"I write about kids trying to do something great," New York Times bestselling author and sports writer Mike Lupica told the audience of about 50 during a book signing promoting his new teen novel, Hero, at Barnes & Noble bookstore in Sarasota, Florida, on November 19. Earlier in the day, he spoke to about 3,000 sixth graders at Sarasota’s Riverview High School.
Mike Lupica, General Manager of a Rogue Seventh Grade Boys Traveling Basketball Team
Lupica spent 20 years writing fiction and non-fiction for adults in addition to his sports column and television show. He did not have plans of writing fiction for young adults until he became the general manager of a "rogue, seventh grade boys traveling basketball team."
The author explained his son, who had always made the local traveling basketball team, did not make the team in seventh grade. It was the first time sports had knocked him down.
As a result, Lupica formed a traveling basketball team with his son and other seventh graders who did not make the original team. He described them as the Bad News Bears but said it was insulting to the Bad News Bears. Under a coach's direction, the team trained hard, regained self esteem, built confidence, developed as basketball players and won the final game of the season.
How Mike Lupica Entered Young Adult Fiction World
Upon completion of the season, Lupica pitched the idea of a story based on the seventh grade team to his literary agent. The result was the bestselling novel, Travel Team (2005). The author said when it was finished he thought it was a nice story and the publisher printed 20,000 copies, "19,500 too many."
Travel Team sold half-a-million copies and according to Lupica, it changed his life. He discovered the book was read by kids with similar experiences and said, “They responded to a book that talked about being knocked down the first time.”
He also learned that mothers were telling other mothers about Travel Team because it encouraged reluctant readers to read. Two million copies since, Lupica has been working on at least one book a year.
Latest Novel, Hero, Released November 2, 2010
"I now write the kind of books that I loved when I was a boy. My new book shows I was also a comic book kid," Mike Lupica said about his latest young adult book. The story is about 14-year-old Zach who loses his father, discovers he has supernatural powers and takes on the bad guys.
Hero’s main character is named after Mike Lupica’s youngest son. The author took consistent themes from his other fictional books – friendship, loyalty and courage – and folded them into the storyline.
"Most fun I’ve ever had [writing] because I didn’t know where the story was going to go," Lupica said, "If you read the book you can see he’s running right into the next book. This is set up for a sequel."
The author said next year's book is finished but he plans to push back publication because he has an idea for something better. He told the audience, "As long as kids keep buying these books I’m going to keep writing them."
- Hero
- Hardback: 304 pages
- Publisher: Philomel (November 2, 2010)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0399252835
- ISBN-13: 978-0399252839
Sources:
Mike Lupica at Barnes & Noble, Sarasota, Fla., Nov. 19, 2010 (4010 S. Tamiami Trail)
Jennifer Huber - A 20-year veteran of the tourism industry, Jennifer's career path began during college when she followed the hiking path in Yellowstone ...
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