Page 39 - Reader's House Magazine

Delve into the lives of 1980s wrestling icons with Brad Balukjian’s “The Six Pack,” a journey of resil- ience, fame, and human- ity.
I consider myself first and fore- most a travel writer. I take the reader on the road with me to investigate the
afterlives of our childhood heroes. I’m not a baseball or sportswriter, and I don’t
have the pedigree in those areas that might impress a potential interview subject. So it was
challenging to get some of the former players to talk to me because they may not have felt it was worth their time. That book produced plenty of surprises. For example, when I set out I had no idea what a pivotal role the father/son relationship
would play in that story. And not just the feel-good Field of Dreams father-son stuff, but the dark side
as well.
Your books seem to blend elements of memoir, investigative journalism, and travelogue. How do you balance these different storytelling modes, and what do you hope readers take away from your work?
I try to write books similar to those I most enjoy reading, which is narrative non-fiction where the reader is informed, entertained, and emotionally engaged. By combining these dif- ferent genres, I believe the widest set of poten- tial readers is served. But it’s a tightrope walk because go too far in one direction and you’ll lose your audience. I hope readers take away how much they have in common with their heroes. These baseball players and athletes are people just like you and me, and they contend with the same challenges in life that we con- tend with. Everything in life is tradeoffs.
What advice would you give to aspiring writers who are interested in pursuing unconventional storytelling formats or exploring niche subcultures in their work?
Don’t rush it, take the time to understand your subject matter at a deep level. Be willing to take risks and stick to your convictions, but at the same time be wary of expectations. The road of suffering is paved in expectation. Be honest about your motivation for a particular project and adjust your goals accordingly. Are you writing this to make money? For creative fulfilment? Be honest.
Brad Balukjian’s multidisciplinary approach illuminates hidden narratives, bridging sci- ence and storytelling with grace, depth, and universal resonance.
Both of your books explore themes of nostalgia, loss, and personal discovery. How do you navigate these themes
while maintaining an engaging narrative for your readers?
These are universal themes that we can all relate to, which
is why I write these books with a general reader in mind. You don’t have to be a baseball or wrestling fan to enjoy these books. I
think that teasing out these themes is what helps make the narrative engaging, because the reader is hope-
fully emotionally invested. I also try to draw on the techniques of the New Journalism (dialogue, point-of-view, status-con- veying details) to paint a vivid picture of the scenes that I am in.
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