FEATURED AUTHOR: Mike DeLucia - Sports Fiction Writer

Sports Fan? Discover  Multi-Award Winning, Sports Fiction Author, Mike DeLucia
and his latest release, MADNESS: The Man Who Changed Basketball


Who is Mike DeLucia, the man? Can you tell us something about yourself? 

I am an extremely driven and goal oriented individual; I do not watch TV or do much else besides working as a teacher, spending time with family and friends, and writing. I get up every morning at 4:00 am 365 days a year. I work in every spare minute I’m not occupied with people. When I drive, I either listen to a book on tape or think—no radio. I’ve had a live imagination ever since I could remember. Besides stories and problem solving, I envisioned numerous devices or concepts that came out on the market, years after I conceived of them: “Silent” alarm watch, visual baby monitors, blind spot elimination camera on cars, around 1978, the Superman roller coaster where the track is above the car and you get the feeling of flying (mine is better than the Great Flags model), mini tortilla chips/Ritz Bits—the whole mini snack market actually. I also have several ideas now that would be huge if they were able to come out, but I need investors like Shark Tank. 

I have a collection of stories that will take me into the next 10-15 years.

And who's the writer? We know you're an English teacher, but when did you decide to publish Madness and why? 

I began Madness as a screenplay when I was in my early twenties; I intended to use it “Stallone style,” so that I could act in it; I had every intention of being a film actor in those days. I learned about the story’s protagonist through my father, but when I did the research, I realized that this would be a perfect film. I decided to convert it into a historical fiction novel after I published my first book.

Why did you choose to write about Hank Luisetti and not Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant or some other basketball superstar? 

First of all I wanted to play the lead in the film, and, as an Italian kid, so I wouldn’t be able to play any of those guys. Plus none of those guys were around when I began writing. 

Another reason is that few people know that when basketball began, total scores rarely reached 40 points. Hank Luisetti was the first person to score 50 points in a game, and the innovator of the behind the back dribble and fluidity; he was the first modern basketball player who changed the game’s genetic blueprint.


What should readers expect when they read Madness? What would be their take away? 

That it’s similar to Rocky in the sense that Rocky wasn’t a boxing movie, as much as it was about character conflict and growth. 

Hank Luisetti is a three dimensional character battling conflicts, both external and internal, and all people can relate to that. It’s also a book that both males and females could appreciate.

How are you finding self-publishing? Is it hard to be an Indie Author? 

It’s wonderful and difficult. Without indie publishing, this story, and many like it, may never have been told. Traditional publishing takes away all of an unknown author’s control. You have to sign their deal or have no deal at all. However, having a publisher means that you can write much more. Publishers handle everything such as cover design, editing, formatting, publicity, budget, distribution etc. The indie author is responsible for all of those jobs. He or she has to be a writer and a businessperson. When wearing so many hats, an indie author invests much time in places other than a computer.  

Are you writing another book? Can you give us a sneak peek? What's it about? 

I have another book outlined, and it has the possibility of being a trilogy. It’s about baseball and has been bouncing around in my head for over twenty five years. This one is fiction.  

If you could talk to a Luisetti descendant, what would you say to them? 

Hank Luisetti is one of my heroes.  

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Available in eBook and Paperback


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