One Fan's Story: If This Hat Could Talk by Jared Carrabis
Carrabis' first book set to hit stores in April!


For those that are interested, the book that I have been working on for the past year and some change is done. I started the book back in December '07 and as of last night, I'm 100% done.

My goal is to release "One Fan's Story: If This Hat Could Talk" in April 2009. Being the motivated individual that I am, I don't see how this goal isn't within reach. Writing a book was definitely an experience that I underestimated. It takes a lot of time, patience, research, energy and lack of sleep. However, now that I am on the verge of putting the finishing touches on something I've worked so hard on, I can just tell it's going to be a very relieving feeling once it's complete.

The cover was done by the incredibly talented Chris Speakman of SportsPropaganda. com.
Basically the book is about my entire life experience as a Red Sox fan. I try to stress in the beginning of the book that literally every Red Sox fan has their story. Thanks to the greatest fans in all of sports, mine is a very unique story that I hope to share with all of Red Sox Nation through my first (and hopefully not last) book. The book started as a simple 'Thank you' blog that I was going to post to all of the SoxSpace readers that voted for me to be President of Red Sox Nation. What began as a 'Thank you' evolved into a memoir recapping the whole experience of the RSN Presidential election. There were so many great things that I got to experience and I wanted to share all of them with the people that helped put me in a position to live through all of those memorable moments.

When I looked up after a few hours of writing, this "memoir" was about fifty pages long. So since I've always wanted to write a book, I decided that writing a book about the Red Sox would be a perfect fit for me. So I told the story about the RSN Presidential race and then wrote further into the 2007 postseason and on. Once I had gone that far, I thought to myself that if I really want to write a book, this isn't enough. I felt like I started the book at the end of a story that had plenty more history to be told. Once I was 100% sure I wanted to commit to writing a book, I went back to day one. I wrote about my whole life experience as a Red Sox fan. The book is a dedication to every single person who has ever supported my efforts to make a difference here in Red Sox Nation. Whether it be by keeping Sox fans updated with my writing or simply being able to make any difference at all in their Red Sox fan experience.

Coincidentally, I was born on Opening day back in 1989. After an introduction to the story, the book starts on the very first day of the Red Sox season on the year I was born. The story continues through my childhood, growing up just ten minutes outside of Boston. I go on to describe in detail all about playing baseball in Saugus and how I fell in love with the game at a very young age. I write about my very first game at Fenway back in 1997 and all of the excitement and anticipation that came along with that special day. I describe what it was like during the 1999 season as a young Red Sox fan idolizing the likes of Pedro Martinez, Nomar Garciaparra and Mo Vaughn. Key chapters are of course the 2003 and 2004 seasons which are covered in full detail. Basically the chapters about 2003 and 2004 are what SoxSpace would have been like if I had it back then. I recap those seasons as if I were writing for SoxSpace but in past tense, so that should be interesting.

Along with the memorable 2003 season comes the origin of the "Red Sox Shirt Streak" and all stories behind that. Then the 05-06 chapters cover a lot of personal experiences such as getting my first job at Bob's Store (just because it was the official store of the Boston Red Sox and I wanted a 20% discount) and all of the creative and humorous excuses that I used over the years to get out of working so that I could go to Fenway Park. One of the more significant areas I touch on in the 05-06 era would of course be the creation of SoxSpace and how I began to write which of course led to bigger and better things.

This book is by no means a biography of my life (I wish my life outside of all the Red Sox stuff was that interesting) so I do not get too personal. I strictly stick to baseball while telling the Red Sox side of my life; along with the story of our beloved team from the day I was born up until the last pitch of the 2008 season. I try to create vivid images of those years by using unique and incredible first-hand experiences from my life as a Red Sox fan. Most of the experiences are of course told through very memorable and significant games in which I was in attendance. The pages tell the story of how I evolved from being a ridiculously enthusiastic Red Sox fan as a kid, to maturing over the years and finding my love for writing. After finding that passion for writing, I took my love for the Red Sox and my love for spilling my Sox thoughts onto the Internet and I combined those two passions for the benefit of tens of thousands of Red Sox fans around the country.

That passion for baseball and writing ultimately led to getting an actual position with the Red Sox at the age of nineteen all while covering the triumphs and failures of our beloved Red Sox along the way. I take my own personal Red Sox experiences and tie them all in with the story of the team while telling the stories of both my Red Sox fan life and the team at the same time. This book has truly been a pleasure to write and I honestly believe that you do not need to be a Red Sox fan to enjoy this book. I think that any fan of the game of baseball itself would enjoy this book and appreciate the stories inside it's pages. I hope this answers some of the questions about what to expect if you so choose to pick up "One Fan's Story: If This Hat Could Talk" and I just want to thank everyone once again for giving me a story worth writing. You all know who you are and I am forever in debt to your encouragement, your kindness and above all for your support.


I appreciate and am flattered by any and every interest in the book!
Thanks again,
-Jared Carrabis

Published on January 21, 2009

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