What if Rocky rode a Mountain Bike?

[Twisted Trails]

I know this sounds like a strange thread but hear me out. Thanks to the Rocky movies, thousands of people grew up to become boxers and or MMA fighters. The sport got a huge boom out of those films. This was also true with the Karate Kid. How many people became police officers, soldiers or random professional athletes because they identified with a fictional character while they were growing up? How many of us still do it?

Here is why I pose this question. I have published a book titled Twisted Trails. It is a collection of mountain bike related short stories to be released on Feb 15th on Amazon Kindle. My hope is that these stories, inspired by real life people and places, will motivate new riders towards our sport.

You might think that the mountain bike media would jump to this cause but not so much. Smaller websites were happy to pick it up but the bigger sites seem to be lacking the long term vision of where this could lead. They have said simply, "We don't cover that." One even asked me why I would bother to write it? That cynicism surprised me but here was my response.

"Why? Because mountain biking is more than just climbing on some knobby tires and rolling around the woods. It is a perfect storm of exercise, nature, community, suffering, balance, determination, zen and glory. It deserves nothing less than to be captured in the everlasting prose of literature. That is what I have done and people are going to love it."

Whenever you try something new there will always be doubters but I believe that mountain bikers are some pretty smart people. I'm determined to prove the naysayers wrong. So I ask you... Would you read a book of mountain bike fiction? Would you give it a try?

 

[King Boonen]

Firstly, this forum doesn't take too kindly to people trying to sneak free advertising, but this forum is so underused I hope this stays (as long as you stick about to discuss it). I would read a book about mountain biking, but I am really struggling to understand how you would make a story out of it (fiction?) but then I'm not a writer.

I do not own a kindle, iPad etc. and would never read a book on my phone. Is there any other way I can get it?

 

[Twisted Trails]

Understood

Thanks for your reply. Actually you nailed the problem. People simply don't know what to expect and that's understandable. The best example would be the stories that get published in Dirt Rag Magazine's yearly Literature contest. They are often inspired by real people with maybe exaggerated circumstances and use drama to a make a moral point. My guess is that mountain bikers would appreciate dramatized situations related to our sport.

Example: If there was a television series where the main characters were members of a MTB club, we would all watch it. My book is a step in that direction, I hope. lol

 

[Twisted Trails]

Kindle App

As for your second question. Yes, Kindle gives out a free App so you could read any of their books on a computer or tablet.

 

[King Boonen]

I look forward to reading them then. I've downloaded the Kindle app on my computer.

 

[Twisted Trails]

And in a surprising twist...

Due to an increase in demand Twisted Trails is now available in paperback! The reviews came in fast and were very positive. Then I got an outpouring of people who wanted to read it but requested a print version. It won't be on Amazon for a few days but you can purchase a copy right now directly from the publisher using this link.

I knew I could count on mountain bikers to be open minded. Who doesn't love a good story?

 

[King Boonen]

I'll wait for the paperback on Amazon then fella, I much prefer a real book.

 

[Twisted Trails]

The paperback is up on Amazon. Here you go - Twisted Trails.

 

[King Boonen]

Thanks a lot, available on UK Amazon too so will be adding it to a cycling book order I make today!