THE THUNDERDOGS CREATIVE STORY
Welcome warmly to the world of Thunderdogs Creative! Someone once began a review of one of our books claiming ‘there wasn’t enough good fiction written about football’ and to be fair I knew even back then, almost ten years ago, they were spot on. Granted, there were the slightly predictable efforts that always had the winning goal being scored in the last minute of the final game (if it was a movie it was ALWAYS scored in slow motion), the injury-ridden runner bursting through the pack against all odds to steal the tape, or the boxer, when all looked lost, summoning up the last droplet of energy to land the killer punch.... just and no more. But was there a healthy flow of gripping stories and instant heroes to rival the likes of Roy of The Rovers? Not so much.
Fast forward a decade and I don’t honestly think much has changed. A few ardent stories have appeared which have long ago been devoured by our young, enthusiastic band of sporty book-lovers. The newer ones have grittier messages, but I’m not convinced we always need to go down that road with younger readers. As the flagship of Thunderdogs Creative, the Finn Silver series teaches no heavier social lessons beyond the value of friendship, commitment and doing the right thing. And I think I’m okay with that - life after all can be real enough.
We love telling stories at Thunderdogs Creative, and despite a fleeting consideration of publishing something altogether different, I decided to follow up Gloryhunting - our ‘grown-up’s’ book about football - with something for the kids. I took my time, I wrote two books, and I think they turned out just fine. The job was then to persuade a publishing industry supposedly tuned into ‘all things popular’ that the world was, in fact, waiting impatiently for cracking football fiction suitable for 9 -14 year olds (and maybe even a little bit older)
I did my best to tell them. “Football is great!” I shouted, “The world is all in there, and unusual stories are to be told..... in its players and supporters, in the ninety-minutes of action between kick-offs and final-whistles, and of course in the associated malarkey and shenanigans that go on in the background, behind the scenes. Mainstream publishers didn’t agree. One publisher told me flatly ‘kids who play football don’t read’... Interesting generalisation I thought. Another graciously admitted ‘Kids could read..... but realistically not anything more than a hundred or so pages.’ Not many of them got very far through the first Harry Potter book it seems?
So Thunderdogs Creative was formed to right the wrongs of an unappreciative industry. To bring to the world stories I think people would enjoy reading, mainly about football, but not exclusively - there’s more to life (apparently) than watching men and women, boys and girls, boot a small leather ball around a grassy pitch all day. Although frankly I’m not convinced.
With two episodes done, The Finn Silver series is hopefully well on its way keeping the kids happy. Any ‘young adult’ (as I know they like to be called) with a passing interest in football, or indeed just partial to a good fantasy/mystery, should be satisfied with Finn’s heroic exploits in saving football. Gloryhunting, my first book, is still hanging around like an elder statesman, painting a slightly offbeat portrait of supporting a small team in a big league in the 2000’s, and for those just wanting some short, sharp variety, the ten stories collected in ‘Dixon Pickle’s Splendid Tales’ should pacify even the most turbulent train journey or loo visit.
The big news is we are now an affiliate publisherwith Jasami Publishing - a fine Social Enterprise organisation based in Galsgow.and whilst I’ll continue to publish our own books, Thunderdogs Creative have now taken up the good fight on behalf of others with entertaining tales to tell, roundly being ignored by the captains of agency and publishing who will no doubt continue to punt ‘Chick Lits’, ‘life stories’ of 25 year-old reality tv ‘stars’, and of course blood-drenched vampire sagas, as if their lives depended upon it. Our first new author is on their way so watch this space! And any other budding writer out there, struggling to find their voice or platform... by all means get in touch.and we'll do what we can to help,
My hope is, as you’ve found your way here, in search of something new and possibly footbally, you’ll take a chance and step onto the pitch with Finn and his Thunderdogs, or jump in the car with Craig, Dave and Jonesy and find something to laugh at, get behind and enjoy. There isn’t enough good football fiction, that’s a fact - hopefully these books, and the ones that will undoubtedly follow, will go some way to plugging the not inconsiderable gap.
Alan Porteous
Thunderdogs Creative Ltd
