Why Not traces the story of an imprinted golfball through the hands of 6 people across 100 years from its maker, Toni, in 1920's New York to a photographer's exhibit in modern day Park City, Utah. No matter your race, religion, sexual orientation, profession, social status or sex, love is. Should love prevail? Why not!
A photograph of this golf ball saved a man’s life.
Said man had lost the love of his life, his wife, and his two sons. On one particular day he had contemplated suicide and had just said to God, ‘Why should I continue living?’ when photographer Mark Maziarz gifted a print of his photograph of an antique golf ball with a simple message to his friend to cheer him up…revealing God’s answer, Why Not!
High school friends Robert Strand and Mark Maziarz wondered who initially held this golf ball in the 1920s and how did it find its way to a photographers studio in modern day Park City Utah…hence this book was born.
"Why Not" traces the story of a golf ball through the hands of six people across 100 years, from its maker, Toni, in 1920's New York, to a photographer's exhibit in modern day Park City, Utah. Readers will discover the role this golf ball with a simple message plays in the lives of its various owners throughout time.
The ball passes from rich to the poor, mixed race, black and white, gay and straight. It is created for love and is passed on through grief, hope, respect, fun, loss, and love.
Born at the end of the 19th century to a French chef, and a seamstress - who passed as white, Antoinette (Toni) Secard was raised to be a strong independent woman contrary to the norms of the day. She grew into a feminine and elegant woman who was at the forefront of women's golf. Not only was she a fierce competitor, but she also designed the first one-piece dress for women’s golf - from which she earned a fortune.
Being with the love of her life is at stake; Toni is faced with the fear of giving up a successful career, and the fear that her mixed-race secret could be revealed. One afternoon while walking through New York City, she asks God for a sign, ‘can I love and be loved' when she comes upon a Sport Mart window display of black and white golf balls whose brand name is Why Not.
Toward the end of Why Not, a $2000 limited edition photographic print of the ball is being auctioned to benefit the “WE WIN” foundation – which was founded in 2013 by Actress/ Singer Tichina Arnold and her Sister/ Manager and Lupus Survivor Zenay Arnold.
Each fictional character's life interacts with historical and current icons Gabrielle Coco Chanel, Jane Bolin (the first African American Female Judge in the United States), Civil Rights icon A. Philip Randolph, NBA Commissioner David Stern and Val Ackerman (the founding President of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)), and comedic actress, singer and multiple NAACP Image Award recipient Tichina Arnold.
Their stories intertwine and finally come together in surprising, transcendent moments of learning not to be afraid to live life to its fullest, the power of faith, forgiveness and love.
This book is great for both golf enthusiasts, and for anyone looking to continue the conversation about civil rights in our country.
“Why Not is a fascinating read and provides an opportunity for conversation about the Black Lives Matter movement and the different aspects of the civil rights movement over the past 100 years. Buy this book!” Tichina Arnold
Award-winning actress and singer Tichina Arnold has entertained audiences in a variety of notable roles throughout her career. The “WE WIN” foundation was founded in 2013 by the Arnold Girlz (Actress/ Singer Tichina Arnold and her Sister/ Manager and Lupus Survivor Zenay Arnold). It was formed to help individuals, as well as the families and caregivers who support those suffering with the "Cruel Mystery" (Lupus) and other related autoimmune diseases. A portion of the proceeds of this book will go to the We Win Foundation. https://www.wewinfoundation.org/index.html
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"I absolutely loved it! I love the story of Toni and REALLY love the anecdotes re: Chanel. Ahhh, sucked me in! You have a very unique style of writing that I really like. You don’t dwell too much on minute details which I think can be effective. Instead, you give a sweeping picture of the bigger story. Very well done!"
Leslie Liautaud, American playwright and novelist.
https://www.leslieliautaud.com/
Robert is a creative pragmatic soul, with a deep appreciation for puns. Recently, he has been focused on writing to bring human stories to life for print, stage and film. In doing so, his hope is to inspire, bring clarity to current issues and show that through love, asserting oneself to do the right thing is possible.
The story, ‘Why Not’, was inspired by a photographer friend of Robert’s, Mark Maziarz, who photographed a series of antique sporting goods; among them was the black and white, red lettered Why Not golf ball. Over dinner one night in Park City, Utah, Maziarz shared an incredibly moving story about how a framed print of the Why Not golf ball kind of saved a friend’s life. A friend of Mark’s had withdrawn from life having lost the love of his life, his wife and mother to his two sons who had also both recently died. The man had just said to God, ‘Why should I continue living?’ when Maziarz knocked on his door. Maziarz gave his friend the framed photograph of the Why Not ball in an attempt to cheer him up not realizing the significance of the timing. His friend re-engaged with life and was inspired to move forward.
Upon hearing this story, Strand and Maziarz bantered over how the golf ball made it from its initial owner in the early 1900’s to modern-day Park City Utah and into his photography studio. Historical fiction is a genre that inspires Strand, and over the course of the next six to eight weeks the story of ‘Why Not’ fell out of Strand’s head. What a wonderful, simple two-letter phrase to inspire anyone - no matter one’s race, religion, sexual orientation or status in life.
Why Not is the story of 6 fictional characters over the span of 100 years that starts with Antoinette Secard, a self-made woman who passes as white but is of mixt race in the early 1900’s. Having studied Meisner Acting with Wendy Ward, he is inspired by living truthfully in imaginary circumstances; issues of people’s differences have fascinated Robert for as long as he can remember.
Strand is the youngest of three children in his family. Thinking they were no longer able to conceive, Strand’s parents adopted his middle sister at birth in 1966, and as Robert puts it, the most wonderful and delightful surprise arrived in early 1968 – him. Around the time Robert was born, his middle sisters soft and beautiful baby hair fell out, and she grew an afro; only then did Mr. and Mrs. Strand realized their adopted daughter was biracial. Picture Ward and June Cleaver, Civil Rights movement is in full swing in the mid-late 1960’s, with an 11-year-old daughter, and two children under 2 – one with pigment and an afro, and one practically translucent white blond little boy. In hind-sight, it’s hysterical.
For the author, life was amazing, challenging, full of laughter, and simply life as he knew it. Mr. Strand senior was the only child born in 1925 to Norwegian and German immigrants and was the epitome of Scandinavian pragmatism; his organic instincts were to love and protect his children. Mrs. Strand, with every nursing degree available, grew up in a life of privilege with one sister; her organic instincts were to nurture and love a family larger than she had known and inspire her daughters to be whatever they wanted to be – given her options had been housewife, teacher or nurse.
Strand loosely drew inspiration from his family and life experiences in creating the six main characters in Why Not and hopes you enjoy this story, the first of a series of books based on unique and inspiring objects photographed by his friend Mark Maziarz!
250 copies • Partial manuscript.
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Hello all!
Thank you so very much for your support of my book, Why Not.
Quick update - I'm in conversation with two publishers, and …
Balls
This is so fun interesting and awesome! Can't wait to read you work!
Can’t wait to say “Oh Rob! “. Looking forward to this book!!!! All very exciting!!!
Can't wait Robert. Congratulations!
Hey, will you just sign my copy? Congratulations on your new book! Dave
Yay! Can’t wait to read it ; )))
Good luck!
Can't wait to read this! 📖😃❤
Very Creative. I can't wait to read the book.
Happy birthday 🎉🎁🎊
Xoxo
Happy Birthday, Kiddo. And many magical returns. Janice
Can’t wait!!!!
$20
30 readers
You'll get:
- 1 printed copy
- 1 free eBook
Includes:
$480
0 readers
For orders of 24, the purchaser will get signed copies of the book plus a zoom meet and greet discussion with the author.
Includes:
$1000
0 readers
For the first 50 single purchases, the author will personalize an inscription in each book.
Includes:
$1800
0 readers
A purchase of 90 signed copies will include a 30” by 30” signed and numbered print of the Why Not golf ball out of a limited edition of 90 prints, as well as a zoom meet and greet with both the author and photographer Mark Maziarz.
The retail value of the photographic print alone is $1,990.
Includes:
on March 15, 2021, 9:41 p.m.
I look forward to reading this!