We are working with Jack Rightmyer -- an author, teacher, parent, runner -- who has proposed a book tentatively titled "Sports - A Family Affair."  Jack got into road racing when he was in high school.  Here is a report on his first races many years ago:

 

 Having run quite a few high school track races by that time, I wasn’t prepared for the Mardi Gras spirit of a road race.  I lined up in the middle of the pack, with a bunch of old sweaty guys and waited for the gun to sound.  When it went off we jogged down the road, which was littered with hundreds of potholes.  After a few minutes it began to empty a bit in front of me, and I could really start to run.

I began moving by many people to my right and left.  About two miles into the race we ran by a bar “The Ale House,” and there were some patrons already out on the street holding their beers aloft and cheering us on.  And this was 10:30 in the morning!  This stuff never happened in a high school race.

 

At the halfway mark we had to run around a cone in the center of the road and then go in the opposite direction.  I couldn’t believe how many runners were behind me.  I kept feeling stronger and stronger and when I could finally see the downtown section of Troy I knew we were just about at the finish.  And that’s when I heard a loud roar go up.  Were the spectators cheering for me?  I didn’t think I had a fan club in Troy.  I didn’t even know anyone in Troy.  

 

I could now see the finish line banner stretching across the road and blowing in the wind.  That was the end.  Only two hundred more yards!  The sidewalks were crowded with spectators.  I got up on my toes and began sprinting.  There were a few more runners I could pass.  Spectators love seeing runners sprint it in at the finish.  But why were these spectators waving and smiling?

 

And that’s when Captain Video pulled up next to me.  He was wearing a bright green fluorescent wig, with green tights, a green cape that spelled out Captain Video with sparkly stars and he was holding a wand and waving it at the spectators.  Who or what was this guy?  There was no way I was going to let Captain Video beat me in my first road race.  I put my head down and tried to run as quickly as possible.  I had to get to that finish line before this running freak, this abomination, this embarrassment.  He stayed with me stride for stride, and he was waving to the crowd at the same time.  I wanted to disappear.  If he beat me I’d never be able to walk through these streets of Troy ever again.  Only fifty yards left.  Keep pumping those arms.  Go! Go! Go!

 

But right at the end, with a sudden burst of speed, Captain Video exploded by me and through the finish line.  His cape kept blowing in my face as we moved through the chute, and the local TV stations at the race made sure to film this marvelous green mystery man, but I tried to slink away to my parents who were carrying my sweats, hat and gloves.

 

“Good race, Jack,” said my dad.  “You beat a lot of runners.”

 

“Here, get your sweats on, Jack,” said my mom.  She was concerned that I was going to drop dead from hypothermia.

 

“Captain Video has a fast sprint,” said my dad stifling a laugh.

 

I tried really hard not to smile.  “Let’s get out of here,” I said.

 

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 Photo by Clara S

We are always looking for new book projects which fit into our niche.  Particularly, we are interested in regional cycling or hiking titles which will have the potential for ongoing sales.  We do not publish fiction, children's books, or travel stories -- our focus is on how-to fitness books.  We like to work with authors early in the process so that not only do we start off with clear expectations (no, you’re not probably getting on Oprah) but also jointly develop a product that will be commercially successful. We look at publishing as a partnership involving ourselves and the author.  Although it states in our publishing contract that we reserve the right to make the final decision on the selling price, cover design, etc, we always work closely with authors throughout the project.

Basic Material
Tell us what the book is about in a few paragraphs. Why is it important that such a book be published?  When you submit a proposal, it should not only have a summary of the work, a table of contents, and perhaps a sample chapter, but you should outline your qualifications and knowledge of the market.  What’s the audience?  What’s the competition?  What do you plan to do as an author to promote the book.  It’s essential that authors recognize that their role in marketing, along with excellent writing and content, is the key to successful book projects.

Existing Books
If you are the author of a fitness book that’s finished its publication run and your publisher has no plans to go back to print, run it by us if you feel it still has commercial appeal.  We sometimes revive dormant books that have a market -- as a small publisher we can live with small steady sales if the book is still viable.

The Package
I recommend email queries to dick@vitessepress.com with enough information to make a decision on whether to explore the project in more detail.  There’s no need to send the whole book but err on the side of too much rather than too little.  Anything additional you can tell such as whether you have maps or photos, how far the manuscript is along, what the page count is, helps us get a sense of how ready to go you are.

So, look over our short list of titles.  Do you have a book that might fit?  Let us know.