It's a book about NASCAR history... and it's not

I think I need to be specific about what my novel HIDING BEHIND THUNDER is, and maybe, what it isn't.

First of all, it is a novel; a work of fiction. And yet, there is a lot of factual NASCAR history interwoven throughout the story to provide both the new stock car racing fan and the NASCAR veteran with some great glimpses of the world of Grand National racing in the early 60s.

It is a mystery initiated by a suspicious death, as well as a coming of age story of a young man rebuilding his life after a series of tragic events.

It is a story of an almost primal craving for revenge. It is a story about the values of friendship, love, loyalty and trust.

And, according to reviews received by readers, a fun read and overall uplifting story.

Triumph and tragedy fill a number of pages in HIDING BEHIND THUNDER. A significant player in the story, known for his largess with young drivers and taking them under his wing and showing them the ropes, is NASCAR legend Fireball Roberts.

Throughout the story, lead character Davey Sutherland meets and interacts with many of the greats of early NASCAR. Richard Petty, Junior Johnson, Ned Jarrett, Nelson Stacy, Cale Yarborough, Joe Weatherly, Wendell Scott, and Fred Lorenzen make appearances, offering history and insight into those early rough-and-tumble days of stock car racing.


Yeah, in a lot of respects it's a Who's Who of early NASCAR. But, it's not a book based in a lot of name-dropping, either. The story line carries the reader through a lot of the 1963 and 1964 NASCAR season and many of the actual races run, and again, it isn't simply an anthology of NASCAR events of the era.

I urge you to check out HIDING BEHIND THUNDER, now specially priced at Amazon.com, and available for downloads to Kindle, Nook, and many other e-readers -- even your PC -- at Smashwords.com.

Hey, I wrote it, I'm proud of it, and I'm confident you will enjoy it.

- Don

Visit the HIDING BEHIND THUNDER official site.

Oh? The Book?

As I post about NASCAR events, both current and historic, I hint about my novel, HIDING BEHIND THUNDER. Well, I guess I should throw in another post in which the hints give way to out-and-out declaring its existence.

HIDING BEHIND THUNDER is a coming-of-age story set against the background of 1960s NASCAR.

Davey Sutherland is a fugitive, running for his life from a murder he didn't commit. Through a bizarre twist of fate, he finds sanctuary in the rough-and-tumble world of NASCAR. Now known as race driver Colt Kellogg, the young man hides behind his assumed name and identity. He builds a new life, gains trust and friendship, and even finds love. But, will he become a victim of his own growing notoriety? Now caught between the law and people dead set on revenge, Davey spends his new life HIDING BEHIND THUNDER.

There are many reference books available about NASCAR and its rich history. HIDING BEHIND THUNDER is a novel; a seamless blend of fact and fiction, sharing a story of love, loss, death and revenge, while incorporating a significant dose of NASCAR history. Both the famous drivers of the era and the events they raced in over the 1963 and 1964 seasons are portrayed here, intertwined with mystery and adventure.

HIDING BEHIND THUNDER can be purchased in paperback through Amazon ($16.99), my CreateSpace acoount ($14.99), downloaded to Amazon's Kindle reader ($7.99), and purchased for downloads for Nook, Kobo, and many other ePub formats through Smashwords.com (also $7.99).

Yes, it's my first "official" novel, and it's self-published. But, given the encouraging responses I've received about the book so far, I think I need to get started on my next book.

That's my two cents, your mileage may vary.

A Matter of Respect

When I wrote HIDING BEHIND THUNDER, I wanted to blend fact and fiction into an entertaining coming-of-age story. To do so, I felt it important to not only the flow of the story, but to the readers with even a half of a brain to not muddle the action with a host of "drivers" and "teams" that were simply made-up names and car numbers.

I wanted stories within the story, fleshing out historic moments with many of NASCAR's greatest drivers of that Golden Age. So, instead of tossing names like "Billy Mack Smith," or "Jimmy Joe Speedo," I decided to feature real events and real drivers, some still living and some passed on, such as Fred Lorenzen, Richard Petty, Ned Jarrett, David Pearson, Wendell Scott, Joe Weatherly, and, of course, Fireball Roberts.

One concern has been that the living drivers I have engaged in HIDING BEHIND THUNDER might take umbrage with their inclusion in the story. My response: Why? One of the most important attributes in my novel is that every driver mentioned in the course of the story, living or dead, is treated with respect. Respect to them personally, and respectful in the manner in which I portray them.

I feel I accomplished this. If there are still any doubters, then I suggest they purchase a copy of the book and prove me otherwise. I'm putting my money where my mouth is, too... a copy of HIDING BEHIND THUNDER is on its way to one of the greatest drivers of NASCAR's Golden Age.

I'll save that little tidbit for another blog post. Until then...