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Community Corner

Local author hits homerun with new story of fame, family, and falling apart

EVANSTON, Ill. – It’s the golden age of baseball; the stands are brimming with fans and the crowd is roaring. But in the blink of an eye – it’s all gone.

 

Author and triathlete Len Joy’s debut novel “American Past Time” (April 19, Hark! New Era Publishing) tells the story of Dancer Stonemason, a baseball player who is just days away from his major league debut with the St. Louis Cardinals. It’s September 1953, and Dancer’s family is rooting for him as he pitches the greatest came of his life. But then all the cheering – all the applause and all the support – comes to an end.

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“As a father and as a son, I’ve always been interested in the bond between parent and child,” Joy says. I had a very good relationship with my father and with my son, and it struck me that the worst thing that could possibly happen is to lose the respect of your children. Or conversely, to have a father or mother who turns out not to be the person you looked up to. Where do you go from there? That’s what this novel is about.”

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Joy pulls from personal experience with his family – and triathlons – for his writing. A competitive age-group triathlete, Joy impressively finished his first Ironman competition at 61 and placed 33rd in his age group in the USA Triathlon National Championship the following year. He uses some of the same practices in trainings that he does in writing, and he learned first-hand how similar the two seemingly different activities really are.

 

“Both activities require a long view, discipline and a commitment to work at them every day. They both offer their fair share of disappointments and setbacks,” Joy said. “In both writing and triathlons, it is possible to measure your success through the progress you have made, not just where you finish the race. They both have a community that helps you as you pursue your goals.”

 

Joy’s short fiction has been published FWRICTION: Review, The Journal of Compressed Creative Arts, Johnny America, Specter Magazine, Washington Pastime, Hobart, Annalemmaand Pindeldyboz. He lives in Evanston with his wife of 40 years.

 

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