A story that needs telling

Anyone who has ever lived with a high-level athlete has shared a piece of that rarified world, observing the demands, the intense preparation, the dedication, injuries, suffering, despair and victories. It can be a single-minded, egotistical world, but never a dull one.

It means exposure to big ideas and dreams. it also requires the necessary belief that your mind, grit and simply showing up can change your life.

Writing as an observer (definitely not as an athlete), the only sport I know is what I witnessed in the wrestling world, through my husband, his friends, mentors, competitors, and the boys he coached.

This inspired me to write The Cauliflower Ear Club, a fictional story about how this sport creates a brotherhood of strong indomitable men. And to be clear, this is not about professional wrestling, but one of the most revered and oldest sports introduced into the ancient Olympics in 708 BC. Its origins can be traced back 17,000 years, evidenced through cave drawings. It is the fundamental sport of the original Olympics.

The story has taken 40 years to tell, almost three to write, and is almost finished to the best of my abilities, with generous input from some wonderful beta readers. I will keep you posted at ellenwrites.ca.