EPISODE 745 - Scott Clifford Mack - Soccer On Sunday In The Park and Adventures of a Forgotten Man

Author and guest Scott Clifford Mack joins us from Falmouth, Maine, a coastal community with a deep literary tradition and a revolutionary-era history that mirrors his themes of resilience and reinvention. He describes Maine as an introspective place that quietly supports the inner life of a writer, even as he humbly refrains from placing himself among its famous names. Scott shares an early, sobering experience at a publishing seminar where an industry professional bluntly stated that most first novels will never see the light of day. What felt devastating at the time eventually became a foundational lesson about failure, resilience, and the necessity of honest self-assessment. He admits his early work was not as strong as he believed, and that accepting this truth pushed him to improve his craft.

Over the years, Scott has written novels, magazine articles, essays, and short stories, facing both rejection and acceptance. These experiences deepened his confidence and clarified his priorities. He realized he writes primarily for the love of writing itself, not for guarantees of publication or acclaim. For him, joy comes from sitting alone with a story, refining each sentence, and “baking the cake” before worrying about covers and marketing. Scott prefers to keep his voice as pure as possible, resisting heavy editorial direction so his work remains fully his own. He reads widely across genres, studying how other authors structure stories and shape language, and emphasizes that a compelling story is what ultimately carries a reader from first page to last.

Scott’s first published novel, Soccer on Sunday in the Park, grew from lifelong passion and multiple failed attempts to write about the sport he loves. The book centers on a diverse group of everyday people who gather weekly for informal pickup soccer. Through their eyes, he explores three main themes: a grassroots homage to the game, the power of human connection across age, background, and culture, and the importance of adults continuing to play and embrace the humility and resilience that come with games.

His second novel, Adventures of a Forgotten Man, shifts to corporate culture, remote work, and the modern world of employment. Inspired by a real report of remote employees who stopped logging in yet continued to be paid, Scott imagines a man “misplaced” by a large insurance company and explores what happens when work becomes transactional and disconnected. The protagonist’s journey contrasts older, more personal workplace eras with today’s diffuse, digital reality, raising questions about identity, loyalty, and meaning in work.

Throughout the conversation, Scott explains his character-building process, from notebooks and detailed profiles to the surprising way minor figures sometimes grow into pivotal roles. He is especially drawn to “under the radar” people and finding the remarkable in the seemingly unremarkable.

https://www.instagram.com/scmack13

Support the show

___
https://livingthenextchapter.com/
podcast produced by: https://truemediasolutions.ca/

Coffee Refills are always appreciated, refill Dave's cup here, and thanks!
https://buymeacoffee.com/truemediaca