50 of The Brown and White

The Brown and White

Just a quick post to tell you that I have sold 50 of The Brown and White in my first month. That's pretty good in that I was so busy with another book, I had little time to promote the Brown and White in the first month. Let's hope its 500 in the second!

The Brown and White takes you back in a literary time-capsule. You're exposed to changes in many areas of life while the boys in the book carry out on their daily activity. These Catholic boys are carried back and forth on the Brown and White bus with its free spirited captain, Willie. Much changes, but hope prevails. In fact, faith prevails. 

McCaskey Speaks at Long Island Chapter of Legatus

McCaskey's Sports and Faith

Sporting Chance Press author and Chicago Bears Vice President Patrick McCaskey is schedule to speak at the Long Island Legatus Chapter on May 4, 2017. 

Founded in March 2004, the Long Island (N.Y.) Chapter  meets on the first Thursday of every month. Speakers have included author George Weigel, Sisters of Life Prioress Mother Agnes Donovan, America magazine editor Rev. Drew Christianson, Catholic University president emeritus Most Reverend David O’Connell, and the late Bowie Kuhn, former Major League Baseball commissioner. 

Legatus includes over 4,000 Catholic business leaders and spouses. 

Lessons and Humor in The Brown and White

I once got a school jacket from a neighbor that was old and worn out after it was "advertised" as practically brand new. My mother, although certainly doing her best, added insult to injury by knitting some clothes to go with it.  This is a funny lesson in my book The Brown and White. I have a number of episodes in the book that are funny, but a little painful as well. My life, and I suppose many other people, could be described as funny and painful. 

More than anything else, my book is funny! But when you write humor, it gets a little tricky at times.  I wrote The Brown and White over 40 years and sometimes I looked at things and made changes. My sensibilities changed.

I often think of humor as having no conscience. Things can be funny and cruel; funny and racist; and funny and just wrong. Hitler thought Roosevelt's letter suggesting he leave the rest of Europe alone (after he started his expansionism) as funny. To Hitler and thousands in the audience, Hitler's response was funny. To Roosevelt and most people concerned with Hitler's threats, it was something different all together. 

It occurred to me this morning that several of the incidents I have written about in The Brown and White are not only humorous, but on some level instructive. The instructive stuff is good, but I certainly didn't write the book for its lessons. I wanted people to know the way it was for us back in 1967-1968. And I wanted to give everyone in my past a kind of hug. The book is written for adults, although I do hope it gets a lot of play with young adults.

My book, The Brown and White, examines the life of a Catholic High School freshman who goes through some funny and scary times.  It's a good quick read that is based on fact. I've been working with books by other people for a long time and this is my first book. Maybe I will end up like Carole King, behind the scenes for years and break out into super stardom! Well, I can hope.