Writing a book

I have spent many hours the past two years crafting the first edits to a book I have been working on for nearly 25 years. Say what? Yep, I am trying to become a published author. But my book has been in the works since about 1997. I have a title, "Rising SONS" and it's written, but now I am crafting it together and doing a first edit. 

And I am not even close to being done. 

The book is about the history of football at Southern Oregon University. For those who have ventured onto this site, you have seen references to it. Since I was 22, I have interviewed 100s of former players, coaches and administrators, sat for many hours studying microfilm, old newspapers, yearbooks and programs, and know more about the history of the football program than anyone. My goal has always been to get the thing published before the 100th anniversary (2027). I did a 75 anniversary story in 2003 for the Mail Tribune, which was cool and got me back on the wagon, but family, work, personal issues and other factors got in the way. Each move I made, I lugged the big box of research work promising myself I would one day complete this project. When I got laid off from my job in 2020 and had nothing but time on my hands, well, I sat down and wrote. For two years everyday, I wrote. For the past six months, I have been designing the book, finding pictures and even getting my former coach, Jeff Olson, to write a wonderful foreword. It's so close now that I find myself obessing. I edit and design for at least three hours each night and can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

My goal now is to get a first edition published in 2023 and update leading up to the 100th anniversary. I am proud that I am the one that gets to tell this story and what an interesting one SOU football has. Writing a book is similar to running a marathon or climbing a mountain. It does require a lot from you and it's easy to get distracted and put it off, as I have done for 25 years. I am pushing through those final miles though.