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Quiet Pride
In A Long Cast, you share with readers your experiences with family and friends over five decades of surfcasting on Martha’s Vineyard. Why was this an important book for you to write?
The stories were starting to evaporate as time went on. I could feel them slipping away, and I wanted to capture them so years from now the kids would be able to simply share the book with someone they cared about and say, “It was like this.”
For the last several years, my adult daughter would keep prodding: “You should write these stories down, Dad.” And I kept deflecting it. Then, when I turned 70, I secretly decided to give it a try so I could maybe surprise them in the end. But I stalled. It was just dry, boring details at first. But when I asked my fishing friends if there was anything they would like to share for the book, it became clear that they, too, wanted documentation for their family and friends to have forever. I sensed their quiet pride and an unspoken hope, and this is what gave me the motivation I needed to get it across the finish line. I used the Dedication page to give the rationale for the book.
Is there anything else you now wish you had included in A Long Cast? A memory? An experience?
No. Not at all. But if there was a Prologue, it would contain the reactions after it came out. Everything from the successful construction company owner who said, “Only read one book my entire life. But I read this one in two days.” I gave each of the twenty-five featured fishermen a copy when it came out. One guy, looking at his copy, said to the other, “Geez. Didn’t know he (me) could write.” The other fishermen replied, “Didn’t know you could read.” The wife of a fisherman texted and explained that she always wished him well as he headed out the door for his annual fishing trip, but never figured out why he liked it so much. Now she knew, she said.
Right after the book came out, he got really ill and had to stop fishing. One day, she was reading the book outside his hospital room and started to laugh out loud. He asked her what was so funny. She read him the two paragraphs, and he laughed so hard and long that they had to settle him down. “It’s true.” He kept laughing. “It’s true. That’s Ed.” (The fisherman in the story.)
Different fishermen would reach out and tell me which story they liked best, and everyone has a different one. A younger fisherman said he bought a copy for his dad and told him it was because of the piece on The Partner. Another told me it was Retie. I think mine might be The Car. I still laugh out loud when I read it.
What advice would you give someone who is considering writing their own memoir?
Don’t make it about you. Make it about the encounters and conversations and actions of others that have been illuminating, convincing, affirming, paradoxically true, righteous, courageous, challenging, grace- filled, perplexing. Don’t report facts, and details, and accomplishments. Tell the stories of who and what has enriched the journey.
What is one thing you hope readers take away from your book?
I hope the reader can also find one or two things in the book to be true.
Author Links: GoodReads | Amazon
In 1971, a father and son ventured out of their apartment in New Jersey to the Island of Martha’s Vineyard to try their hand at surfcasting. That trip began a life of Spring trips to the waters’ edge in search of bluefish and striped bass. Fifty years later, Mike Carotta takes readers along for thirty straight nights and days of fishing.
This is not a How To book. It does not contain the secrets to a fantastic fishing career. Rather, hard fishing has a way of revealing lessons from the shore and the people who gather there-binding together strangers in conversations and gestures, failures and successes, new learnings, and, eventually, creating old friends.
Through it all, more than fish are caught-and shared. The result is a thoughtful collection of essays on life with some notes from the trade filtered in. Join Mike on his pilgrimage back to where the distance between heaven and earth gets a little thinner and the real “keepers” of the trip go far beyond the fish on the end of the line.
“I am not a good surf fisherman. There are no helpful fishing hints here. This is a collection of recollection: stories of saltwater characters, occurrences, and conversations. Like stars in the night sky, they are best enjoyed when you get some distance from the lights of other stuff.” – Excerpt from A Long Cast
Hike the Course
Hike the Course by Barbara Ann Cochran offers a unique glimpse into the world of competitive skiing and the mental fortitude required to excel in sports. Cochran, an Olympic gold medalist, draws from her own experiences and those of her siblings, Marilyn and Bob, collectively known as “the First American Family of Skiing.” The narrative details their early introduction to skiing under their father’s guidance, emphasizing the rigorous training and mental preparation that propelled them to the pinnacle of their sport. Cochran’s book delves into the techniques that helped her succeed, such as course rehearsal, physical training, and mindset strengthening. More than just a sports memoir, it provides valuable insights into mindfulness, visualization, goal setting, and habit formation. These elements are woven into an engaging narrative that extends beyond the realm of sports, offering universally applicable lessons on personal and professional growth.
For readers intrigued by the psychological aspects of competitive sports, Cochran’s candid account of her struggles with pressure and self-doubt is particularly compelling. She shares an instance of overcoming mental hurdles during a crucial competition, using affirmations to regain focus. This anecdote, among others, illustrates the importance of mental resilience in high-stakes environments. The book is a testament to the Cochrans’ dedication to skiing and serves as a practical guide, replete with worksheets and exercises designed to enhance mental strength. Its applicability extends beyond athletes, providing valuable insights for anyone aiming to excel in their respective fields. The lessons imparted are especially relevant for those striving to balance personal bests with external perceptions.
As a skiing enthusiast, I found Hike the Course both enlightening and inspiring. It bridges the gap between a sports biography and a motivational guide, making it a compelling read for anyone seeking to achieve excellence, whether in sports or other life pursuits. This book is highly recommended for individuals aspiring to realize their potential and for sports enthusiasts eager to understand the mental aspects of athletic achievement.
Pages: 214 | ASIN : B0CMC9T7JS
LITERARY TITAN 