Larry King Weighs In
Broadcast legend and late blooming father Larry King said of the book, “Later life fatherhood keeps me young, keeps me vital, and makes me feel relevant each and every day. I urge you to read PRIME TIME DADS. Its point of view is young and vital and relevant each and every page.”

Many Benefits of Midlife Fatherhood
“I discovered with great surprise—and even greater relief—that as a mature man, I could tap into my accumulated reservoir of life experiences and skills to help me be an effective father,” said Filppu. “For example, since I’ve already sowed my wild oats, I’m no longer driven by youthful passing passions. I know myself better and I’m more ready to settle down to family life.”

“I’m more patient, empathetic, compassionate, and wise,” continued Filppu. “I have greater job flexibility so I can juggle my schedule to spend more time with my kids. And a bit more money and experience solving problems certainly helps keep things afloat.”

Addressing life’s ultimate question, Filppu said, “And because I've seen more of death and am closer to its inevitability, my appreciation for life is keener. I know I don’t have forever, so instead of mindlessly postponing doing things with my children and putting off those seemingly mundane parental moments, I make a conscious effort every single day to engage fully with my kids. All these attributes, and more, of the mature man aid in my ability to parent and directly benefit my children.”

Not Just for Men
While PRIME TIME DADS is must reading for men of all ages contemplating fatherhood, it’s also relevant for the women who love them, and makes the perfect gift for any mature man who could use an encouraging, enlightening word about later-blooming fatherhood.

Best-selling author Adriana Trigiana (http://www.adrianatrigiani.com/) said of the book, "Len Filppu has written a hilarious, heartfelt, and fresh take on midlife fatherhood in PRIME TIME DADS. This is a superb how-to manual for parents everywhere. It's also the perfect gift for the man in your life. Brimming with common sense and filled with helpful hints, it's a celebration of fatherhood written by a dad who clearly loves every moment of it. A home run!"

David Carnoy, Executive Editor of CNET, author of The Big Exit and co-author of Fathers of a Certain Age: The Joys and Problems of Middle-Aged Fatherhood said, "PRIME TIME DADS takes a fun, optimistic look at what it's like to be an 'older' father. While this book is geared toward men aged around 40 or so, women who are involved with so-called 'reluctant dads' would be wise to leave it out in a conspicuous place where it might be easily discovered."