David A. Kelly

Today, we’re celebrating *chapter book* author (OUR VERY FIRST for AuthorsNow!) … David A. Kelly! David has written for many newspapers and magazines, but Babe Ruth and the Baseball Curse is his first book for children. He lives 15 minutes from Fenway Park in Newton, Massachusetts with his wife, two sons, and a dog named Samantha.

Here’s a little more about BABE RUTH AND THE BASEBALL CURSE.

BABE RUTH AND THE BASEBALL CURSE by David A. Kelly

BABE RUTH AND THE BASEBALL CURSE is a fast-paced account of Babe Ruth, the Boston Red Sox, and the terrible curse that seemed to follow the Red Sox after they traded their star pitcher to the New York Yankees.

Before 1918, the Boston Red Sox were unstoppable. They won World Series after World Series, thanks in part to their charismatic pitcher-slugger Babe Ruth. But some people on the Red Sox felt the Babe was more trouble than he was worth, and he was traded away to one of the worst teams in baseball, the New York Yankees. From then on, the Yankees became a golden team. And the Red Sox? For over 80 years, they just couldn’t win another World Series. Then, in 2004, along came a scruffy, scrappy Red Sox team. Could they break Babe Ruth’s curse and win it all?

If you had to give your book a movie rating: G through Rated R, which one would you give and why?

Definitely G. I do talk a bit about some of the “bad” things that Babe Ruth did when he was on the Red Sox, like staying out late, eating too much and just misbehaving, but there’s nothing in here that your grandmother can’t read.

What topics, issues, or themes does your book address? What drove you to write about them?

This book has lots of baseball players and baseball teams in it, but it’s really about how people and groups of people use determination and skill to overcome adversity (and perhaps even curses!) to succeed.

I wanted to write the book because Babe Ruth is such a larger-than-life character who overcame a tremendously bad childhood and an awkward physical appearance to become an exceptional person. He wasn’t always nice and he didn’t always do the right thing, but he was one of the best athletes ever, and he had a heart of gold.

Babe Ruth could be loud and rude and he broke the rules. But he never forgot where he came from. He never forgot people like Brother Mathius, his high school baseball coach, who helped him turn his life around. The Babe always went out of his way to give back to children and fans.

But like Babe Ruth, the 2004 Red Sox found a way to believe in themselves after losing three important games to the Yankees. They found a way to overcome great odds and do something that no team had ever done before.

No matter who you are, you can’t always control what happens or where you come from. Things don’t always happen the way you want them to. But I’ve found that the more you learn about Babe Ruth and the 2004 Boston Red Sox, the easier it is to understand why its important to work hard, treat other people with respect, and believe in yourself.

Name some examples of readers who would identify or like your book.

• Any 6 to 10 year-old whose interested sports, baseball, Babe Ruth, the Red Sox or the Yankees.
• A boy or girl who’s interested in “curses” or bad luck.

List a few statistically improbable phrases or sentences one might find in your book. These are phrases or sentences you might never find anywhere else.

• “The circle of blood on the sock kept growing.”
• “Ruth thought nothing of eating six hot dogs and drinking six sodas for a snack.”
• “I was a bad kid.”

How can your book be used in the classroom?

BABE RUTH AND THE BASEBALL CURSE can be used in a classroom to help students understand some of the hardships that children faced in the early 1900s and how even children that don’t fit in can find ways to overcome dire circumstances. The book is also a great jumping off point for a discussion of how (or why) people and teams don’t always win-even when they’re good. Some of the best Red Sox teams in history weren’t able to win the World Series. Heartbreak and difficult situations are part of sports and life, yet the real winners are the ones that keep coming back year after year and trying again.

Now tell us about other already-published books that readers of your book might enjoy.

• Kids who like any of the Matt Christopher sports books will enjoy BABE RUTH AND THE BASEBALL CURSE.
• Children interested in the DIARY OF A WIMPY KID by Jeff Kinney will be drawn to Babe’s outlandish misadventures and trouble on the Red Sox.

Now whet our appetites with a teaser. Please provide the first few lines or opening paragraph of your book.

October 16, 2003, was a chilly night at Yankee Stadium. But the Boston Red Sox fans there barely noticed the cold. Their team was close to beating the New York Yankees. If the Red Sox won, they would play in the World Series for the first time since 1986.

Are you offering authors visits to schools, libraries, or other organizations?

Yes

Are you willing to speak nationally?

Yes

List a few example titles of presentations, talks, or workshops you might give for an author visit.

• The Story Behind the Story
• Show, Don’t Tell

This concludes our interview with our latest author David A. Kelly. We wish him much success with his debut chapter book BABE RUTH AND THE BASEBALL CURSE.

*GIVEAWAY ALERT*  David is giving away TWO signed copies of BABE RUTH AND THE BASEBALL CURSE and ONE $10 Gift Certificate Amazon.com. Tell your friends and  leave a comment for the author!  Enter by March 11th, 2009 11:59 PM CST.

Your email address will not be displayed publicly and will only be used to contact you if you win! And don’t forget to participate in our other AuthorsNow! giveaways.

Related posts:

1. BABE RUTH AND THE BASEBALL CURSE by David A. Kelly
2. Author Spotlight: Mark Fink, STEPPING UP (Giveaway Alert: Now – 04/08/09)
3. Author Spotlight: Donna St. Cyr, THE SECRETS OF THE CHEESE SYNDICATE (Giveaway Alert Now – 10/27/09)
4. AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT: Amy Brecount White, FORGET-HER-NOTS (GIVEAWAY ALERT NOW – 03/09/10)
5. AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT: Pam Bachorz, CANDOR (GIVEAWAY ALERT NOW – 12/22/09)