THATCHER HELDRING grew up in the Pacific Northwest, where he taught himself to write and play sports--though not at the same time. Heldring has had several jobs in publishing. He has also worked as a grocery bagger, a ditchdigger, a small forward, a goalie, a scorekeeper, a coach, a rabid fan, a benchwarmer, and a shortstop. He lives with his wife and son in Seattle, a good place for indoor sports. He is the author of Toby Wheeler: Eighth-Grade Benchwarmer, Roy Morelli Steps Up to the Plate, The League, and The Football Girl. To learn more about Thatcher and his books, visit him online at spitballinc.com or follow @theldring on Twitter.