Philip Croucher’s Road to the NHL
With another
hockey season on the horizon, Halifax author, journalist and sports enthusiast
Philip Croucher has released his first full-length book Road to the NHL, the stories of 25 Maritimers and their journey to
the big leagues. Recently, AE hit the ice with Croucher to discuss his
debut effort.
What
inspired/motivated you to write Road to the NHL?
Writing a
book has always been a dream of mine, but I didn't really know how to get
started, or what to write about. Then, out of the blue, John MacIntyre of
MacIntyre Publishing approached me about an idea he had for a hockey book - to
tell the stories of Maritimers and their roads to making the NHL. My name was
mentioned as someone who could write the book because of my background in
sports reporting. I was on board with the project from my first meeting with
John. From there, the next two years were spent lining up the players' for
interviews and writing their stories in a way that both a hockey, and
non-hockey fan, would enjoy. I think even if you don't like hockey, the stories
in Road To The NHL will prove inspirational.
Did the work
come together quickly or did you really need to work at it?
The actual writing came together quickly. What proved difficult was finding the time to write. I have a full-time job as managing editor of Metro Halifax, plus I have two small children. I eventually made a point to find specific writing times for the book, so my focus could be on that and nothing else.
The actual writing came together quickly. What proved difficult was finding the time to write. I have a full-time job as managing editor of Metro Halifax, plus I have two small children. I eventually made a point to find specific writing times for the book, so my focus could be on that and nothing else.
What was the most challenging aspect of the process?
The most
challenging aspect of Road To The NHL was first deciding what 25 players
to profile for the book, and then getting them to agree to be interviewed. This
is a Maritime book, so it was important for me to make sure all three provinces
were well represented. I accomplished that. I also wanted a nice mix of players
- from stars, to lesser-knowns. Some of the best stories are those who didn't
know if they would ever make it - like the Eric Boultons or Scott Pellerins. As
far as player interviews, most were receptive right away, but some took more
time to convince. All but two players agreed to be interviewed, which I'm happy
with.
What was the
most rewarding part of the experience?
Without
question, speaking to the players for the book. The hard work and sacrifice
they each put in to reach their goal was driven home again and again for Road
To The NHL. Most of the players left home at 15 or 16 to pursue their dream
to play hockey, with no guarantee the NHL would even happen. When I look back
at the finished product, I am reminded of those interviews and how lucky I was
to hear them, and then put the stories to paper.
What did you learn during the process?
What I’ve
learned most about this process is just how much work goes into writing a book.
Two years of my life went into Road To The NHL, and even when I took a
break from writing, it was still always in the back of my mind. Everything from
the writing, to lining up interviews, to editing, it’s a long process, one that
gives you a sense of real fulfillment when you finally see the finished
product. It’s very rewarding.
What has the
response been like so far from those that have read it?
Where it only
hit stores Sept. 1, I haven’t had a lot of feedback yet. I know my publisher is
very happy with the finished product, and the other day I got a call from a
player in the book – Scott Pellerin – who wanted to tell me how much he enjoyed
the chapter I did on him. He even said his son was learning things about his dad
and had already taken the book to school to show his classmates. That was very
cool to hear.
What are your
plans to market/promote the work?
We have
tentatively set a book launch for the end of the month, and most of October
will be traveling the Maritimes for book signings, including at Costcos in
Halifax, Dartmouth and Moncton. As well, I will be doing interviews with TV,
radio and newspapers from around the Maritimes. Some local newspapers are even
going to publish a small part of a chapter relating to their hockey hero in an
upcoming edition.
What's next on
your creative agenda?
Right now,
I’m just enjoying having Road To The NHL out for people to read. I don’t
know if I will ever have the opportunity to be in this position again. I’m
looking forward to the book launch, upcoming signings and getting to talk to
people about Maritime hockey. I’ve been thinking about a second edition to the
book, as there are more great stories to tell, but no one has approached me,
and I’m not certain I have the time at this point to do that.
