A Life Intercepted

Matthew Rising was born with a prophetic name, as his abilities with a football through high school and college set his star to rise as a top NFL draft pick. The kid from Gardi, GA, seemed to have it all: two Heisman trophies, a beautiful and supportive wife, and a perfect future with clear sailing ahead. Chapter two of Martin's (Unwritten; Thunder and Rain) tenth novel begins as 34-year-old Matthew "the Rocket" Rising leaves the Wiregrass Correctional Penitentiary after serving 12 years of a 20-year sentence for rape and sexual deviancy with a minor. Where did it all go wrong? This tale of love and inner strength within the construct of a sports story will entice readers to examine their own hearts. Should hatred ever be the answer when life turns upside down? The author's treatise covers many topics—football being uppermost but also gardening and bird behavior—enriching the lives of those who enter his world. Despite the locker-room camaraderie among the characters, the book eschews profanity.