We are excited to feature our Epilepsy Star, Mighty Mike Simmel who has just published his new book: Never Give Up, a book featuring young characters who are living with epilepsy and autism.
Epilepsy Star: For our June issue, we are excited to feature our Epilepsy Star, Mike Simmel who has authored two books on epilepsy (“Mighty Mike bounces back: A boy’s life with epilepsy” and “Never Give up”) and founded the Bounce out the stigma program that runs basketball camps, clinics, and summer camps for children with special needs across the nation.
In February of this year, Mike Simmel published “Never give up.” This is the book’s synopsis:
Young Xander Zimmons has three main loves in life: his mom and dad, his dog Maddie, and basketball. But as the new kid at Piedmont Middle School, he has nobody to shoot hoops with and worries that his epilepsy might make him stick out more than an airball at a playoff game. That is until he meets Evan Thomas, a cool, quiet kid who shares Xander's love for basketball. Evan has autism, and the new best buds instantly bond over their "invisible" disabilities and their passion for the game. Things get really exciting when they're invited to attend a Bounce Out the Stigma basketball clinic run by "Mighty" Mike Simmel-a real-life basketball pro who doesn't let epilepsy interfere with his sick dribbling skills. At Mighty Mike's clinic and camp, the boys meet other kids just like them who have disabilities and love to play b-ball. Together, the kids learn that nothing can slow them down.
1) What inspired you to write "Never give up"? Is it based on some of the kids you have worked with at your Bounce out the Stigma camps?
During the pandemic I was hit with a jolt to write, and I worked feverishly to create a fun project relatable to kids. I had already co-written a semi-autobiographical children’s book epilepsy-centric, published in 2011, but wanted to expand the topic further. My motivation was to create a children’s basketball book that created awareness and empathy for kids like the those that get unfairly “labeled” in my camp programs; those with invisible disabilities like epilepsy, autism, anxiety, and spectrum disorders.
The creative process was a fun one, but it was not easy. The inspiration of the children was there, but the story needed some more “energy” and “flair”. As I progressed in writing, the work got better. I showed it to a lot of people. It wasn’t until later that I played with a few characters, including descriptions of their
interactions, which gave the story life. Many of those instances resemble those at my camps and they are lively and relatable. The overall flow and style got more personal and entertaining! As we built the story, my publishing team at Warren was so amazing in guiding me along with their edits and pictures, this book soon became a slam dunk!
I have heard some of the reviews already; this story has so much grit and heart that you really don’t want to put it down. You grow to love these kids as your own team and can embrace their differences as they come to life in the book! This first creation was set up so that we can potentially have a sequence of books thereafter entitled “The Bounce Out the Stigma Buddies” series. I have already just written the rough draft for the sequel to “Never Give Up!”, with more inclusive themes, characters, and hardcourt-fun. More enjoyment is on the way in years ahead!
2) Tell us briefly what the story is about?
Young Xander Zimmons has three main loves in life: his mom and dad, his dog Maddie, and basketball. But as the new kid at Piedmont Middle School, he has nobody to shoot hoops with and worries that his epilepsy might make him stick out more than an airball at a playoff game. That is until he meets Evan Thomas, a cool, quiet kid who shares Xander’s love for basketball. Evan has autism, and the new best buds instantly bond over their “invisible” disabilities and their passion for the game. The boys go through some adversity, fun, and adventures. Things then get really exciting when they’re invited to attend a Bounce Out the Stigma basketball clinic run by “Mighty” Mike Simmel—a real-life basketball pro who doesn’t let epilepsy interfere with his sick dribbling and trick-shot skills. At Mighty Mike’s clinic and camp, the boys meet other kids just like them who have other types of disabilities and love to play basketball, too. Together, these kids learn that nothing can slow them down. This fun and inspirational book teaches all kids about acceptance and defining your own limits. In addition to the cool story, the book has some neat features, including: A Facts Section for both Epilepsy and Autism. It has a list of “Mighty Mike Skills and Drills” for skill development that one can do with a basketball. Plus, a bonus, former New York Knicks All-Star John Starks wrote the foreword!
3) Who is this book for? Is it for kids living with epilepsy, their siblings, their family, others?
We are focused on a target audience of 7 – 12 but, really, the book is for everyone. It will promote empathy for those with “invisible disabilities” and provide a resource to educate and entertain. For children with epilepsy, the work talks about how to cope and deal with the condition. I think it is a fun relatable read for the epilepsy community. Also, for kids that have to do a book report on disabilities, or want to read a cool basketball book, this is for you!
4) Where can future readers purchase this book?
You can purchase this book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, on the Warren Publishing website, or wherever you find books sold.
