By Lisa O’Donnell
Frank McNair’s debut novel, Life on the Line: Football, Rage, and Redemption, was 10 years in the making.
After lots of stops and starts, McNair fought through writer’s block and crafted a young adult novel set against the backdrop of something he knows well — football.
“I thought football was a good petri dish in which to tell a story about adolescence and coming of age,” said McNair, a native of Laurinburg. READ MORE…
In the NABE’s Young Adult Category
Winston-Salem author Frank McNair recently learned that his new novel Life on the Line: Football, Rage and Redemption has been named Best Book in the Young Adult category for the Spring 2017 Pinnacle Book Achievement Awards.
“This is a great book for anyone who loves football or loves someone who loves football,” the author said. “I have been surprised by the number of young women who have bought the book — both to give to their male friends and for insight into the mind of football fanatics.”
Presented by the National Association of Book Entrepreneurs (NABE) to its members, the Pinnacle Awards recognize excellence in book content and quality, writing style, presentation, and cover design. NABE members include a wide variety of publishing houses, small presses, independent publishers, print-on-demand titles, and self-publishers.
Life on the Line is the story of two middle school boys struggling to understand themselves and the world around them as they guide their football team towards what may be an undefeated season. As a former football player himself, McNair gives readers — teens and adults — a front row seat to authentic gridiron action along with the struggles and joys of adolescence, and the redemptive power of love and faith.
Since it was released by Bagpiper Press in June, Life on the Line has received steady praise from Amazon readers, especially parents of boys. One mom writes, “Frank did a grand job with his realistic portrayal of two young men coming of age…. I wish Frank had written the book 10 years earlier when my son and his friends were this age.”
Another offers, “As a mother of three grown sons, reading Life on the Line allowed me to revisit memories from the past… Playing and watching sports and repeatedly discussing the details dominate many male conversations, serving as a platform for forming relationships, instilling discipline, and gaining acceptance. Revealing the underlying emotions behind each character’s actions provided insight into the masculine thinking process.”
One reader simply states, “Outstanding! Don’t let your sons (or daughters) miss this gripping story of boys growing up in the world of football.”
Life on the Line: Football, Rage and Redemption is available in hardcover ($23.27), paperback ($14.99) and as a Kindle e-book ($9.95) on Amazon. Media review copies are available by emailing publicist Kim Weiss of Blueplate PR: blueplatepr@gmail.com.
For more information on the book, including sample chapters and a Reader’s Guide, visit www.lifeonethelinebook.com.
About The Author:
FRANK MCNAIR graduated from the University of North Carolina, where he was a Morehead Scholar. After a brief stint in banking, he entered the MBA program at Wake Forest University, graduating in 1978. For a decade he held a range of sales and marketing positions in the corporate world. In 1988, he joined his wife, Laura, in her consulting and training business. They have been business partners in McNair & McNair for 30 years. Life on the Line: Football, Rage, and Redemption is his fourth book and first work of fiction. He has also published three popular business-related books: The Golden Rules for Managers, How You Make the Sale, and It’s OK To Ask ‘Em To Work. He and Laura and their chocolate lab Buddy Brown live in Winston-Salem, NC. Contact Frank McNair: frank@lifeonthelinebook.com; 336.972.3024.
Adult readers have also expressed enthusiasm about the book, especially the realistic treatment of the football scenes. READ ARTICLE…
By Vonda Henderson
Frank McNair, a native North Carolinian, knows about football. He loves the game. The football team of his youth was the Laurinburg Fighting Scots, the same as that of his characters. “I had a 72-hour career as a football player for the University of North Carolina,” Frank shared. “I was invited to walk on on Sunday and left on Wednesday. I know when to walk away.” Frank did continue to enjoy playing football while in college, and with other club football teams well into his twenties.
After graduating from UNC, Frank worked for a time in the banking industry. He earned his MBA at Wake Forest and worked for a number of years in corporate America. He and his wife have worked together in their consulting business for the past 30 years. He has written two non-fiction books, and Life on the Line–Football, Rage and Redemption is his debut novel, a ten-year labor of love. READ MORE…
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