18 June 2018
Göran R Buckhorn writes:
Dan Boyne, author of Essential Sculling (2000), The Red Rose Crew: A True Story of Women, Winning, and the Water (2000) and Kelly: A Father, A Son, An America Quest (2012), is right now entertaining a lot of rowers with his story “The Seven Seat: A True Story of Rowing, Redemption, and Revenge” on Row2k. HTBS doesn’t want anyone to miss these stories from Dan’s rowing and sculling days from Trinity College, so we link to them on Row2k.
HTBS caught up with Dan to ask him some questions:
HTBS: You call your story “The Seven Seat” a work of ‘creative non-fiction’. Please explain what this is.
DB: Hah! Excellent question. It essentially means that I’ve taken the core of a true story and embellished it a bit – changing some names, adding a colorful detail or two. Some of this was done to protect certain people (myself included), as the absolute truth can be a sharp knife; some of it was done to bring the old story back to life.
Good story telling is an exercise in believable hyperbole, so I can only hope that I have provided some entertainment that rings true.
HTBS: At this point, you have published 18 chapters of your story on Row2k. Are there more chapters coming?
DB: No, number 18 is the final chapter. [Editor’s note: Chapter 18 will be linked on HTBS tomorrow].
HTBS: Will you eventually turn these chapters of stories into a book?
DB: Yes, when and if I get the go ahead from my publisher to move forward. If that happens, I will probably add some further detail and do some more serious editing! Readers have been good about giving me useful feedback and I’ll take those comments under consideration.
HTBS: Do you have any other book projects in the pipeline?
DB: Yes, I have a young adult novel that I’ve been shopping around – also sports related. And also a fishing book.
HTBS: In December 2013, it was revealed that Flashlight Films has optioned to turn your book on Jack Kelly into a film. Do you have any news to share with HTBS readers how things are going with the film?
DB: It is still under option, but so far the producers have failed to sell the script to a big production house, so that project is currently in limbo. From what I gather, it was pitched to Clint Eastwood, but he was wary of doing anything on water.
HTBS: You were the “rowing consultant” for the film The Social Network about Facebook and the rowing Winklevoss brothers, who both were played by one actor, Armie Hammer. Are you also the rowing consultant for the film on Kelly?
DB: Yes. I’ve looked over no less than three different scripts. The last one was written by the two guys who wrote the script for The Fighter. I thought it was pretty good, but if you want to talk about ‘creative fiction,’ look no further than a Hollywood biography!
HTBS: Rumour has it that a big agency in New York City just picked up the film option for your The Red Rose Crew. Can you make any comments about that?
DB: I can give you only the general details, but it is very exciting. The Red Rose Crew was just picked up by a well-known female director and talent agency in NYC, so it has a very good chance of making it to the movie theater. Fingers crossed.
HTBS: How are you spending your summer this year, any rowing?
DB: Heck no. Time to relax and get away from the river!
HTBS: Thank you, Dan, and enjoy your summer.