Small-town Ohio, high school football and the meaning of home

Small-town Ohio, high school football and the meaning of home 

Ohio native brings fictional town and its struggling football team to life in new novel 

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist John Ed Pearce once famously noted that “Home is a place you grow up wanting to leave, and grow old wanting to get back to.” Many writers have echoed similar sentiments, and most of us have grappled with conflicting nostalgia for familiar surroundings and a feeling that “something more” is waiting just beyond the horizon. A Few Yards Shy of Heaven (published by AuthorHouse <http://www.authorhouse.com/&gt; ), the new novel by Kevin Giffin, expounds on Pearce’s observation in a story of small-town politics, a dismal economy and high school football in rural Ohio. 

When Melvin Wright, a young reporter from The Cleveland Republic, is sent on assignment to South Heaven, a small town nestled deep in western Ohio’s corn belt, he’s less than enthused. Jaded, brash and outspoken, Wright resents being sent to do what he feels like is a rookie’s job: a report on the aftermath of the closing of South Heaven’s last major employer, the American Genuine Motors plant. What could possibly be so interesting about the clichéd story of yet another community losing its Main Street charm and revenue to the greed of a behemoth corporation? How could its downfall, and the mixed emotions of its residents, be of any real importance to the rest of the world? Wright can hardly disguise his disdain as he goes about collecting facts and anecdotes as quickly as possible. 

A chain of seemingly fateful events results in an extended stay in South Heaven for a frustrated Wright eager to return to more glamorous assignments. The delay gives him more time to gather information for his article, and he forges a tenuous friendship with Myra Epstein, the young editor of the South Heaven Sun who’s eager for a taste of big city life and disillusioned with the mundane life in her hometown. 

As the history of South Heaven is revealed, its proud, storied past is a grim contrast to its present fall from grace and uncertain future. Residents, while divided on other issues, find a common ground in rallying around the high school’s Ranger football team, a team whose history mirrors that of South Heaven itself. 

Follow Wright as he finds himself drawn into the excitement of a season for the Rangers that will take them to the state championship. The intricacies and personal struggles of South Heaven’s residents emerge in an expertly woven tapestry of triumph and tribulation, and both Wright and Myra will begin to think differently about what “home” really means. Excitement-filled football games provide suspense and excitement and a spark between the big-city reporter and small-town editor hint at possible romance. In a loving tribute to small-town values, western Ohio and high school football, A Few Yards Shy of Heaven gives an entertaining testament to the resilience of the American spirit, relayed in sweeping, cinematic style. 

About the Author 

Kevin Giffin visited all 88 counties in his native Ohio in a quest to learn more about his beloved Buckeye State and the history of its high school football. After collecting anecdotes and compiling information on its greatest players, games and traditions, Giffin gave it all a fictional twist, and the result is A Few Yards Shy of Heaven, his first published book. In addition to writing, he works as an operations manager and is an avid World War II scholar. 

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist John Ed Pearce once famously noted that “Home is a place you grow up wanting to leave, and grow old wanting to get back to.” Many writers have echoed similar sentiments, and most of us have grappled with conflicting nostalgia for familiar surroundings and a feeling that “something more” is waiting just beyond the horizon. A Few Yards Shy of Heaven (published by AuthorHouse <http://www.authorhouse.com/&gt; ), the new novel by Kevin Giffin, expounds on Pearce’s observation in a story of small-town politics, a dismal economy and high school football in rural Ohio. 

When Melvin Wright, a young reporter from The Cleveland Republic, is sent on assignment to South Heaven, a small town nestled deep in western Ohio’s corn belt, he’s less than enthused. Jaded, brash and outspoken, Wright resents being sent to do what he feels like is a rookie’s job: a report on the aftermath of the closing of South Heaven’s last major employer, the American Genuine Motors plant. What could possibly be so interesting about the clichéd story of yet another community losing its Main Street charm and revenue to the greed of a behemoth corporation? How could its downfall, and the mixed emotions of its residents, be of any real importance to the rest of the world? Wright can hardly disguise his disdain as he goes about collecting facts and anecdotes as quickly as possible. 

A chain of seemingly fateful events results in an extended stay in South Heaven for a frustrated Wright eager to return to more glamorous assignments. The delay gives him more time to gather information for his article, and he forges a tenuous friendship with Myra Epstein, the young editor of the South Heaven Sun who’s eager for a taste of big city life and disillusioned with the mundane life in her hometown. 

As the history of South Heaven is revealed, its proud, storied past is a grim contrast to its present fall from grace and uncertain future. Residents, while divided on other issues, find a common ground in rallying around the high school’s Ranger football team, a team whose history mirrors that of South Heaven itself. 

Follow Wright as he finds himself drawn into the excitement of a season for the Rangers that will take them to the state championship. The intricacies and personal struggles of South Heaven’s residents emerge in an expertly woven tapestry of triumph and tribulation, and both Wright and Myra will begin to think differently about what “home” really means. Excitement-filled football games provide suspense and excitement and a spark between the big-city reporter and small-town editor hint at possible romance. In a loving tribute to small-town values, western Ohio and high school football, A Few Yards Shy of Heaven gives an entertaining testament to the resilience of the American spirit, relayed in sweeping, cinematic style. 

About the Author 

Kevin Giffin visited all 88 counties in his native Ohio in a quest to learn more about his beloved Buckeye State and the history of its high school football. After collecting anecdotes and compiling information on its greatest players, games and traditions, Giffin gave it all a fictional twist, and the result is A Few Yards Shy of Heaven, his first published book. In addition to writing, he works as an operations manager and is an avid World War II scholar.