You’ll Love This Novel, No Baseball Knowledge Required

No-Spoilers Book Preview

The Fat Lady’s Low, Sad Song
by Brian Kaufman

I read an advance copy of this novel, and despite not knowing much about baseball, was drawn in by the realistic, well-drawn characters, the humor, and the increasing tension surrounding the question “will they or won’t they?” Will the team prevail during this unusual season? Will Parker and Courtney become more than friends?

Logline
An over-the-hill first baseman and a female pitcher lead a misfit team to minor league glory.***

Tagline
She’s gorgeous, and he’s having the season of his life.

Jacket cover
Courtney Morgan is a female knuckle-ball pitcher trying to break into professional baseball. Parker Westfall is an aging slugger with one last chance at the ultimate carrot – a spot on a major-league roster. Together, they’ll try to change a losing team’s fortunes on their way to the big show.

But when tragedy strikes, will their dreams still matter? The Fat Lady’s Low, Sad Song is about what it means to be part of a team, and part of a community in the heartbreaking world of minor league ball.

What’s Different
A baseball novel with characters I care about. I love rooting for the underdog, and Parker Westfall plays that part in this realistic portrayal of minor league baseball with a tinge of romance.

It’s easy to see why Kirkus Reviews called it “an entertaining, sweetly atmospheric baseball story” and won accolades from Jean Hastings, co-author of Making My Pitch: A Woman’s Baseball Odyssey: “Refreshing and real. Read it and weep for all of us who love the game of baseball beyond reason.”

What’s Awesome
The abundant humor in dialogue among the motley crew baseball team; the budding friendship between Parker and Courtney despite her prickliness; and the tenderness with which Parker treats the minor league team’s fans. Summer is the perfect time to dive into this novel! It’s a winner.

Excerpt (from Chapter XV)

“There are two theories on hitting the knuckleball. Unfortunately, neither of them works.”
– Charley Lau

“I want you to pitch to me.” Parker tries to keep his voice casual.

“You want what?” Courtney asks. The sun is in her eyes. She squints at him under her ball cap, her hands on her hips.

“I want to see your pitch.”

“Why?”

Parker starts to answer, but the truth isn’t flattering. If the girl doesn’t have a pitch, then she was hired as a publicity stunt. If she has a pitch, then she is being mishandled. Either way, Parker’s request is going to make her angry. “Just throw to me, please. As a favor.”

Her mouth tightens, but she nods and heads to the mound.

Author Bio
Brian Kaufman is the curriculum editor for an online community college. In other universes, he is a pro wrestler, a radio talk show host, a heavy metal guitarist. In this universe, he lives with his wife and dog in the Colorado mountains, writing novels and avoiding moderation or any pretense of maturity.

Visit him at www.AuthorBrianKaufman.com and www.darksilopress.wordpress.com and follow him on Facebook.

(***quoted from Kirkus Reviews)

Katherine Valdez is an award-winning author who writes as KatValdezWriter at Zathom.com.

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