Woo-Hoo!I mentioned this project last July and now it looks like the book will be out in June.
In addition to working as an Associate Editor, I wrote biographies of Babe Ruth, Carl Mays and Walt Kinney. (The bios of all of the players cover their entire careers/lives, not just the 1918 season.) I also wrote the book's introduction and co-wrote the day-by-day timeline of the season.
As I mentioned last summer, the amount of information the various SABR members found on the lesser-known players is staggering. It's a perfect companion to my book.
17 comments:
It looks great! Congratulations!
Fantastic! Congratulations!
Name on the cover, nice. Congrats!
Just watched Pettitte conference. Talked for an hour, said nothing. He said right away there were things he couldn't talk about. I knew that was a bad sign. They did ask him about the "mis-remembering." No answer.....
Name on the cover, nice.
I first saw the cover about a month or so ago. It was a nice surprise.
What about the book you and your mom are writing? Isn't that coming out this summer also?
Woo-hoo, free plug! The latest is that we're shooting for a June/Julyish release. But definitely 2008. Thanks.
Woo-hoo, free plug!
One of many to come, I assume. I'm excited to read it.
When you first told me about it, I checked our library branch and saw a couple of your mom's books. Any tips on what might be a good one to start with? Maybe one that is in the same style as the upcoming one?
People always made fun of me for never having read my mom's books. But in the last few years, I have started with the earliest one (The Book of Phoebe, 1985), and the latest one, her memoir (Girls of Tender Age, 2006). And I can say with full confidence that I would've found these to be amazing books even if she was a total stranger.
Right before the memoir, she did a three-mystery series, each of which was named after a classic rock song. The third one, She Smiled Sweetly (you know who did that one), is the one in which a side-character is introduced who will be the main character of our new book (also named after a 60s tune--Dirty Water, of course). So maybe start with that one?
Congratulations, Allan! That's terrific. (By the way, did I tell you how much I enjoyed your book? It was a lot of fun to read, very interesting to learn both how much is different and how much is the same 90 years later.)
Jere, who's your mother and what kind of books does she write? What are you writing about?
Amy--My mom is a novelist, sometimes mystery, sometimes not. She was asked to do a "Red Sox mystery," and she in turn asked if I wanted to collaborate with her on it. Her name is Mary-Ann Tirone Smith. Thanks.
Jere, thanks for the info on your mom's work. It sounds great, the memoir particularly.
And I can say with full confidence that I would've found these to be amazing books even if she was a total stranger.
Very cool. Can you imagine if you didn't?? I'm always nervous when a friend gives me something to read, or if we go see someone perform. What if they suck? What will I say?
I can't wait to read the Fenway Mystery - a signed copy.
"I can't wait to read the Fenway Mystery - a signed copy."
Cool. I'll definitely send some up north.
Jere, thanks for filling me in. I see that she grew up in Hartford, and since we live about 25 miles from there, I am interested in reading her memoir. I look forward to your book!
I'm always nervous when a friend gives me something to read, or if we go see someone perform. What if they suck? What will I say?
If they suck, you have to give them an honest critique. Nothing's sadder than someone who's laboring under a misconception about something that's obviously important to him or her. If someone enjoys writing as a hobby, I don't think the level of quality matters a bit -- but if really they're hoping to make money at it, they have to be at least competent. Not everyone is; and some won't become competent no matter how hard they try at it.
And it's not necessarily a bad thing. For me it was a relief to stop trying to play music. Just wasn't much good at it.
I'm always nervous when a friend gives me something to read, or if we go see someone perform. What if they suck? What will I say?
If they suck, you have to give them an honest critique.
I disagree. I feel my role as a friend is to be supportive. My opinion on their work is irrelevant. I'm not a publisher or a theatre producer, nor an abiter of popular opinion. (Most things that most people love, I hate!)
What I will do in these situations is find something to praise - there's always something - emphasize that, praise them for their effort, and not say another word unless they ask for an honest critique. Which almost no one does.
It takes a lot of guts to put your stuff out in front of the world. People need to be encouraged, not cut down. If they're not good at it and later quit, that will be their choice.
Also, none of these are ever "hobby" situations. They are all people whose heart and soul and ego is completely bound up in their work. (Just like me.)
For me it was a relief to stop trying to play music. Just wasn't much good at it.
But I hope that was your choice and not from lack of support.
Even if some other people didn't think you were good, if you wanted and needed to continue, you still could, and should.
I don't know, Laura, it really depends on where the friend is at. I try to be encouraging, too, and whether it's reading friends' writing or grading papers, always have something positive to say.
But there was one guy in a writing group I was in; he had five novels under his belt. He once shook his head and said to me that he sure hoped he would sell something soon -- and he wrote like an eighth grader. No one could bear to tell him how bad this stuff was. So finally he asked directly and we told him; but we told him in the most constructive way possible.
It's possible to have an opinion of the underlying quality beyond love-it-or-hate-it. And although it's true that stuff you might not think is that good may indeed be marketable, when someone asks for your view on their work, don't you give it? I try to be nice in doing so and concrete in my suggestions.
But it's a risk and an obligation to be asked to read something. I certainly don't act like I'm doing someone a favor when I ask them to read mine. My wife was terrified the first time I did!
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