Each book in Wil Mara's series of "NFL novels" takes the reader into the behind-the-scenes world of the National Football League. While the storylines are purely fictional, the details are firmly rooted in reality. All titles in the group are being published in both hardcover and paperback by St. Martin’s Press. The Cut ”Mara…uses the financial Russian roulette typical of sports franchises to create some sizzingly genuine ambience. Identifiable characters and a very satisfying conclusion elevate this second entry in (his) NFL series above most of the competition in the sports-fiction arena.” —Wes Lukowksy, Booklist The Cut chronicles three players vying for the same roster spot during the ultracompetitve and often brutal ritual known as training camp— ”After only his second year with the New York Giants, T. J. Brookman has become the best tight end in professional football. His stats are nothing short of amazing—and what’s even more amazing is that he was only a sixth-round pick in the first place. With one season remaining on his rookie contract, his agent, Barry Sturtz, wants to renegotiate and get a more lucrative deal—a common practice among players who have exceeded expectations. But the Giants refuse. They want Brookman to play through his last year, then they’ll talk about a new contract. Sturtz, however, doesn’t trust them. He wants the deal now—and if he doesn’t get it, he’s going to instruct T.J. to boycott the team’s upcoming training camp. Head coach Alan Gray doesn’t flinch at the threat—if T.J. doesn’t show, he says, they’ll simply bench him. Sturtz thinks it’s a bluff—the Giants have had problems with offensive production, and T.J. is their only bright spot. But Gray insists he’s serious. No one is more stunned by this development than offensive coordinator Dale Greenwood. Having struggled in polite subordination under Gray’s megalomaniacal leadership, the talented Greenwood is concerned that he will now lose his most productive receiver. He suspects Gray’s true motivation is that he simply doesn’t want to spend the money on a tight end—Gray is a defensive-minded coach with little interest in the offensive side of the ball. What Gray really wants is for everything to stay just the way it is. And to create the necessary leverage, he orders Greenwood to bring in three ‘camp bodies’—decoys, essentially—to compete for T.J.’s job. Greenwood has no choice but to comply, and he assembles a trio of unsigned players from the bottomless pool of league wannabes. What no one anticipates, however, is that these three recruits have more drive and talent than anyone expected. Delighted, Gray believes Sturtz will soon be at his mercy. But neither Sturtz nor any the three hopefuls are willing to be a part of Alan Gray’s plan. Many variables are in play here, both on and off the field. And as any student of the game knows, there are more losers than winners on the last day of preseason—a day known as ’The Cut’.” What the Pros Are Saying about The Cut “One of the hardest parts about covering the NFL is getting inside the real nitty-gritty stories of today—holdouts, players reaching the end of the line, how family issues impact play on the field. Wil Mara has done a terrific and insightful job in The Cut of taking you inside what really happens in the seamy side of modern pro football.” —Peter King, Senior Writer, Sports Illustrated “Mara’s writing, with its vivid description and painstaking attention to detail, has the effect of a video camera and microphone following every step of every person in the high-stakes world of professional football—players, coaches, general managers, and agents. It’s fiction, but it has a ‘real’ feel. I often had the sense that I was hearing many of the conversations that go on between the sound bytes. The depth of Mara’s knowledge of the game, on and off the field, comes through loud and clear on every page.” —Vic Carucci, National Editor of NFL.com, and former President of the Professional Football Writers of America “When you dive into The Cut, Wil takes you places inside the NFL that very few really can. His research and relationships around the league put you behind the closed doors of the coach’s office. This one’s a must-read for any serious fan.” —Pat Kirwan, NFL.com Senior Analyst, and co-host of “Movin’ the Chains” (with Tim Ryan) on NFL Network / Sirius Satellite Radio “The Cut is like a summer raft trip that takes you deep inside the holdout of an NFL star, and shows you the waves its causes in the lockerroom and the front office. Wil Mara does a great job of going inside an NFL issue, giving the reader the true-life experience of what happens on a team. It’s fiction meeting reality in an entertaining fashion.” —John Clayton, NFL Analyst and Senior Writer, ESPN “The Cut is an in-depth perspective on the ins and outs of contract negotiations and politics that go along with one marquee player’s contract situation…. Wil Mara did his research making this novel as realistic as one might get short of experiencing training camp firsthand. It was a pleasure to read, making me think of my own days battling the summer heat and 350-pound men.” —Mike Mamula, Philadelphia Eagles (1995-2000) and 7th overall pick of the 1995 draft “Like The Draft, Wil’s first book, The Cut lifts the NFL’s veil of silence and effectively (and accurately) exposes the inner workings of the beast. This is a highly charged read that I recommend for all football fans.” —Bill Chachkes, fieldposition.com and The NFL Draft Bible The Stories Behind the Story Freddie Friedman and the Alternate-Universe Factor Sample Chapters Click here to read the first chapter of The Cut. Note: This requires Adobe Acrobat 6.0 or later. Chances are your machine already has this program. If not, you can download it for free by clicking here. Podcasts The following audio clips (podcasts) have been taken from various media interviews. Clicking on a title below should open the sound file in a new browser window, in which case the file will begin playing immediately. These are .mp3 files and will work on most modern media players, including iPods. To download a podcast, right-click on the title, select "Save Link Target As...," then save the file to your hard drive. ESPN’s John Clayton interviews Wil on 29 March 2008. Runs under ten minutes. Ordering Click here to order The Cut from AMAZON.COM. Click here to order The Cut from BARNESANDNOBLE.COM. Click here to order The Cut from BORDERS.COM. Slideshows 2007 New York Jets Training Camp Wil went to Jets’ training camp at the end of July to finalize details for The Cut and took more than a hundred photos. Thirty have been assembled in a slidehow and are available for viewing— Click here to see the 2007 New York Jets Training Camp slideshow. (Requires FlashPlayer.) The Draft The book that began the series, The Draft, was released in October of 2006. It’s the story of a general manager's struggle to obtain a promising quarterback from the first overall pick of the annual player draft after his team, a two-time Super Bowl champion, loses their own QB to an auto accident just weeks before the draft begins. Dozens of deals and countless hours of negotiation later, he believes he has his man...but life is rarely so simple in the high-pressure, zillion-dollar universe of the NFL. What the Pros Have Said about The Draft "Wil Mara's foray into the sometimes unfriendly confines of the NFL draft room provides an intriguing insight into a process that can be as competitive as those that occur on the gridiron itself.” —Marv Levy, General Manager and Hall of Fame Head Coach, Buffalo Bills "Wil Mara's first novel set in the world of professional football offers not only an intriguing storyline but also a remarkable attention to detail not often found in sports fiction. NFL fans will enjoy every page of The Draft." —Gil Brandt, Vice President of Player Personnel, Dallas Cowboys (1980-1989) / Senior Analyst, NFL.com “The Draft is an entertaining and realistic look inside the NFL. Any football fan will find it ‘must’ reading.” —Bill Polian, President, Indianapolis Colts "The Draft is a fascinating novel about what can go on behind the scenes in an NFL front office—the intrigue and maneuvering. It is terrific reading for the fan who wonders how these trades and deals are made." —Ernie Accorsi, General Manager, New York Giants "Wil Mara goes inside the NFL draft like never before. He details the personalities and complications that go into every draft decision, making for good reading and good drama." —John Clayton, NFL Analyst and Senior Writer, ESPN "The Draft is a smartly crafted and highly engrossing novel about deals, decisions, and desperation in the world of pro football. The characters are marvelously drawn, and the writing is razor's-edge sharp. If you are a fan of this game, then The Draft is one book you absolutely must read." —Peter Golenbock, author of Cowboys Have Always Been My Heroes: The Definitive Oral History of America's Team "There couldn't be a better time for a book like Wil Mara's The Draft. It gives fans a glimpse into parts of the NFL that they wouldn't see otherwise. I was very impressed by Wil's attention to detail, and by the great storyline he created. As a former player, I can honestly say he really nailed it. The emotion, the excitement, the suspense; everything is right here. I was amazed." —Jon Harris, defensive end and first-round pick of the Phildelphia Eagles, 1997 NFL draft The Stories Behind the Story Kelley Sabino, Interrupted Sample Chapters Click here to read the prologue and first chapter of The Draft. Note: This requires Adobe Acrobat 6.0 or later. Chances are your machine already has this program. If not, you can download it for free by clicking here. Ordering Click here to order The Draft, in hardcover, from AMAZON.COM. (Click here to order it in paperback.) Click here to order The Draft, in hardcover, from BARNESANDNOBLE.COM. (Click here to order it in paperback.) Click here to order The Draft, in hardcover, from BORDERS.COM. (Click here to order it in paperback.) Slideshows 2006 NFL Draft Wil attended the first day of the 2006 NFL Draft and took about a hundred photos. The highlights (20 images total) have been assembled in a slidehow and are available for viewing— Click here to see the 2006 NFL Draft slideshow. (Requires FlashPlayer.) 2007 NFL Draft Wil attended both days of the 2007 NFL Draft and took more than four hundred photos. The highlights (30 images total) have been assembled in a slidehow and are available for viewing— Click here to see the 2007 NFL Draft slideshow. (Requires FlashPlayer.) 2008 NFL Draft Wil attended the first day of the 2008 NFL Draft and took more than five hundred photos. The highlights (40 images total) have been assembled in a slidehow and are available for viewing— Click here to see the 2008 NFL Draft slideshow. (Requires FlashPlayer.)