Nothing Is Beyond Your Reach

By Annette Cole Mastron, Communications Director for Southern Writers Magazine

Watching the Super Bowl is a must if you want to know what people are talking and writing about in the following days. This year was a treat because two Memphis area young men were playing for the Baltimore Ravens. I applaud the team's win and congratulate all the players, especially Michael Oher (74) and Morgan Cox (46).

Lewis told Michael Oher’s life story from his Memphis high school days to college in the book, The Blind Side. Sandra Bullock portrayed Michael's adoptive mother, Leigh Anne Tuohy in the movie of the same name. Sandra won an Oscar for her acting performance while the Tuohy's cheered her on. Michael Oher also co-authored a book, How I Beat the Odds. From one boy’s story came two best-selling books and an award-winning movie.

It is interesting to consider how a struggle from poverty and neglect changed when a connection was made with people who cared for a boy who had nothing. Now at age 26 that boy has grown into a young man who definitely, beat the odds because one family saw a need and acted on it. He now wears a Super Bowl ring along with his Raven brothers.

Sandra Bullock was at the Super Bowl XLVII along with the Tuohy family to cheer on Michael and The Ravens. To think all these connections and interconnections started with a book. Do you know a story that needs to be told?

Super Bowl ads are fun and everyone has their favorite. Two stood out as favorites for me. One was "The Brotherhood" a Budweiser ad with the iconic Clydesdale horses. A colt is born to the soundtrack by Fleetwood Mac. It shows in 60 seconds a bond between a man and the colt who grows to be a star Clydesdale but never forgets the man who took care of him as a colt. Keep in mind these ads are written by someone. Could you write an ad that expresses brotherhood?

Another favorite was the Toyota ad you may have missed if you didn't watch the trophy ceremony after the game. Toyota turned a real life event into an uplifting ad for their product. In Los Angeles, September 2012, the retired 145-ton Space Shuttle, Endeavour needed to be towed to the California Science Center for display. The Manchester Boulevard Bridge couldn't stand up to the weight of both the shuttle and the traditional tow vehicle. This resulted in a problem for the logistics team and an opportunity for Toyota, a 20-year sponsor of the center. A stock Toyota Tundra with a special tow dolly was used to complete the job. As a writer when your work is rejected find another way to tell the story and think of this ad. 

What events could spark you to write a book? As the Toyota ad says, "let's pitch our dreams, wake them up and make them real. Nothing is beyond our reach."