Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I was born in a log cabin in rural Illinois . . . No, wait! That was Abe Lincoln. I was born in a hospital in Alaska over five decades ago, moved around a lot, ended up in rural Illinois a few years ago, lost my job due to the pandemic, and now I’m writing books, hoping to (at least) make a living with my craft. My first book, Promise Unfulfilled: The Brief Life and Bizarre Death of Actor Robert Morris, was about an obscure actor who died in 1960 at the age of 25. My current book, Crossing the Color Line: Stanley Ketchel’s Challenge for Jack Johnson’s Heavyweight Crown, is about the fight between the world’s first two-time middleweight champion (Ketchel) and the world’s first black heavyweight champion (Johnson) that took place in October 1909. As you can see, my books, up to this point, have been non-fiction.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Crossing the Color Line: Stanley Ketchel’s Challenge for Jack Johnson’s Heavyweight Crown is my most recent offering. I began researching this during the fall of 1990. It was originally a screenplay (that didn’t go anywhere). I wrote a rough draft of the book in 1995. Then, after the pandemic hit (and I became unemployed), I decided to dust off the manuscript and rewrite the sucker. After a year of solid work, it is finally finished. This book details the story of the last time a reigning middleweight champion fought for the heavyweight title. I always found this to be a much more fascinating story than the one about Jim Jeffries, the former heavyweight champion, coming out of retirement to fight Johnson and win the title back for the white race; however, this is a part of the Jack Johnson saga that is often glossed over rather quickly if it is mentioned at all.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not that I can think of.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
William F. Nolan is an author I have liked for a long time, since I was in my early teens and I read Logan’s Run for the first time. I’ve always admired the fact that Nolan’s work runs the gamut: fiction and non-fiction, biography, sports, etc. He never allowed himself to get pigeon-holed, and he’s had a career that has spanned about seven decades because of it. For boxing tales, A. J. Liebling’s The Sweet Science is a must-read.
What are you working on now?
An article about elderly Americans whose pensions run out at a certain point because they didn’t realize they would live as long as they did.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Truthfully, at this point, I haven’t had a great deal of luck with the promoting aspect, which is why I’m working on it now.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Adam West was always fond of telling his Bat-fans, “Keep punching.” I’d have to say, “Keep writing.” Whether writing fiction or non-fiction, take your time and do a good job. If you need help with proofreading or other parts of the writing process, seek it out.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Always wash and dry between your toes so you won’t have stinky feet.
What are you reading now?
A variety of articles about the hardships of aging in America — in particular, I’ve been searching for information about pensions that expire after a certain period of time, like when a recipient reaches the age of 90 or thereabouts. So far, I haven’t had much luck tracking down specific information that pertains to my topic.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m working on brief biographies (chapters) about several different actors who died rather young (20s-50s age-wise). I intend to compile them all into a book.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Something about how to build a boat, how to survive on a secluded island, tips on fishing and/or foraging for food, and maybe one about gardening on a desert isle. I guess, for fiction, I could go for a copy of Robinson Crusoe.
Author Websites and Profiles
Vernon Gravely Website
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