Despite being a descendant of one of America’s great authors, Nathaniel Hawthorne, I didn’t intend to pursue a career in writing. Instead, I decided to pay the bills with a forty-year career in sales and management, while earning the opportunity to work for a few of our country’s top corporations. However, writing was always a very significant part of my life and, whether it was for business or pleasure, my efforts were generally met with positive reviews. Deep down, I always held out hope that I had inherited at least a shred of my ancestor’s immense talent.

But as much as I enjoy writing, it pales in comparison to my love of sports. Outside of my wonderful wife and family, there is nothing I love more. Sports have consumed most of my free time ever since I was a young boy, and if you name the game, the odds are pretty good I’ve either played, coached, or at least watched it over the course of my lifetime.

Topping my list of favorites is college football. No other sport rivals the thrill, passion, and traditions of America’s greatest game. I’ve watched it as a fan and studied it as a hobby for over fifty-five years. From an early age, I was predetermined to attend USC, and the true love of my future alma mater and its powerhouse football program gripped me from the very beginning.

Several years ago, an idea for this book came to mind and it never went away. For the longest time I wanted to be the guy who wrote the book on college football. So that’s what I did.

Writing a novel requires a significant commitment, and it’s a good strategy to choose a subject you deeply care about and have an in-depth knowledge of. For me, college football checks all those boxes.

It is my sincere hope that WHERE PASSION LIVES: The Spirit of College Football brings you as much enjoyment reading it as I experienced writing it.

Dean C. Hawthorne

My Favorite Sports Memories

• Played basketball against Michael Jordan in the late ‘90s and WON!
• Threw a complete game no-hitter when I was fifteen.
• Spent five years on the road with the Los Angeles Raiders as a broadcast sales rep.
• Coached my son on nineteen different teams between football, basketball, and baseball over a three-year period. My son still talks to me.