Taylor-made drama

Saturday 25 April 2009, 11:15 GMT

Taylor Michie, a 13-year-old schoolboy, was so inspired by a visit to the Volvo Ocean Race stopover in Baltimore-Annapolis for the 2005-06 event that he has written an absorbing tale centred on the race.

What started out as a short story project at St Mary's Elementary School in Annapolis has become a 108-page self-published book – Racing Winds.

Published in January, it tells the fictional story of Dave Rhodes and his crew, who compete on the PUMA-sponsored boat in the Volvo Ocean Race.

The crew discover that their closest rival is under investigation by the FBI for attempting to sabotage the race, and the crew must find a way to both save the race and win it themselves.

"If you're not familiar with sailing, you can still enjoy it and not get lost," Taylor says.

Recently, we had a chat with Taylor, about the book and the motivation behind it.

Q: When did you first become aware of the Volvo Ocean Race?

A: I first became aware of the race when it came to Annapolis during the 2005-2006 race. At the time, I was only 10, and having moved from North Carolina, I was very taken by the entire idea of boat racing, and even of water.

Q: What drew you to the race and the Baltimore/Annapolis stopover in 2005-06?

A: I go to school in Downtown Annapolis, very close to the Chesapeake Bay. Every day during the race, we would drive home through Downtown, and I would stare out the window at the boats and all the people with the different sponsors, and so forth.

Q: What sets the Volvo Ocean Race apart from other sailing events/sports?

A: The Volvo Ocean Race was the first boat race I had ever seen that is what really drew me to it, just the fact that I had never seen anything so big and popular before.

Q: What do you like about the race?

A: The vastness and variety of the race is what I like most about it. In the case of the 2008-2009 race, there are 11 ports, all at varying ports in the world, some off the beaten track. The dimension of the race is what draws both the spectators and the competitors to it.

Q: From what you see, read and hear, what inspires you most about Volvo Ocean Race crew members?

A: The endurance and the stamina of the racers is what inspires me the most. To spend a few months on the ocean, braving bad food, bad weather, and uncomfortable sleeping and living conditions is something that I really admire.

Q: Do you have a favourite boat/crew member?

A: My favourite boat in the 2008-2009 race is the PUMA Ocean Racing team. The boat in my book, Racing Winds, is, coincidentally, sponsored by PUMA. I was really surprised to learn that PUMA was entering a team, when it seemed like it was just a product of my imagination.

Q: What other sports do you follow?

A: I’m an avid fan of golf, and enjoy playing it as well as watching it. I play basketball in the winter, and enjoy being on the water whenever possible: kayaking, sailing, and being on the beach are all favourite activities with the emphasis on sailing, of course.

Q: Do you aspire to be a Volvo Ocean Race crew member?

A: I think so. I don’t really know how the system works, or how long I’d be committed to it, but I would definitely like to try it. It would be so much fun, so thrilling, and such a great challenge and experience for me when I get older. Yes, it does sound good.

Q: How did you come up with the idea for Racing Winds?

A: It developed in the week following the Volvo Ocean Race’s entry into Annapolis. It started out small. I thought maybe I could get extra credit in my writing class, but once I saw what great ideas I had, I knew it had to be something bigger.

Q: Can you provide a short synopsis of the book, the storyline, plot, key characters?

A: Here goes: Dave Rhodes is a veteran captain on the PUMA-sponsored boat, nicknamed Wildcat. He thinks he’s seen everything: rogue waves, bad storms, and impatient crew members, but he’s in for the surprise of his life. An Australian team is suspected of trying to sabotage the Volvo Ocean Race, in a highly illegal manner. The FBI, headed by the gorgeous Madeline Emericks, is put in full charge of the investigation, and it’s up to both the FBI and Rhodes’s PUMA to stop the sabotage.

Q: What was your inspiration for the book?

A: Just watching the Volvo Ocean Race from the computer was inspiration enough. While observing, I could already feel the idea developing in my head for this. I thought, this is a really great opportunity.

Q: What has been the reaction to your book from friends, family, media, sailing fraternity?

A: It has been very positive. Kids in my class have read my book and completed a reading journal for it (the reading journal is a 100-point assignment). My family has been very supportive, and I even had the pleasure of meeting Gary Jobson, who gave positive comments.

Q: How have sales of the book progressed?

A: The book remains something that is little known: Its sales are mostly from family, friends, and some members of the Annapolis community. Overall, I’m pretty happy with the sales, but I’m trying to grow it more. In June, I’m being hosted at my first book signing by a friend and owner of an art gallery. That’s when I really expect things to pick up.

Q: What else have you written or are writing?

A: Right now, I’m working on a sequel that follows another major sailing race, the America’s Cup. I am just starting work on that, and it’s progressing farther and farther as I go.

Taylor will be travelling to the Boston stopover next week and will be sharing his experiences with us on the official race web site.

Taylor Michie biography

Age: 13

Birthplace: Charlotte, North Carolina

Current residence: Annapolis, Maryland

School attended: St. Mary's, Annapolis

School year: 8th grade

Favourite pastimes/hobbies: Aviation, sailing, writing, golf, reading, running

www.racingwinds.com