#47: On the Right Path and The Best NBA Dunks with Brett Gunning, Stacy Padula, and Maddy Moore
Author Stacy Padula teamed up with NBA Coach Brett Gunning on a children’s book series based on the principles of his nonprofit, On the Right Path. And because every kids’ book needs some great illustrations, they called in Maddy Moore to sink a few clutch shots with her designs.
In addition to his nonprofit, Brett has more than 26 years of basketball coaching under his belt, with stops at Hofstra and Villanova in college, and Houston and Orlando in the NBA.
Stacy already has nine successful young adult novels to her name, and she runs her own company, Briley & Baxter Publications, which donates a portion of its proceeds to animal rescues.
Maddy has worked full-time as a freelance artist with authors and designers bringing to life comic book illustrations, character designs, cards and flyers, logos, and her personal work on “The Cloud Maker” indie webcomic.
The mission of both the nonprofit is to guide youth basketball players to achieve their maximum potential through free individual teaching, mentorship, and education while providing parents and coaches with tools and resources to effectively keep their kids on the right path. And the book series follows that same mission by promoting core principles like guidance, inspiration, and creativity.
We’re chatting about the book writing process, the best quarantines, and some of Brett’s most memorable NBA moments, including a delightful story about Kevin McHale.
Highlights of our conversation include:
How each book in the On the Right Path series captures a life skill to share with readers, and the favorite life skills for Brett, Stacy, and Maddie. (9:03)
Tips and tools for collaborating with each other during the COVID-19 pandemic. (14:27)
Maddy’s process for doing design work and how to keep things running smoothly throughout the creation of the book. (17:01)
How to market a book in the middle of social distancing, and why Stacy relies on two different PR teams to find what works best. (18:45)
The best quarantine hobbies Maddy, Brett, and Stacy have developed over the past year. (22:26)
How faith is central to both Stacy and Brett’s work. (29:04)
The top three moments in Brett’s coaching career, as well as our favorite dunks from NBA Dunk Contest history. (37:39)
Where to find Stacy, Brett, and Maddy
Check out the websites for Stacy, Brett, and Maddy, and be sure to pre-order a copy of On the Right Path!
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