For Immediate Release
Contact:    Curt Harding
                 Senior Publicist
                 (615) 902-2246 office
                 (615) 902-2340 FAX
                 charding@thomasnelson.com

              

Introducing The Pep Talk
a story of Football, faith, and fortitude  

“Be strong and courageous; don’t be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
                                       - Joshua 1:9

Maybe football is America’s favorite sport for a reason - because it represents our own lives. There are wins and losses, adversity and pain, we get knocked down and we get back up, Sometimes we glance up at the scoreboard and feel like we’re as far from victory as possible, even though victory has been promised to us.
  
The Pep Talk (Thomas Nelson April 29, 2008) is the story of the Lincoln Lions, a high school football team suffering through a painful 24-game losing streak. They’re about to take on their cross-town rivals - the defending state-champion Jacktown Giants, a team riding high winning 41 straight games. You don’t need to work for ESPN to know who’s favored in this lopsided contest.

But something interesting happened on the way to Jacktown’s victory dance. A stranger convinces the Lions’ coach to give his team a pep talk before the big game.  What happens next is both inspiring and life-changing – for the players, the coach, and for the reader.

How could a locker room speech turn this group of losing players into an unstoppable team – if only for one night?  What words could possibly carry on for years and play a pivotal role in the lives of three young men? And how can you apply what this stranger said to your own life?

FROM THE PEP TALK

“Jesus didn’t suggest or ask us to love each other. He commanded it. I want all of you to love each other. Because when you love another person, you want to do your best for him. You also trust that person. Trust every man on this team and believe that he will do his job on Friday night.”

“The Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. said to his audience, “if you’re a street cleaner, you should sweep the streets in such a way that the angels in heaven will stop, look down, and say, “there goes a great street cleaner.” I want the angels in heaven to look down at tomorrow’s game and say the same about you: “There goes a great football player.”

The Pep Talk may just turn out to be the most memorable book you read this year.

About the Authors

Kevin Elko is a certified addictions counselor who works with professional and college football teams. He owns a Super Bowl ring from the Dallas Cowboys, and three national Championship rings from the LSU Tigers and Miami Hurricanes.  Elko is in high demand as a speaker, often doing presentations to companies and organizations such as Pfizer, Wachovia, and Merrill Lynch.

Robert Shook has authored four best-selling books including The IBM Way, Mary Kay on People Management, Mary Kay’s You Can Have It All, and Longaberger. He also collaborated on Pampered Chef, aninstant bestseller.

KEVIN ELKO IS AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEW

CONTACT: Curt Harding 615.902.2246 charding@thomasnelson.com