January 9, 2025
***
Author Rob Skead interviewed with Paul Semendinger.
Here is the interview. ENJOY!
***
Please tell our readers a little about yourself and, of course, your books.
I just turned 60 and still don’t feel like a grown up. I guess that’s why I enjoy writing stories for children, but they are done in a manner so adults will enjoy them too. In fact, a big segment of middle grade readers are grownups.
My books are about sports and the American Revolution, my most recent being The Batboy and the Unbreakable Record, which features the tale of Johnny Vander Meer’s back-to-back no hitters.
I am also a Yankees fan, although I will admit I don’t watch every inning of every game like I did as a kid. And my favorite player is Bobby Murcer.
What do you most enjoy about writing?
The creative process. Getting inspired by the nugget of a “What if?” idea, and then praying and seeing the story come to life in my imagination and getting in into my computer. I see action and hear dialogue and capture it. Characters come to life. I have an outline always but sometimes I don’t even know what will happen next, then I take a brief walk around the house, grab a snack, and come back to my computer and I know what happens. I think that is all Divine.
Do you have any current writing projects you are working on? Can you tell us about them?
My next book launches in February 2025. It is my first fantasy story and my first written in the first person. I wrote it that way as a challenge to myself to see if I could having never attempted fantasy or first person before. I read lots of first-person middle grade books to get that “voice” in my head and studied how it’s done, then I went after it. It’s called Legend of the Narwhals…
I summarize it this way… A quest for truth with snow monsters, narwhals, a betrayal, a narwhal tusk that shoots lightning-like fire—and a Viking prince.
Why are people so drawn to baseball and its stories, legends, and people?
That’s my favorite part of baseball… the stories and legends. I think that’s why I enjoy watching Yankeeography or reading a baseball book rather than even watching a game. I am drawn to the lore and nostalgia of the past and the people.
Baseball has underdogs, overcomers, and glorious colorful characters (like Babe Ruth, Casey Stengel, etc.) and amazing heartwarming stories (the Lou Gehrig speech is why we have the Pride of the Yankees movie). It’s the hardest game to play, which is why so many kids stop playing because they can’t handle failure. But that hardship is what brings out the moments and character.
What is your favorite baseball book?
I had to look at my bookshelf to answer this because I have so many I love. The answer is Casey at the Bat, a picture book by Handprint books with amazing art by Christopher Bing. It’s from 2000 and should be in every baseball book collection. Trust me---it’s beautiful. My second favorite baseball book is The Quality of Courage by Mickey Mantle.
Outside of baseball, what is your favorite book and/or who is your favorite author? (You can list as many as you wish.)
Again, I am an avid reader of all genres. Here’s my list:
· The Holy Bible (favorite book and author)
· A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
· The Robe by Lloyd Douglas
· Rainbow Six by Tom Clancy
· Lions of Lucerne by Brad Thor
· The Terminal List by Jack Carr
· The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien
· Santa Calls by William Joyce
· Kringle by Tony Abbott
· The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson
· A Peculiar Service by Corey Ford
I love to talk about the Baseball Hall of Fame. Which former Yankee most deserves to be elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame?
Great question. If Thurman Munson lived and played longer, I must believe he would be there easily. I’m going with him even with his shortened career.
What is the greatest baseball movie of all time? (Yes, you can list a few!)
I’ve had this list in my heart for years.
1. The Natural
2. Pride of the Yankees
3. Field of Dreams (it all leads to the catch scene which is the heart warmer)
4. The Sandlot
What is your favorite baseball memory?
Going to Bobby Murcer’s Baseball School in Fort Lauderdale Yankee Stadium, when I was a junior in high school in 1981. It was the first of its kind. It was for serious players. To play where the Yankees had spring training and be taught by Murcer, Cerrone, Pinella, Charley Lau and others was incredible.
Years later, I met Bobby and his wife at his book signing in NYC. I brought my son and we had alone time with them in the green room at B&N, and got to talk about the camp and his faith. It was a great day for me and for my son to meet my boyhood baseball hero.
Please share anything else you'd like with our audience.
My second favorite baseball memory would be making the Farleigh Dickinson University baseball team as a walk on in 1983 (freshman year). I only played one season of college ball (though walk ons don’t play much) but it was fun and my teammates were awesome.
Those interested can find some of my baseball muses and short stories at my blog:
