The one question I have been asked, time and again, is what inspired the book. While every literary endeavor is spawn by a variety of factors, there is usually one that serves as the true catalyst.

Baseball is my first love. I have spent many days of my life on the baseball field, as both player and coach, intoxicated by the sights and sounds of the game. There is truly something magical about the drama that unfolds in between the white lines. While the rules never change, each contest is unique and replete with its own obstacles and challenges. And with no clock governing the participants, the possibilities are endless. As I began my life as a professional writer a few years back, it occurred to me that the ultimate literary endeavor would be the fusion of this love for America’s pastime with the desire that every author has to explain through his eyes the human condition. Hence, the story of Mickey Tussler was born.

Baseball, more than any other sport, is a true metaphor for life. So many situations that arise on the diamond are microcosms of the challenges that face all of us on a daily basis. THE LEGEND OF MICKEY TUSSLER was conceived with this idea in mind. While the characters are fictitious and many of the events and drama in the novel are exclusive to the baseball field, the concepts have far reaching implications and transcend the simple parameters of Borchert Field into realms far more universal. I am pleased that so many readers have enjoyed the book on these varying levels.