Commercial Fiction
Date Published: February 23, 2023
Publisher: Acorn Publishing
In the twilight of his NFL career as a middle linebacker for the Chicago Storm, Mike “the Steelman” Stalowski masks his physical pain and mental anguish with alcohol and painkillers. The fan favorite has a rebel image and a notorious reputation, and he plays a violent gridiron game fueled by inner rage.
While estranged from his wife and living in the fishbowl environment of professional sports, he unexpectedly meets the fresh-out-of-college Kim Richardson. She sees through Mike’s star persona to who he really is—a kind guy from the Southeast Side of Chicago who has never forgotten his humble blue-collar roots. The lives of the star-crossed, seemingly mismatched couple collide during a whirlwind romance that culminates in a tragic series of events.
The Walk-On is a timeless tale of love and loss that explores the consequences of personal decisions and the rewards of faith, redemption, and hope.
Early Reviews
“An interesting read where star linebacker Mike Stalowski confronts the inevitable challenges every NFL player faces as they transition to their post-football life. His experiences may seem exaggerated, but they are still very real.”
Gary Fencik, Chicago Bears, Super Bowl XX Champion
“Despite his NFL fame and bad-boy attitude and antics, I empathized with the humble guy from a blue-collar background fighting painful emotional and physical demons. . .Ultimately, The Walk-On is an incredible story of love and loss, with faith and mentorship fostering hope for the future.”
Bill Rancic, Author of the New York Times bestseller, You’re Hired
“Just like the protagonist’s very fast sports car, The Walk-On will leave you, from the very first paragraph, just a little breathless as you navigate all the sharp turns that come fast and furious at the reader. . .”
Jean Becker, Author of the New York Times bestseller, The Man I Knew: The Amazing Story of George H. W. Bush's Post-Presidency
“The Walk-On is a fascinating story of self-sabotage and redemption. A page-turner!!!!”
Mary Pat Kelly, Bestselling author of Galway Bay, Of Irish Blood, and Irish Above All
Interview
1.
What is the hardest part of writing your books?
Making every word count!
Telling the time, not building the clock. Some might say I have a tendency to
expound at great length, both in writing and conversation, and it’s been really
difficult sometimes to let go of repetitive or excessive details and dialogue.
Initially, when editors had a different opinion, I took it personally—and very
much to heart—but I think I’m more accepting of constructive criticism now.
2.
What songs are most played on your iPod?
I don’t have an iPod. Even
though I love music, I don’t have any streaming platforms or individual
libraries of songs. I prefer finding a particular song on YouTube, which often
has a video or pictures while the song is playing. A Carrie Underwood, Kristin
Chenoweth, and Christina Applegate medley of ‘60s girl group songs was the
inspiration for one of my favorite scenes in The Walk-On.
3.
Do you have critique partners or beta readers?
My wife was the first editor
for The Walk-On. We worked through nine drafts before turning the
manuscript over to the publisher’s content editor. And there were plenty of
notes to address after that! I was fortunate to have several beta readers and
found their assessments very helpful.
4.
What book are you reading now?
I just read The Man I
Knew, by Jean Becker, about the post-Presidency of George H.W. Bush. It was
very interesting to me because I protected the Bush family during most of my
White House assignment as a U.S. Secret Service special agent.
5.
How did you start your writing career?
Well, I took some creative
writing classes at Loyola University Chicago, then spent over twenty years writing criminal
investigation reports as a Secret Service special agent, followed by writing
detailed private sector security surveys after I retired. So I think you might
see where that previously mentioned tendency to include lots of details may
have come from. Technically my writing career (still hard to believe it’s real)
started about 2007 when I began the first draft of The Walk-On.
6.
Tell us about next release.
Operation Santa Bear,
a Christmas romantic comedy, is in the first round of editing. It’s quite a bit
different from my debut novel! A few years ago, my wife and I started watching
Hallmark Christmas movies and I developed the outline for a trilogy. Matt, a
big-city, rookie police officer, has a great meet-cute with Shelby, an
emergency room nurse. Sparks fly when they are paired to run Operation Santa
Bear, an annual Christmas charity event for hospitalized kids. Of
course, it wouldn’t be a holiday rom-com without a lot of relationship drama
and Christmas cheer.
About the Author
Richard Podkowski, a native of Chicago’s South Side, began writing fiction while studying criminal justice at Loyola University Chicago.
As a United States Secret Service special agent, Richard protected U.S. presidents and foreign dignitaries and investigated major domestic and international financial crimes. After retiring from the Secret Service in 2003 as a supervisory special agent, he became a management member of a Fortune 100 company's global security group. For the last several years, Richard has been a private sector strategic security consultant.
Inspired by professional athletes who lived in a fishbowl under constant media scrutiny and made life-altering mistakes, Richard wrote The Walk-On. Other projects include a holiday rom-com manuscript and a crime story. In his free time, Richard enjoys riding his road bike, working out, and making Christmas ornaments. He currently resides with his family in Los Angeles.
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