A Conversation With the Author Carl Deuker
Q. Why did you write this book?
A. At my daughter's high school, the mantra for athletes was "bigger, faster, stronger." As a life-long mid-level athlete, I'm very aware that there is only so far that natural ability can take a person. Steroid use is the dark side of "You can be whatever you set out to be.".
Q. How did you become a writer, and what interested you in the profession?
A. I always liked to read. When I turned 13, my world was full of Bob Dylan, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, etc. I had a teacher hand me Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce. I didn't understand much (any?) but I was overwhelmed with the power of words.
Q. Why is it important to educate young readers about steroid use?
A. To me, the question is limits. In trying so hard to encourage kids, we adults often tell them absurd things. "You can be great if you put your mind to it. You can become anything you want." Well, not everyone can be great, not everyone can become anything they want.
Q. What do you want young readers to learn from this book?
A. Do your best and accept the results, whatever they might be. Adapt, change, respond to life.
Q. What can parents, teachers and coaches do to educate and protect young athletes?
A. The key thing is to work with the person in front of you. Yes, some kids can work out in the summer and gain 20 pounds and increase their bench press by 20 percent. But not all kids can. And the kids that can't are not failures. Kids mature at different rates. Sometimes the fantastic eighth grade athlete is actually just a young person who has matured more quickly.
Q. What was the most surprising thing you learned while writing this book?
A. How very easy it is to order steroids (or something that someone says is steroids) through the Internet. Also, how wildly different the "advice" about "proper use" from "experts" is. I wanted to "get it right" in describing steroid use, but it would be hard to get it wrong.
Q. How do you feel about the prevalence of steroid use among professional athletes? Do you feel this plays a role in the pressure that younger athletes feel to take steroids?
A. The professional leagues need to test all the time. Users are cheating, plain and simple, and steroid use by big-name athletes encourages young athletes to cheat. The next big problem, I suspect, will be in the high schools and especially the colleges. Athletes there (as amateurs) are – in most states – legally protected from any kind of forced drug testing. Think of the pressure on a junior and senior in college who dreams of being an NFL player, or on a junior or senior in high school who dreams of landing a scholarship to one of the big-time college programs. It's wishful thinking to believe that steroid use won't become more and more common.
Contributor: Houghton Mifflin
Reviews
Gym Candy
Carl Deuker
Pressured by his former professional football player father, Mick Johnson aspires to be an extraordinary athlete. Mick practices diligently, but despite his achievements, including being selected as a starter and freshman captain of his high school team, Mick’s father is never satisfied. Mick seeks quick ways to strengthen his body. He buys nutritional supplements but is disappointed when they do not significantly build muscles. Mick’s father arranges for Mick to work with an athletic trainer at a private gymnasium during summer break. Charismatic Peter Volz advises Mick regarding weightlifting and also sells him performance enhancing drugs. Mick initially limits his steroids ingestion, believing he can bulk up without becoming addicted. When school resumes, Mick noticeably runs faster and lifts heavier weights. He sets records and completes thrilling plays as his team defeats rivals. Celebrated as a football hero, Mick receives desired paternal approval. Although steroid side effects, including acne and puffy breasts, upset Mick, who experiences emotional rage and depression, he escalates steroid use, injecting those drugs in an attempt to remain competitive. Mick distances himself from best friend Drew and also girlfriend Kaylee’s romantic overtures. Addressing a topic impacting many teen athletes, Deuker skillfully depicts Mick’s transformation into an erratic steroid addict whose extreme behavior and choices catapult his life out of control, rushing toward a shocking conclusion. This book would pair well with Robert Lipsyte’s Raiders Night (2006). 2007, Houghton Mifflin Company, $16.00. Ages 12 up. Reviewer: Elizabeth D. Schafer (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-618-77713-6
ISBN: 0-618-77713-X
Added 06/16/08
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