In writing the rule of thumb is to “write what you know” which is why many of the fine details in Tracy Loves Ray come from our life experiences (or those of friends). 

            --The Chardon Volleyballers are based on the USC Volleyballers, a group formed by my parents and their friends when I was a kid. The USC Volleyballers began playing together as adults and the Chardon Volleyballers began playing together in high school, but other than that exception the groups are nearly one and the same. During the summer the USC Volleyballers played at the park down the street from my childhood home while we (the kids) played together.  In the fall the game moved to one of the local schools. The couples would take turns hosting get-togethers after they were done playing.  They haven’t gotten together on a weekly basis in years, but to this day they still have Labor Day picnics and a Christmas party.  The girls also take an annual vacation together and the guys play golf on a regular basis, with an annual trip to Myrtle Beach. While they never had a weekly tradition of Saturday brunch and stories, we felt that the USC Volleyballers would be the perfect model for the friendship between the small town folk in Tracy Loves Ray.

--When Grandpa takes Tracy to Coleman Castle, her mother’s childhood home, he mentions to her that he, Grandma, Tracy’s mother Gloria and Uncle Shawn spent the last two weeks in July at Ocean City, Maryland with Grandma’s extended family for their annual vacation. My friend Stacey’s family has been vacationing together in Ocean City for over fifty years, long before she or I were born. I have been lucky enough to be included in this vacation since 1999. Including this detail is a tribute to them for allowing me to become a member of their family. 

            --In the same conversation, Grandpa also mentions that he and Grandma decided to travel to each of the fifty states.  Two friends of mine, Amy and Joe, had made vacationing in each of the fifty states a goal of theirs. Unfortunately, Joe was killed in Iraq and never got to fulfill this wish.  I do not find this to be as sad as one might expect. In fact, I think Joe was lucky.  Because of this goal he was able to see more of the country that he died for than most of us ever will.  Mentioning it briefly in this book is my tribute to him and his wife Amy, who I have no doubt will succeed in seeing all fifty.

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