by Ray Keating
Today, April 14, marks two birthdays – one for an individual and another for a television channel. Both had big impacts on me, and in turn, on a character I created, i.e., Pastor Stephen Grant.
First, April 14 is Pete Rose’s birthday. Rose is the Cincinnati Reds great who is the all-time Major League Baseball leader in hits – The Hit King. When I was a kid, Rose and his style of play – namely, he seemed to will his way to greatness as he did not have the most natural talent – made me a Cincinnati Reds fan. Of course, Rose also is one of the most tragic figures in the game, as he bet on baseball while managing the Reds. That got him a lifetime ban from the game and from the Baseball Hall of Fame.
In turn, given my own Cincinnati Reds fandom, I made Pastor Stephen Grant a Reds fan as well. I like to call him the biggest Reds fan in fiction. And by the way, he married someone who roots for the Cardinals!
Second, April 14, 2024, marks the 30th birthday of Turner Classic Movies. TCM grabbed my slowly growing appreciation for classic movies, and truly allowed it to flourish. TCM is a treasure.
And yes, as a result, Pastor Stephen Grant is a fan of classic films, and he has been introducing his wife to these movies as well. In addition, my appreciation for classic movies merged with my love of history, and one result has been my first work of historical fiction – Cathedral: An Alliance of Saint Michael Novel.
More Pastor Stephen Grant and Alliance of Saint Michael novels are coming, as well as other new series. And they, no doubt, will be marked in some way by my love for the Reds and baseball, and for TCM and classic films. This is my personal version of what happens when worlds collide!
Thanks for reading and God bless!
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Ray Keating is the author of the Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries, the Alliance of Saint Michael novels, and assorted nonfiction books. Have Ray Keating speak your group, business, school, church, or organization. Email him at raykeating@keatingreports.com.
Never miss any new book by Ray Keating and receive other benefits by joining the Pastor Stephen Grant Fellowship with Ray Keating at
https://www.patreon.com/pastorstephengrantfellowship.
Various books by Ray Keating…
• The Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries. There are 19 books in the series now.
• Cathedral: An Alliance of Saint Michael Novel is at Amazon.
• Signed editions of Ray’s books are at www.raykeatingbooksandmore.com.
