Q&A with Chris Boucher

Chris Boucher lives north of Boston with his wife and sons. He is passionate about basketball, learning, and writing. While his basketball skills remain on the amateur side, he has put in the work to earn master’s degrees in education and creative writing to improve those abilities. You can find him online at chrisboucher.net.

How long have you been writing novels? Which is your favorite?

I've been writing seriously since I started studying for my Master's in Creative Writing in 2016. My favorite book is my most recent, The Original Bucky Lew: Basketball's First Black Professional, about an African-American man who integrated pro hoops as a player and executive starting way back in 1902.

How did you research the historical or factual aspects of your story?

I spent a lot of time reading about early basketball in newspapers from the early 1900s. These were available in the archives of a local historical society and online in recently digitized content. I also read a handful of books on the topic and spoke to relatives and family friends of the star of my book, Harry "Bucky" Lew.

What challenges did you face while writing your latest novel?

The major challenge I faced was that while the star of my fictional biography was an actual historical figure who featured prominently in the papers of his day, the coverage was mostly in the form of dry, surface material, such as game summaries and box scores. So I had to use my imagination and read between the lines to craft compelling scenes that brought the story to life.

What is your schedule like when writing a book?

I like to write early before I start my day job. In writing The Original Bucky Lew, I typically woke up at 5 a.m. and wrote for three hours. On weekends, I'd write till midday, and if needed, research any gaps I had in the evening on what I planned to write next.

How do you develop your characters and make them realistic and relatable?

I've been around basketball a lot, coached my kids, and still play somewhat competitive hoops on a regular basis. So I've been exposed to a wide range of personalities and events that I could draw on to add color to The Original Bucky Lew.

What are you working on next?

My next book is tentatively called "Original Irish." It's about Dan Lynch, another early baller, sometimes teammate, and occasional opponent of Lew's. The pair maintained a lifelong friendship and when Lew got his shot as the first owner of integrated hoops in 1915, Lynch showed his support. He organized a team of local players to scrimmage against Lew's team so that they'd be as ready as possible for their season. It was an important practical measure, but also an important public gesture since this all took place in the midst of the Jim Crow era and a KKK revival.