Book is designed for young hockey players and those who want to learn more about hockey legends
While our readers have gotten used to seeing their stories populate the Oswego County Business Magazine in the last two years, Tom and Jerry Caraccioli also have been busy writing their third book — “Ice Breakers” — that celebrates the history of hockey. It is on sale now by pre-order at The River’s End Bookstore and Amazon.com.
OCBM took a few minutes to discuss how they started their book writing journey, as well as how they went from writing two historical nonfiction, Olympic-themed books — “Striking Silver: The Untold Story of America’s Forgotten Hockey Team” and “BOYCOTT: Stolen Dreams of the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games” — to a book geared toward young hockey players.
Q: How did writing books evolve in your lives?
A.: Writing a book together had always been a goal of ours. Ask any of our friends and they will tell you we’re prone to tell a good, long-winded story or two. We have also always liked to write, while also being very interested in history. We have had the great fortune of mining some really poignant stories, as well as the discipline to sit down and put them to paper — or on a computer these days. It became a natural progression in combining our interests and storytelling.
Q: Is it safe to say that Oswego and your upbringing here in the Port City has played a role in the way you craft your storytelling?
A: Without a doubt. Our friends and family have most definitely shaped the way we write and tell a story. This book is dedicated to our brother Kevin, and some of our closest friends, many who we grew up with playing hockey in the streets and rinks of Oswego. Not all, but many of those friends still live here. In everything we do, we want our family and friends to know they all are a part of what we are doing. That is why we like to mention them and Oswego as much as we can in our books and whatever else we are writing.
Q: Your first two books are historical, Olympic-themed books that also wade into politics. How did you make the transition from those types of stories to a book geared more toward younger, hockey-playing boys and girls?
A: We were approached by a publisher who asked if we would be interested in writing a kids’ book about hockey. Some of the first books we ever read from first page to last were about the legends of hockey — Gordie Howe, Howie Morenz, Terry Sawchuk. So we were very excited to be able to not only pay homage to them again in this book as legends of the first part of the 20th century, but also to write about legends in the second half of the century including Wayne Gretzky, Bobby Orr, Mario Lemieux, Guy Lafleur, Bobby Clarke, Mike Bossy, Mark Messier, Martin Brodeur, as well as today’s great players Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin, Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, Connor Bedard and others.
Q: Though, you didn’t stray too far from your Olympic-themed roots because 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey gold medalist Jim Craig wrote the foreword. How did that come about?
A: We were kids when the 1980 Olympic hockey team won the gold medal. We played in a hockey tournament on the same ice in Lake Placid about a month after Craig, Eruzione, O’Callahan, Johnson and the rest won. So having him write the foreword to our book was a particular thrill for both of us. We had spoken to him a couple of times for some other columns we had written and decided to ask if he would be interested in writing the foreword to our new book. It is so great when your expectations of who you think someone is lives up to who they are in real life. He and his team at Gold Medal Strategies have been nothing short of spectacular.
Q: What is so special about your “Ice Breakers,” the new book?
A: Besides having Jim Craig contribute the foreword, “Ice Breakers” really is a continuation of the books we first read when we were learning how to read and write. A lot of the players featured in this book are the legends we grew up watching and emulating who became Hall of Famers, as well as the great stars of today. It also includes great women players who have paved the way for girls to play, including Cammi Granato, Hayley Wickenheiser, Angela Ruggiero and others. Writing this book really has come full circle for us. We hope this book inspires both boys and girls today to learn about the great players of the past like those hockey books that inspired us to read and learn about the players and game we love.
Q: Will you be doing anything special in Oswego to celebrate the release of your book?
A: Yes, we are planning on a book signing in June at The River’s End Bookstore and would love to see our friends and fellow Oswegonians come help us celebrate the book release.
Q: Where and when can people buy the new book?
A: “Ice Breakers” is available for pre-sale now and will be in bookstores starting June 3.
