Friday, December 01, 2006

Author: Mike Lupica

I read books all the time when I am running hither and yon but some books require my comfy chair and a cup of tea and a block of time to savor every word. I have a stack of these special books waiting patiently for me to finish sewing the apron for the entling's wench costume. (Madrigal Dinner will be over with this weekend. )

One of the books in this stack is Mike Lupica's new title, Miracle on 49th Street. Last night, just before I clicked off the TV, I dialed up The Colbert Report at precisely the moment when Colbert was introducing his guest, "Mike Lupica."

We are not ESPN people at this house so I've never seen Lupica on TV before. I am a real fan of Travel Team and Heat so I had to watch the interview. Of course, Lupica spent more time laughing than talking.

Colbert: "Now you're a sports writer.
Why children's books?
I'm against children's books in general because it implies children should be reading.
Why children's books? How did you make that leap?"

When Colbert did swerve briefly into questions about writing. the author was able to offer a brief story about Travel Team. The idea for the book came from his own experience of forming a team made up entirely of kids, including his son, who had been cut from the 7th grade team. Lupica continued about a time when that son went along with him to an appearance or book signing and sat in the audience. During the Q&A session the lad raised his hand and innocently asked about the royalties Lupica was earning from Travel Team and whether or not the son who had inspired the story was sharing the royalties.

Lupica managed to crack Colbert up a few times. That sense of humor comes through in his books too.

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