ME
I was 13 in 1963. I grew up in Detroit. Anthony Bourdain said Detroit is a cool place to be from. It IS.
I wrote a story in the school newspaper about going to the Beatles concert. That means I have been a published author since 8th grade. Our school bus went past WXYZ-7 TV Detroit every day. For 26 years, I worked at WSVN-7 Miami. Working in television is like not working at all, right? Wrong. It IS.
I graduated from Michigan State University and I thought that I had the world by the ass because of it. I DIDN’T.
Every single day I write and eventually the catharsis of writing has become who I am. That’s TRUE.
I thought I was a good swimmer until I met Diana Nyad. My swimming is RESPECTABLE.
I would tell you about my son but he doesn’t like when I do that. So I WON’T.
I was a high school English teacher, an assignment editor at WSVN-7 and the creator of THE BROWARD PEOPLE PROJECT.
The Books
I wrote the book “God took my arms but he gave me THIS GIFT.” The book is about Paralympic swimmer Abbas Karimi.
It is the 2025 Buck Dawson award winning book.
I have done dozens of presentations, podcasts and book signings.
Contact me for an AUTOGRAPHED COPY.
People ask if the story still makes me cry. It DOES.
“The Swimmer With No Arms” is a rhyming children’s book about Abbas Karimi, PLY, a two-time Paralympic swimmer whose true story shows what is humanly possible against all odds. It is written for kids 9 years old and up. It includes vocabulary, discussion questions and three videos with a special message for kids.
The book is now available on Amazon Kindle.
The Documentary
The University of Miami has been awarded a grant to make a documentary based on my book and I am the consulting producer.
Want to see the trailer? You CAN.
Writing
I am a writing consultant, a writing contest judge, writing coach, a member of the South Florida Writers Association and I run my own writers group.
The “Write Thing to Do” writers group meets at the Beach Community Center.
- Community Center Address: 3351 NE 33rd Ave Fort Lauderdale
- Community Center Phone: 954 828 4610
Want to write your memoir? Wedding toast? Speech? Let’s do it together.
I include a personalized coaching outline to get you on your way. $125 per hour (4 hour minimum).
Swimming
I have been a member of Swim Fort Lauderdale Masters Swim Team since 2005. I have ribbons and medals and a motherlode of swim awards that span six, five-year age groups.
You know, swimming is the ANSWER.
The question is IRRELEVANT.
Contact
mitchzback [at] gmail [dot] com