Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Another Update

As I begin to write this there are less than five hours left of July and I only have six blogs this month. Because I have been working on my next book, “More Kenosha Softball”, a whole bunch, I really don’t feel like writing a blog. Sorry. Or maybe you couldn’t care less. I guess it doesn’t really matter. Anyhow, I thought that I would post another update of where I’m at with the book.

Since my last scintillating update 10 days ago, I have completed two more chapters and more than halfway done with a third. Plus, I went back and added a little intro to the other 12 chapters that are done. I think readers will really enjoy this extra little special feature. I know I’m having a lot of fun doing it.

Right now, if I stick to the outline below, I am looking at 28 total chapters. However, I am considering doing a chapter about a couple current Kenosha Softball greats – Travis Clark and Mike Umscheid. The idea was brought suggested to me by good friend and Kenosha softball wonk, Pat Hegewald. I’m working on it.

Currently, I am just over 26,000 words. To give you an idea, most of the blogs I write are between 700-1000 words. So, that’s the equivalent of about 30 blogs. Two of the chapters are over 4,300 words and two others are over 2,200. And it’s a blast.

I hate to do this, but now that things are really rolling, I am shooting for having the book done by Thanksgiving. Hopefully my publisher, Sari B doesn’t see this and tell me I’m crazy. Oh well, we shall see.

Here’s an updated outline. The check marks ( √ ) indicate the chapters that are completed.

More Teams
5th Amendment √
Snowblind Oasis √
Infusino’s Construction √
Team Export √
Sorensen Mfg.
Matador
Strang Siding
Ruffolo’s
Finney’s Lounge
Stanich Realty

More Players
Kenosha Softball Bad Boys √
Kenosha Softball Shortstops √
Kenosha Softball Speed Merchants √
Kenosha Softball Gypsy √
Kenosha Softball Free Spirit √
Kenosha Softball Big Boys
Kenosha Softball Long Ballers
Kenosha Softball Managers
Kenosha Softball Pitchers

More Tales
Umpires √
Hall of Fame √
Dream Game √
Rest in Peace √
Bobby Douglass
Finney’s West Booth
An Unheralded 14-inch Star

More Stuff 
City Champs √
Rotary Champs √

One last thing before I finish. I received the following message on the Kenosha Softball Hall of Fame page. It came from Jon Atkins and was a great inspiration to keep writing.

I just picked up and read “Some Kenosha Softball” today and I loved it. It was really interesting reading about the high demand of softball back in the “Golden Age”. It took my mom back some years when I read some snip-its and she began to reminisce about the days when her and my dad played. It was also interesting seeing familiar names, including some of my friends’ dads, guys that played with my brother Scott (late 1990’s-early 2000’s Tirabassi teams), people I know in general, and some guys I play with from time to time now (Blade and Swammy to name a couple). Great job on the book and I look forward to reading “More Kenosha Softball”.

Pretty nice, eh? I’m proud of my first book and if anyone is still interested in picking up a copy, let me know. However, I guarantee that my second effort will be even better. I promise. Until next time…from the booth.

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