As you can see, I’ve been a bit … um, let’s say delinquent in keeping this site up to date.
That won’t last forever. Once I have a new book (or a new edition) to talk about, I’ll crank it back up.
But in the meantime, let’s talk football. Find me on Twitter. We’ll have a conversation. It’ll be fun.
You know how you’ve been dying to get your hands on a signed copy of the new, updated, expanded, extra awesome second edition of Tom Brady vs. the NFL?
You’re in luck. Or at least you are if you’re within striking distance of one of my upcoming events.
I’ve added three events over the last week or so. You can get details, links for directions, and all of that stuff on the events page.
Here are the basics.
Saturday, October 8, Barnes & Noble in Burlington, Mass.
Saturday, November 19, Barnes & Noble, Bellingham, Mass.
Saturday, December 17, Barnes & Noble, Hingham, Mass.
I’m excited about all of these for a variety of reasons.
Burlington will be the first time I get out there with there with this new edition. I’m pretty proud of this book, so I’m looking forward to talking to readers about it. This event also comes on the eve of Brady’s return to the field following his ridiculous, wholly unwarranted Deflategate suspension. So, you know, you can come out, pick up the book on Saturday morning/afternoon, jaw with me a bit about Brady’s return (or whatever’s on your mind), then go home and read up about the GOAT in preparation for watching him take out his frustrations on the Cleveland Browns the next day.
Oh, by the way, speaking of that Cleveland game, even though it’s an away game for the Patriots, you should plan to be at Gillette Stadium on Sunday. This game is the occasion for the New England Patriots Alumni Club‘s annual Game With The Greats, which is really something you don’t want to miss if you’re a serious Pats fan. If you’ve been to Game With The Greats in the past, you’re almost certainly already planning to go. If you haven’t been, you owe it to yourself to check it out. Check this out (it’s so cool): The event, which takes place in the very nice Putnam Club East, starts two hours before kickoff — so 11 a.m. — which gives you plenty of time meet and get autographs from some of your favorite former Patriots players. I don’t want to list names, because I’m not sure who’ll be there (NEPAC typically posts some names on their Facebook page in the days before the event), but there are always a bunch of guys you’ll be amazed to have had a chance to meet. And, because someone always asks when I talk about this event, none of the alums charge for signatures at this event. Then you watch the game with these guys on the giant screen TVs in the club. And Pete Brock draws tickets for really great raffle prizes during the commercial breaks and at halftime. All proceeds from the event, by the way, support the NEPAC’s work with youth sports groups in New England. I never miss Game With The Greats. You shouldn’t either. (If you’re coming, bring a copy of one of my books, find me, and I’ll sign it for you. It’ll be the least thrilling thing that happens to you all day, but it will make me feel good. And isn’t that what life is really all about?)
Bellingham will mark a sort of homecoming for me. I grew up two towns over in Milford, and in high school had lots of friends from Bellingham. (Maybe I worked with you at the Big D. If not, maybe I bagged your groceries there. Or your family’s groceries. I hope I didn’t break the eggs. Or if I did — because I probably did — I hope sometime over the last 33 years or so, you’ve found it in your heart to forgive me.) This is as close to my hometown as I’ve ever got for an event open to the public, and probably as close as I’m likely to get, so I’m pretty psyched about it. Maybe I’ll see some familiar faces.
Hingham is a really, really cool event. You’ve got to get there if you’re a fan of the Patriots or the Bruins — or if you have Boston sports fans on your holiday gift list. In addition to me, you’ll have a chance to meet Erik Frenz, author of the brand new Bill Belichick vs. the NFL and Boston Globe NHL reporter Fluto Shinzawa, whose book The Big 50: Boston Bruins will be published in November. This should be a lot of fun. I know I’ve been excited about Erik’s book for some time (and, no, not just because I’m the creator of Triumph Books‘ person vs. sport/league book series concept — it’s mostly because Erik’s a fine writer and his book focuses on one of my favorite subjects). And Fluto’s a hell of a reporter and writer, so you know his book is going to be a great read.
Keep in mind, a signed book makes a great holiday gift.
Plan to come out. Familiar face or new friend, it’ll be great to see you.
You didn’t even know I was working on an updated, expanded second edition of Tom Brady vs. the NFL, did you?
Of course not. Because I didn’t tell you. That’s partly because I have this thing where I don’t like to talk about a book until it’s done. And it’s partly because I’m sometimes not so great at the whole having a web site thing.
But, hey, here we go. There’s a second edition. And I’m pretty psyched about it. Books have shipped. Amazon’s selling and shipping copies now. (Probably some other online retailers are, too, though Barnes & Noble isn’t quite yet.) And they’ll probably start showing up on the shelves at brick and mortar stores any day now.
Here’s what the awesome new cover looks like.
And now you’re wondering, other than the much better cover (not that the old one was bad; this one’s just better) how’s the second edition different from the first?
It’s the updated and expanded thing. This new edition includes:
So there you go. Get out there and buy a copy. You know you want one. (By the way, so does your dad. And your sister-in-law. And … well, you know, everybody. And the holidays will be here soon enough.) Go.
I know. That doesn’t even pretend to rhyme.
Worse yet, there’s no fair. Just shopping centers.
But they’re both very nice shopping centers, with awesome book stores that have invited me in to sign copies of my books just for you. And if you come out, I can tell you that I’ll happily dance the hoochie-koochie. So there’s that.
OK, let’s get to it. Two events on tap. Come out. We’ll talk Patriots and playoffs. I’ll sign a book or two for you.
Saturday, January 9, Barnes & Noble in Holyoke, Massachusetts. I’ll be there from noon to 2 p.m.. That will give you plenty of time to get your Patriots fix while the team enjoys a wild card round bye — and get to wherever you like to watch football before the first game of the day, Chiefs-Texans, kicks off at 4:35 p.m.
Saturday, January 23, Barnes & Noble in Millbury, Massachusetts. It’s Conference Championship weekend, which means no games on Saturday. So you’ll stop over sometime between 2 and 4 p.m. and we’ll talk Patriots football — past and, with any luck, very near future.
For more info, including links to directions, head to my events page.
Otherwise, you know. I’ll look forward to seeing you at one of the events.
Forget that headline. It’s just my cynical attempt to win over Kojak fans. I’m like that.
Here’s the deal: I’ve got two great signing events coming up right here in my own back yard. Details, with times, links to directions, and all that, on my events page.
The first happens Saturday, December 19 at Barnes & Noble in Hadley. I had a great event at that store just a few weeks ago (the Saturday after Thanksgiving), but we ran out of books pretty early on. So they asked me to come back. I’ll be in the store starting at 2 p.m. Come on out and say hello. We’ll talk Patriots. And if you’ve got a Patriots fan or two on your holiday gift list, you’ll be in luck. Because a signed book makes an awesome gift.
Next up: Barnes & Noble in Holyoke at noon on Saturday, January 9. That will be the first day of Wild Card weekend, but the Pats almost certainly won’t be playing. (Yeah, yeah, yeah. I don’t believe in jinxes.) And the early game that day won’t start until after 4. So you come out, talk about the playoffs, grab a book or two with the gift card you picked up during the holidays, and get home (or to the bar) in time to take in some great postseason football.
See you out there.
Two exciting events to tell you about, one in my home market and another teaming up (again) with my friend and fellow author Richard King.
I’ll go chronologically.
This is great news for those who were unable to come out to see Rich and me at Trident Booksellers & Cafe November 3.
Rich and I will be reading, speaking and signing our respective books on Saturday, November 21 at Yellow Umbrella Books in Chatham, Mass. So there’s your excuse to spend a nice fall afternoon on Cape Cod.
If the Trident event set the tone, we’ll get a nice conversation going between me and Rich. I’ll talk about Patriots history and read from The New England Patriots Playbook. Rich will be talk about, and read from, his fantastic memoir, Meeting Tom Brady. We’ll do some Q&A. And we’ll sign books.
And, you know, as I’ve said before, come out even if you’re not a Patriots fan — or even a sports fan.
Why? Well, first of all Meeting Tom Brady is not a sports book. It’s not really even a book about being a sports fan, though it sometimes masquerades as one. It’s a book about facing middle age and mortality. It’s about wanting to understand oneself and ones passions. About allowing oneself to want something even as you try to understand your own desires. Rich is a terrific writer and he’s published a really fine book. So if you like that kind of thing, you know, you should come out.
And if you don’t love good writing, and you’re not a sports fan, you should still come out. Because the holidays are coming and I’ll bet you’ve got at least one Patriots fan on your gift list. As you may have heard me mention once or twice, a signed book makes a great gift.
A week after that, I’m down the street from home at Barnes & Noble, Hadley. That’s Saturday, November 28 at 2 p.m. I’m always excited to do an event in my home market. Love that I get to see friends. Love that I get to meet Patriots fans from Western Mass.
Break away from whatever it is you’ve got going on that afternoon and stop by to say hello, talk Pats, and pick up signed copies of Playbook and Tom Brady vs. the NFL for yourself and your favorite Patriots fans.
For contact info and links to directions, visit my events page.
Can’t wait to see you.
I can’t begin to express how excited I am about my upcoming dual event at Boston’s amazing Trident Booksellers & Cafe with my friend and fellow author Richard King.
Tuesday, November 3, 7 p.m.
I’ll be reading from The New England Patriots Playbook, talking about Patriots history.
Rich will be reading from and talking about his terrific memoir Meeting Tom Brady.
And I expect we’ll both answer some questions.
And then we’ll sign books. (Yes, I’ll sign Tom Brady vs. the NFL for you, too. Why wouldn’t I?)
Come out to say hello and talk Pats. Come out to pick up your copies of our books for your own library. Come out to grab some copies for your favorite Patriots fan. A signed book makes a great gift.
And if by some crazy chance you’re not a Pats fan (who are you?) and don’t have a Pats fan on your gift list, come out anyhow. Because here’s the secret: Rich’s book isn’t about the Patriots. It’s not a sports book. And it’s not a book written exclusively for sports fans (though any literate sports fan, regardless of team loyalty, would be making a huge mistake to pass on reading it). It’s a book about being human, about recognizing one’s own mortality, about having passions and having a drive to understand them, about wanting the unattainable. Rich is a hell of a writer and his book is an absolute joy to read. So come on out and meet him. (And, you know, bring that huge Pats fan wife, husband, sister or brother of yours along. I’ll distract them with another conversation about DeflateGate or the Super Bowl while you get to know Rich. It’ll be a win-win-win-win.)
Seriously, don’t miss this one. It’s gonna be a great night. I promise.
I’ve started making the rounds promoting The New England Patriots Playbook.
I’ve got some events scheduled, starting with a speaking/signing thing at the BU Bookstore tomorrow evening. For details on that and other upcoming events, check out my events page. Or you could always like my author page on Facebook or follow me on Twitter. (Both of those come with bonus features including loads of great stats, no shortage of snarky comments about football, and my live tweeting of Patriots games in which historic milestones are celebrated, key stats are shared, and opponents are poked fun at as warranted.)
I’ve also been out there in the electronic media.
Stopped by Fox 25 in Boston recently to talk to Tom Leyden about the book. I don’t have the segment that aired on Sports Wrap, but here’s the entire unedited interview.
Also spent time on the phone with Roland Lajoie of “Vermont Country Morning” on 93.9 WLVB-FM in Morrisville, Vermont. Here’s that’s spot.
There’s more on the way. Stay tuned.
Well, it’s at my house anyhow. Could show up at your local bookstore any time. Even though the official release date is September 1, once stores have it, they can sell it.
As I’ve noted before, The New England Patriots Playbook, updates Game Changers: The Greatest Plays In New England Patriots History with exciting new material. It also features a great new layout.
There are some fun new chapters that cover the biggest moments from the five years since Game Changers was published — right up to the amazing Malcolm Butler’s interception that cemented the Pats as Super Bowl XLIX champions. There’s new material on Gronk and Edelman. There’s additional material on Wes Welker and the disappointing end of his tenure with the Patriots.
There’s gorgeous photography and a bunch of play diagrams that weren’t in Game Changers. And it’s all in a nice new format that makes it easier to read and travel with than Game Changers. I’m pretty psyched.
Neither Amazon nor Barnes & Noble.com has made it available yet, though both are taking preorders.
When you see it out there on the shelves at your favorite bookstore (or in your local supermarket) drop me a line to let me know.
OK, I know the book everyone really wants me to update is Tom Brady vs. the NFL. I’m totally with all of you. And I promise it’ll get done as soon as we can convince Triumph Books that it needs to be done. (They don’t need to hear about it from me, by the way. I bug them about it regularly. They need to hear about it from you; you’re their customer. So maybe drop them a note.)
Still, I’m pretty excited that I’ve had a chance to update another of my books, one that remains a personal favorite — partly because it was so much fun to write and partly because it’s been so well received by readers.
Here’s the deal: This fall, Triumph will release The New England Patriots Playbook, which is an update, with exciting new material and a great new layout, of Game Changers: The Greatest Plays In New England Patriots History.
I’ve added new chapters and sidebars that cover the biggest moments from the five years since Game Changers was published — up to and including Malcolm Butler’s spectacular, game-winning interception at the end of Super Bowl XLIX. There are new pieces about Gronk and Edelman, and a final look at Wes Welker’s by turns amazing (mostly) and disappointing (at the exact wrong moment) time with the Patriots.
And Triumph has created a gorgeous new presentation for material old and new, including beautiful photography and a bunch of play diagrams. The format is more compact than Game Changers, so it’s easier to read (particularly if you do a lot of reading on the go) — and, as important, this format is perfect for e-readers.
It’s all very exciting.
And if you’re so inclined, you can pre-order (I don’t really like that phrase, but whatever) a paperback copy now on Amazon or Barnes & Noble.com.
Be sure to tell your friends.
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