One of the things I look forward to sharing at the book presentation and signing next Wednesday, January 29, involves some of the issues I encountered in shifting from writing an academic history book, as I had done many times in the past, to writing a “lighter” sports history book that was essentially a memoir. The task, I discovered, was the same for both types of writing.
In many ways, when writing An Almost Perfect Season, I was writing biography, employing the same techniques, the only differences being I was writing about some very personal experiences. Writing about the depression I experienced during the time I played basketball in high school was perhaps the hardest part of the process. Before I started writing, I had yet to completely own the level of depression I experienced. I think the photo I’ve included, my senior year basketball picture for the school yearbook, shows my depression.
Writing the book and finding the vulnerable and the humorous aspects of that time in my life, however, was cathartic. The best part of writing the book was the fun I ended up having going back to those long-forgotten times and bringing them vividly back to life. I will be reading from some of my favorite parts of the book, stories that do not always present me in the best light but speak to some tough and often funny experiences that taught me hard but important lessons.
Below is a link to details of the where and when of the book presentation. Hope to see you there!