Hi Dan -
Don't be concerned that I wasn't sure that I contributed. LOL. I have such information overload in my brain that things I did just last month seem a little dim and surreal. I had a recollection that you had asked me - was more concerned with whether I ever got around to it!
Anyway - I know what you mean about the sales letters - but once you get into it, it does really start to flow. The idea with the long ones, I guess, is that if people are into what you're selling, they'll read along... and honestly, I think if you write in your own funny style, you will be able to hook them. Also, throughout the letter you give them "off ramps" to go buy the thing, if you hooked them and they just want to get on with it.
I'm not an expert on this but the book made me feel like I could do it - which was a challenge for me because I, too, felt like the whole style of writing was really smarmy and i wanted nothing to do with it. But, then I started to see how I had real stories I could tell and weave into such a thing. I'm totally confident you have the goods to write a really good one because you have a personality that you can pour into it and get people's attention. That's half the battle