HELP!

Just over three years ago I came up with the idea of writing a book celebrating the history of slow-pitch softball in Kenosha. After presenting my idea to Pat Hegewald on his Instant Replay sports talk show on WLIP, I developed a game plan that I put into action in January of 2007. I mailed letters to 30 well-known teams, sent emails to another 20 noted teams, distributed a couple dozen flyers and even put a piece in the Kenosha News seeking information. The total response to all of this? A total of 9 teams got back to me and one of those was Hegewald’s team!

With such a meager result, things obviously slowed down. I would like to have heard from at least 20 teams. This less than overwhelming response discouraged me and at that point I was grasping at straws. I needed new ideas. Unfortunately, try as I might, nothing was working and early in 2008 I put the book project on hold.

Later that same year, still smitten with the writing bug, I started this blog and have been writing ever since. And it’s a good thing that I have! In between my riveting Survivor recaps, I began writing stories about past personal experiences in various areas, including events involving Kenosha softball.

My collection of softball stories began to grow and along with it, I was urged to write a book by several facebook friends, with Judi and Sue prodding the hardest. Armed with a dozen stories and the 9 responses from teams that I had received earlier, I got the itch to give it a try. But, I really wasn’t sure how to go about actually creating the book.

Then it happened! Through this blog and a fondness for Charles Nelson Reilly, I came across a wonderful blog called My Good Babushka. I became a follower of the blog and came to be a facebook friend of its “author” Julie. But wait, it gets even better. Julie has just written a book and did so using a website called Blurb! I went to this site to check and check it out.

I messed around with the Blurb software and figured out how much it would cost me and have decided to write my book about the history of Kenosha slow-pitch softball. But I still need help! That’s where you come in.

If any of you have played for a team that you would like to see included in the book, please email me at vag57@wi.rr.com with the information. Send the name of the team, the sponsor, the years the team played together, highlights or accomplishments and a roster. If you have a short interesting story about your team, include that as well.

In one of the sections of the book, I plan on paying tribute to former players, managers and sponsors that have passed on. Please send me the names of any that you know of. Although I have assembled a considerable list, I would hate to leave somebody out.

Finally, to those of you that have had any experience writing a book, I would welcome any suggestions or tips that you could give me. This is my first attempt at this and would appreciate your help.

Thanks in advance for the help that I know will be forthcoming. Whether it is team information, the names of those that have passed or help with the writing aspect of the book, it will all be greatly appreciated.

By the way, if you get the chance, please check out the My Good Babushka blog, it is rather unique. Who knows, you may even buy Julie’s book! Until next time…from the booth