Write What You Know and Then Some - Researching My Young Adult Novel Swim Season

My daughter had been swimming for five years when I came up with the idea to write a novel about girls’ varsity swimming. Sitting on those cold, hard bleachers season after season gave me more than a sore you-know-what. It sparked my imagination, creating a story line and cast of characters that would show in written form what high school swimming is like for these girls. As I wrote the story, they were always at the heart of it. I wrote it for them. And I wanted it to be as accurate and realistic as possible.

 

In many ways, writing Swim Season was natural and easy. Through many autumns, I’d watched my daughter and her team swim their hearts out, beside parents rooting for their own swimmers. In the beginning, I knew next to nothing about the sport, about swim meets. But as the years went on, I learned. 

I learned simple things, like the order of events. Try finding your kid on a pool deck swarming with dozens of young swimmers in caps and goggles when you’re not sure which event it is, or whether your child is swimming in it or not. Impossible. 

I chaperoned the waiting rooms where dozens of youngsters waited for their next event. Try to keep all that adrenaline in check.

 

I volunteered to time the races, and stood at the blocks, race after race, helping to make things run smoothly, making sure the right kid was in the right lane.

I helped out at the concession stand, serving up bagels and cream cheese.

I was involved with the fundraising activities, Picture Day, and put together the program for Senior Night for a number of years. 

I went to 99 percent of the meets with my husband (we missed one when it was an hour away from our home on a week night.) 

Most of my daughters’ friends were swimmers, so I got to know several of them up close and personal. They were an intelligent, ambitious, fantastic set of young women. When my book was criticized by a critique partner because the characters seemed “too smart,” I responded with, “Well, those are the girls I know.” The team had the highest GPA of all athletic teams at the high school year after year. Yes, swimmers are smart.

I took advantage of coaches I knew personally (and some I didn’t) to pick their brains, try out the story’s premise for believability, and tweak the details. Many thanks go to the following New York State coaches: Frank Woodward, Middletown High School; Justin Wright, Monroe-Woodbury High School; Jeremy Cuebas, Minisink Valley High School; and Danielle Lindner, former coach for Mount Saint Mary College, in Newburgh.

Early in the process, I sent out a tweet on Twitter, asking swimmers to complete a questionnaire for a new book about varsity swimming. Almost a dozen young swimmers – girls and boys -  responded, and we started dialogues that provided great background for my story. Some of them went on to become beta readers. All of them were thrilled at the idea of a book about them, about their sport.

As a reader, when the answers weren’t so simple I resorted to books. Michael Phelps’ biography No Limits: The Will to Succeed, with Alan Abrahamson, was more than worth its cost. Likewise, Amanda Beard’s memoir In the Water They Can't See You Cry gave me insight into how to build an Olympic silver medalist. Instruction books, such as Terry Laughlin’s Total Immersion, with John Delves, and Tracey McFarlane’s Mirande’s Championship Swimming with Kathlene Bissell, taught me the fine-tuning of technique. The Champion’s Mind: How Great Athletes Think, Train, and Thrive, by Jim Afremow, PhD, was instrumental in creating Aerin’s mental game. For inspiration I turned to Swimmers: Courage and Triumph by Larry Thomson.

Then there was the time when I decided to swim the race at the heart of my story. For a while I was taking Aquasize classes at my local YMCA. One day I got the idea to try to swim 500 yards. I wanted to see if I could do it, how long it would take, and how I would feel during and afterwards. I have never swum competitively, although I have always loved to swim and am capable of doing the freestyle. My first 500 clocked in at 30 minutes. I stopped after every length to catch my breath and chat with the other ladies in the Aquasize class. I kept at it, though, and after a few weeks managed to complete the 500 in 16 minutes, which was phenomenal for me. Of course, the time to beat in Swim Season is 4:52.50, which, for me, was in never never land. But, as a middle-aged woman with below-average fitness, I was proud of my achievement. In the end, unfortunately, it exacerbated my repetitive strain injuries and I had to give it up.

Writing Swim Season was an endeavor born of many resources, personal and professional. It’s recommended that we write what we know. I knew a lot about competitive swimming as a Swim Mom, but that was not enough to compose this story. I needed to reach out to many others - swimmers, coaches, parents, Olympians, and a psychologist – to nail the details. All of this, I believe, leads to a more credible, believable story with depth. 

Swim Season is available in paperback and Kindle on Amazon.

Launch Day! Swim Season is Now Live on Amazon

  
I started writing this novel in the fall of 2011 when my daughter was a junior in high school. It was her fifth varsity swim season. Little did I know that I would continue my stint as a Swim Mom for another five years as she went on to swim in college. My goal was to write a story about the whole high school swimming experience, to show those who may not be  familiar with the sport how much fun it is and how hard these kids work. Swimming competitively, especially in high school, can be a positive experience that builds character, self-esteem, and friendships. Many valuable lessons are learned: keeping a commitment to a sport and a team; setting and making personal goals; the grace of winning; the humility of defeat; confidence in one's athleticism; pride in one's body and what it can do; and the rewards earned through hard work and dedication. These are lifelong lessons that will benefit any swimmer in whatever she chooses to do, in sports, work, and more. All girls should have the opportunity to learn about themselves through sports, any sport. Enjoy Swim Season!
  

Book blurb:

Short:

The swim team is ripped apart when two girls vie to break a longstanding school record with a 50,000-dollar scholarship prize. 

Longer:

Sometimes winning is everything. 

Champion swimmer Aerin Keane is ready to give up her dreams of college swimming and a shot at the Olympics. As she starts senior year in her third high school, Aerin's determined to leave her family troubles behind and be like all the other girls at Two Rivers. She's got a new image and a new attitude. She doesn’t want to win anymore. She's swimming for fun, no longer the freak who wins every race, every title, only to find herself alone.

But when her desire to be just one of the girls collides with her desire to be the best Two Rivers has ever seen, will Aerin sacrifice her new friendships to break a longstanding school record that comes with a $50,000 scholarship?

Excerpt:

Aunt Mags didn't say a word on the way to the high school and neither did I. We were up and out too early for anything more than, "Got everything?" "Uh huh," and "Let's go." We'd left the house before her first cup of coffee and she was not in a talkative mood. 

It was just after dawn, the moon still visible as the sun peeked out over the horizon. A chill in the air hinted at summer's end. I regretted leaving my sweatshirt behind, although after swim practice the sun would be shining and we'd be back to the mid-August heat.

We arrived at the school and a deserted parking lot. Mags parked her minivan at the athletics entrance.

"Are you sure it starts at 6:45?" she asked.

"Positive," I said.

She yawned. "Looks like you're the first one here."

"I doubt it." 

Today was the first day of swim season. Tryouts started at 7 a.m. The coach had instructed all wannabe swimmers to be on the pool deck no later than 6:45. My experience as a varsity athlete told me that anyone with any degree of competitiveness had already arrived. I had five minutes to spare.

"Want me to walk in with you?" Mags asked.

My horror at her suggestion must have been all over my face, because she said, "Sorry. Having a teenager is new to me. My girls would beg me to walk them into that big, scary building." We looked at the three-story hodgepodge put together to house Two Rivers High School.

"I can take it from here." I was sure I'd remember the meandering route to the pool area from the tour we took when we registered for my senior year.

She still looked anxious. "Sure you're all right?"

"Don't worry. I've got this routine down pat." Two Rivers would be my third high school. I played the role of new girl so well I deserved an Oscar.

I opened the door and hopped out. "Don't hang around waiting for me to call for a ride home," I said, reaching back to grab my bag. "I'm not sure when I'll get out, and I don't want to mess up your day. I'm okay to walk." 

Aunt Mags nodded, and I shut the door.

"Don't forget we're going back-to-school shopping later on," she said through the open window.

"Got it."

"Go get 'em, Aerin." She gave me a thumbs-up.

I shot her a grin, hoisted my bag over my shoulder, and went off to join the Two Rivers High School Girls Varsity Swim and Dive Team.

***

Minutes later, I stood on the pool deck with an odd blend of girls vying to earn a place on the team. I spotted the usual huddle of newbies benched together at the far end of the bleachers, glancing at each other nervously and at the seasoned swimmers with something like awe. On the opposite end were the members of last year's championship team, all wearing team T-shirts and chatting like old pals, ignoring everyone else. In the middle was a bunch who looked like they wanted to go back to bed, the ones whose parents pushed them into a sport and who chose swimming because we did it indoors and it looked easy. Most of them wouldn't make it.

I found a place to stand against the wall and blocked out the curious glances shot my way, using the time before practice began to check out my surroundings. Aunt Mags had said the natatorium, built just a few years ago, was state-of-the-art. 

Banners hung from the rafters and on clean white walls, touting the team's success, and an enormous leaderboard listed all of their champions and their accomplishments.

A wall of windows on the farthest side and a ceiling loaded with skylights filled the room with light. 

The six-lane pool had blue and white flags and lane lines, and the Trailblazers logo – a torch - was laid out in blue tiles on the bottom. 

The floor tiles were a mosaic of white and three shades of blue. 

The air was thick with the smell of chlorine.

I checked my expression, not wanting anyone to catch me gaping over the finest natatorium of any team I'd joined. The thought of swimming in it, of calling it "home" for the next few months caused a thrill of excitement in my belly. Around me, the other girls talked and laughed, none of them seeming to appreciate the beauty of the pool and the privilege to use it.

"Good morning girls." A man's voice cut through the chatter, and each girl sat up at attention. "Let's get started."

The voice belonged to an older man with bushy white hair and bifocals, dressed in the school's colors: navy blue shorts and a white polo shirt. Coach Steven Dudash. I hadn't met him yet – he was out of the building when my father and I visited the high school – but Maggie and her husband, Pat, gave him high praise. He'd coached the Two Rivers boys and girls swim teams for more than twenty years, and they were both winning teams. 

He pulled a chair behind him, positioned it in front of the bleachers, sat down, and organized the pile of paperwork on his clipboard. "Good morning," he said again, studying us over the rim of his bifocals. "I'm happy to see last year's team back for another year. And welcome to those of you here for the first time. I'm glad you decided to give us a try."

He took a swig from an extra tall cup of coffee before continuing. "For those of you new to the team, meet Coach Denise." He gestured toward the young woman who accompanied him. "She's my daughter. I coached her for six years when she swam for Two Rivers and got her name on the leaderboard." 

I checked out the leaderboard and saw she held the record in the 200 IM and the 100 breaststroke. Good creds. 

"This is her second year as assistant coach," he said. "She did a terrific job last year so I invited her back."

The young blonde smiled at him and the swimmers cheered.

"Yay Coach D!" a few seniors shouted.

"It's great to be back," she said. "Ready to win another championship?"

The shouts and applause were deafening. 

"During the next two weeks," Coach said when the noise died down, "you'll all be working hard, doing drills both in the pool and in the weight room, four hours a day, six days a week. During the season, you'll be practicing from after school until five or six every weekday, and four hours on Saturday. Sunday is a resting day. And, of course, you will compete in swim meets at least twice a week. So, if you don't think you can make it through the first two weeks, you might as well leave now." He paused, waiting for anyone to opt out before we even got started. No one moved.

"Okay," he continued. "Most of you know that Two Rivers won the Division Championship last year, and the two years before. I plan to win again. When we do, and I say when, not if, we will be the first team in the division to ever win four consecutive division titles."

Last year's team broke out in wild applause and cheers. Coach waited for the outburst to die down before he continued.

"I need performers," he said, "swimmers who aren't afraid to push themselves, to try new things and discover where they best support the team. So, in practice you're all going to swim every stroke, you're all going to swim distance, and you're all going to swim sprints. Each person will do all she can to defend our title."

Silence filled the pool deck as the girls looked each other over, wondering where each would fit in.

"That's the good news." He paused for effect. No worries. He had everyone's riveted attention. "But I've got some bad news. For years, the school board has been supportive of our team, and we've reciprocated by working as serious athletes and turning in winning records. Most years, the team can support as many as thirty-eight swimmers. This year, due to a budget crisis in our school district, our funds have been cut, and I can only put twenty-eight girls on the team."

Raised eyebrows and shocked inhalations followed this bit of news. I counted bodies: thirty-six.

"Yeah, eight of you will be cut, either at the end of this week or the end of next. Anyone want to leave now?"

Again, no one moved.

Coach Dudash smiled. "I like your level of commitment. Let's see if you can keep it under pressure."

He spent the next half hour reviewing team policies and the season's schedule. I'd heard such talks before from other coaches and tuned him out while I studied the other girls, trying to figure out what their positions might be. 

Most of them focused on Coach's every word, but last year's champs ignored him and whispered among themselves. One of them, a lanky girl with sun-bleached hair and a killer tan, looked over the group of wannabes and held up her fingers one to five, scoring them, I guess, on whether or not they had a chance. Her friends snickered, trying to act as if they were paying attention to Coach instead of fooling around. 

At last, the lanky girl's frosty blue eyes rested on me, and I met her gaze straight on. We stared at each other for a few seconds before she looked away first, then held up three fingers. It seemed she was ambivalent. I could go either way.

I was ambivalent too. I joined this crowd as a walk-on, someone with no history with the team and questionable ability. In their eyes, I was no better than a wannabe who needed to prove herself to gain a spot on the team and the other girls' respect. 

I showed up because it's what I did at the start of every school year. Swimming was my only sport, and I was good at it. Really good. Still, I almost skipped tryouts today. The truth was, I didn't have the energy to join a new team, in a new school, for the third time. If anyone found out I’d won championship titles in club and varsity last year they'd expect great things from me, and I didn't want the pressure. Swimming was no longer the focus of my life. It was my therapy, and I wouldn't let anyone mess that up. 

The glimmer of challenge in the way the lanky girl looked at me caused a stirring in my gut, and I shot it down. I didn't come here to get involved in any personal challenges. I came here to swim, and not make any waves. My plan was to get through the senior year and go away to college, away from my troubles, and on to a new life that I could control.

Purchase Links:

Swim Season is currently only available on Amazon in Kindle and paperback.

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Amazon Canada

Amazon Australia

About the Author:

During swim season, you can find Marianne Sciucco, a dedicated Swim Mom for ten years, at one of many Skyline Conference swim meets, cheering for her daughter Allison and the Mount Saint Mary College Knights. Marianne is not a nurse who writes but a writer who happens to be a nurse. A lover of words and books, she dreamed of becoming an author when she grew up but became a nurse to avoid poverty. She later brought her two passions together and writes about the intricate lives of people struggling with health and family issues. Her debut novel Blue Hydrangeas, an Alzheimer's love story, is a Kindle bestseller; IndieReader Approved; a BookWorks featured book; and a Library Journal Self-e Selection. She also has two short stories available on Kindle, Ino's Love and Collection. A native Bostonian, Marianne lives in New York's Hudson Valley, and when not writing works as a campus nurse at a community college.

Why did I write a book about girls' varsity swimming? 

An interview with Marianne Sciucco

Connect with Marianne Sciucco:

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Swim Season Launches November 1! Announcing my blog tour!

New Release Spotlight: Competing With the Star, Young Adult Fiction by Krysten Lindsay Hager

This week I'm participating in the Spread Some Indie Love Blog Tour hosted by Debdatta Dasgupta Sahay, a book addict from India, b00k r3vi3ws. The tour's mission is to spotlight indie authors. I chose to spotlight fellow Clean Indie Reads author Krysten Lindsay Hager, author of the Landry's True Colors and The Star Series. Krysten's a frequent guest on Adventures in Publishing. I love her Young Adult novels that are full of contemporary story lines and good feels. Read on to learn more about her newest release Competing With the Star, book two in The Star series,  then follow the rest of the tour to discover some exciting indie authors. On Twitter? We're at #SpreadSomeIndieLove. Last but not least, I'm raffling off a copy of my soon-to-be-released Young Adult sports novel Swim Season. Enter the drawing at the end of this post. Now, here's Krysten!

Hadley Daniels’s life seems perfect…

Before the beginning of sophomore year of high school, Hadley and her family move to a beautiful beach town, where she makes amazing new friends and lands the boyfriend of her dreams—Nick Jenkins. He’s the kind of guy every girl swoons over, and it isn’t long until Hadley discovers some are still swooning.

A famous ex-girlfriend makes matters more complicated…

After some time dating, Hadley and Nick form a deep bond. But insecurity sets in when Hadley discovers her boyfriend once had a huge crush on her friend—who just happens to be the beautiful former teen TV star, Simone Hendrickson.

The past is the past—or so they say…

Hadley confronts Nick, who confesses about his history with Simone. Though he claims to only have eyes for Hadley now, it’s hard to believe—especially when she’s blindsided with the news that Nick and Simone kissed after school.

Now Hadley must determine who is telling the truth. Love, betrayal, friendship…who needs soap opera drama when you’re busy competing with a star?

Excerpt

Two days passed and Nick hadn’t called again. I couldn’t blame him. After all, I had pushed for him to be honest and then had bailed on him. I’m sure he was mad at me for telling him he could tell me the truth and then I punished him for it—and he would be right. I couldn’t handle the icky feelings, and instead of being a big girl and dealing with them, I came home from school and retreated into the world of books. A world where people were kidnapped, jewels were stolen, but nobody’s heart ever got broken because in my favorite series, The Raven Chronicles, Raven’s boyfriend, Fernando, was ever faithful and loyal and would never even look at another girl. He was the perfect book boyfriend. In other words, he was fictional and didn’t exist.

About the Author

Krysten Lindsay Hager is an obsessive reader and has never met a bookstore she didn’t like. She’s worked as a journalist and humor essayist, and writes for teens, tweens, and adults. She is the author of the Landry’s True Colors Series and her work has been featured in USA Today and named as Amazon’s #1 Hot New Releases in Teen & Young Adult Values and Virtues Fiction and Amazon’s #1 Hot New Releases in Children’s Books on Values. She’s originally from Michigan and has lived in South Dakota, Portugal, and southwestern Ohio. She received her master’s degree from the University of Michigan-Flint.

Connect with Krysten

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What readers are saying about Competing with the Star:

From Reader’s Favorite:

Competing With The Star is the continuation of Krysten Lindsay Hager's epic YA drama series, The Star Series. Through a captivating plot, amazing character development, and Krysten'sflawless writing, the story captures the true essence of the drama, confusion, and emotional high that is teenage romance. It brings to life the beauty of YA romance with all its uncertainties and possibilities. In the midst of all the drama, confusion, and romance, the story also gives off a beautiful and serene sense of family. I especially loved how the book dived into the story right away, and captured the genuine feeling of the story down to details, language, and interaction between the characters. Lovers of YA romance will definitely love The Star Series.

From Katie’s Clean Book Collection:

Oh, the feels! Krysten Lindsay Hager has a way of drawing me right back to my high school days with her writing--feelings and all. This book is a continuation of Next Door to a Star. Hadley is now settling in and a new boyfriend, Nick, really helps her feel like she belongs. What girl hasn't felt insecure at one time or another when trying to figure out if "he loves me, he loves me not?" Hadley is real. She has real struggles, real strengths, real reactions, and real emotions. Nick once had a crush on former TV star, Simone, and although Simone swears her friendship with Hadley means more to than anything, but oftentimes, actions speak louder than words and Simone is an actress...

Nick is a great boyfriend, especially for a first relationship, as he and Hadley have a lot in common. Many assumptions lead to drama and realizations as Hadley, Nick, and their friends try and navigate the confusing roads of teenage life. I love how this story seems to unfold like a TV show--easy to picture and imagine. The characters and situations are vibrant, almost leaping off the pages and I felt like I was either a fly on the wall or a silent friend, sitting smack in the thick of it. I love the dynamics and can't wait for more to the story!

Purchase Competing With the Star

Amazon Kindle
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Amazon UK
Barnes & Noble

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New Release: Her Imaginary Husband by Lia London

New teacher Nikki Fallon is trying to ward off unwanted advances from the hunky football coach. She should...

a) slap him silly.

b) report him for harassment.

c) invent an imaginary husband.

Excerpt:

 

Coach laughed and took a step back. “So, you have plans this weekend?"

Is Gayle right? Does he flirt with all the women? Dang, he smells good.

“I was thinking I could show you some of the more intimate bars in Eastmont.” He leaned his elbow on the roof of the car, pulling his polo shirt taut across his pecs. His whole aura exuded virility, and it sucked all the moisture from Nikki’s mouth. A date sure would be a nice change. And he’s mighty hunky.

Something twinkling in his eyes set off a warning alarm in her brain.

“Uh.” Nikki searched the parking lot for some clue of an excuse.

Just then Officer Ross rolled up in his security patrol car and lowered his window. “Everything okay here? This is a no loitering zone, you know,” he said with a mock-serious tone. “The Friday before Labor Day, this place should be empty.”

“We’re all fine, Officer,” said Coach. He clenched his jaw and ran his fingers through his hair. “Just making plans for the weekend.”

“Oh?” Ross glanced at Nikki.

“We’re not making plans together.” She waved her arms between them. “We were just talking.”

“Right. What?” Coach looked off-balance for a moment.

“Pretty soon you’ll be married to your work here.” Ross smiled sympathetically in the way all the teachers did when they implied her life was about to be forfeit to endless grading and committee meetings.

Married. Did he say married? Nikki had a brain flash. “Yes, actually! My husband’s taking me out tonight to celebrate my new job really starting.”

“Your husband?” Coach coughed.

“Isn’t he sweet?” She grinned and bounced on her heels like a giddy teen girl. “He’s always doing such thoughtful things for me.”

“I didn’t know you were married.”

“Oh yes. Newlyweds. You know how it is.” Nikki winked knowingly. Starting her engine, Nikki beamed up at Coach. “Well, good-bye. Have a great weekend!”

And just like that, Nikki was married.

  

Available on Amazon.

I had the pleasure of being an early reader for Her Imaginary Husband. It's a cute romantic comedy, a perfect quick read for a snowy evening. 

About the Author 

Lia London was a high school English teacher. When her son was born, London came home to stay, and has since written several books in a variety of genres. In addition to writing, she is the creator and curator of Clean Indie Reads, a book blog featuring “Flinch-Free” fiction by her esteemed peers. She lives happily with her real live husband (a teacher) and two children (teens), a dog and a cat. She loves jazz music, Taekwondo, and milk chocolate. For more information on her books, please visit Lia London Books