Julie Dolcemaschio

When I made the decision at 32 to give up a career as a human resources professional to be a stay-at-home-mother, it was definitely a big transition. And seven years later, when I decided to become a mother again at 39, that transition took on a whole new meaning. I loved staying home with my kids, and I knew the decision I made 16 years ago was the right one. I have never looked back, but when I turned 40, something unexpected happened: I became a writer.

Oddly enough, it all started with television. I had become disenchanted with a crime drama I’d once loved. The plotlines were either dull and predictable or utterly ridiculous. So one day, I sat down at my computer and I wrote a piece of fan fiction. (For those who are unfamiliar, fan fiction are stories using already developed characters from movies, TV shows, books, comics, etc. In other words, they belong to someone else, and everyone knows it.) I submitted a couple of pieces online to fan fiction sites and got some decent feedback. About a year later, I found myself opening a new Word document and starting the first pages of Testarossa (Krill Press, 2010), a crime fiction novel that was published in May 2010.

In writing Testarossa, I was able to touch on a topic close to me. The main crime in the novel centers around steroid use by college athletes. I have two boys, 9 and 16, who are not only wonderful baseball players, but hero-worshippers. My oldest was 10 when the Mark McGwire steroids scandal broke, and he was paying close attention. I watched him grow more disappointed with every new story that came out about his hero’s drug use, until the day came when McGwire refused to answer questions before Congress about his alleged use of steroids. Down from my son’s bedroom wall came the life-size poster of the Cardinals slugger, and into the trash went the Hallmark Christmas ornament.

Then my son had the opportunity through his school to write a screenplay with the help of mentors in the entertainment community. He wrote a screenplay about an athlete who took steroids, was banned from his professional sport, and through personal changes and hard work, redeemed himself and came back to the sport he loved, proving he didn’t need performance-enhancing drugs after all. It was extremely mature subject matter for a 10-year-old, and it had the element of redemption and forgiveness — always a plus in a good story.

The original plot of Testarossa did not deal with steroids. Initially, I didn’t make the connection between my book and my son’s screenplay and the effects of his heroes’ steroid allegations. But in one serendipitous moment, I realized that this subject matter was out there — and in our lives — for a reason, and I’d better do it justice.

I wrote Testarossa in my son’s honor, in the hope that throughout his career in baseball he’ll never give up hope and he’ll never turn to harmful drugs in an effort to enhance his size or power. I also want him to always remember that forgiveness is important not only when dealing with others, but with oneself as well. At 16, coaches at the college level are taking an interest in him, and he is being told that he needs to “get bigger.” I fear for him, and he worries about the pressure. What a gift I have been given to be able to write a book to inspire and encourage my sons.