A book review from author Lynn Plourde

 

 

This YA novel, SING ON, MAINE UNITED!, by Rich Kent surprised me in the best way. It truly was so much more than a soccer book. Soccer is...well, okay. But when a #Maine author/teacher/coach showcases Maine kids taking their Maine spirit, talents, humor, kindness, and resourcefulness to England in 1989, I was hooked. Well-developed characters, tragedies and triumphs, laugh-out-loud teen humor, and the engaging journey of how a divided team becomes a *united* team. p.s. for teens and their grown-ups. 

 

 

Pitching a friend’s book on Facebook

Hiking with Anna

 

Maggie’s license

 

I like this tag because it fills in a rescuer what sweet Maggie may need. 

Sing On, Maine United! Video ad

 

Book launch

 Finally…

Click on post to go to website.

Still hiking

 Maggie has anaplasmosis, a tick-borne illness. She has been sick for 7 days but feels a little better. Today, she started doxycycline… she’ll be on the drug for a month. Fun! 

Yesterday, we took a 4.5 mile hike and Maggie did well. It was our first hike in 6 days.  Today, we hiked Mystery Mountain. I was dragging but Maggie had good energy. Maybe I should try her drugs. 

Birthday Girl, October 8th

Maggie turned one. I ordered a pricy smoked bone ($28) and my house smells like a BBQ joint in Texas. But, the pup is happy... wicked happy. And that's all that matters. Happy Birthday, Sweetie.

Hiking Lollapalooza @ Sunday River

 We had a great fall day hiking. I couldn’t imagine a more glorious day. 

Promotional material

New version

                                                                               First Version 

It’s amazing how long it takes to compose promotional material… Click on flyer to expand. 

Hiking and Writing

HIKING & WRITING. We’ve had a pretty good summer of hiking—Maggie’s an absolute machine. I’ve also had fun finishing a novel that I started in 2016 😳and worked on by fits and starts these past nine years. If that sounds like a long time, it is. More on that below. First, here’s where the idea for the book came from:  

Over a thirteen-year period during the 1980s and 1990s, I organized and coached, along with a staff of friends, thirty state select soccer teams of 500 Maine kids. The teams played and toured in England. I’ve taken that remarkable experience and fictionalized one team’s tour in April of 1989. ⚽️

For the past 32 years I’ve been writing education books and articles as well as books and articles for coaches, athletes, and researchers. Writing this novel has been a challenge, but I had help from colleagues and friends along the way, and they’re mentioned in the book’s acknowledgments. It’s a young adult novel for ages 13 and up. I hope Sing On, Maine United! will be out this fall. Stay tuned and thanks.

Mystery Mountain-Plus

 We hiked Mystery up in Rumford Point. I hadn’t planned to do the whole thing, but one foot followed another, and there you are on the final cliff. My favorite pictures from the afternoon: