His “mythic, perfect story…was one big lie,”confessed Lance Armstrong, the world’s most famous cyclist, the winner or now loser of seven Tour de France races. But isn’t that what happens in myth? The gods take down the hero, usually through hubris or excessive pride? Isn’t Odysseus, blinded, sent on his travels when he refuses to accept his fate? We think we must be greater than our fellow man that we possess something special, that we deserve better, that we are fated to win and  fairness and justice and the small ordinariness of life is for another man.  

 

Some of the lines from my debut novel, LIE, what is said by Jimmy, the instigator of a a hate crime and the star of the football and baseball teams at his Long Island high school resonates now: there’s first place or no place… you’re either a winner or you’re nothing. LIE revolves around a murder but one the subthemes –about the winner-take-all attitude in the 21 century and how it sometimes faces a mythic and tragic fate for all involved.

 

What does Lance Armstrong hope to achieve by confessing now? Absolution? What about everyone that he involved and impacted by his hubris? His lies?

 

Ultimately in my novel, Jimmy is brought down—

though not by his own confession. At seventeen he isn’t ready to confess – but then neither was Lance Armstrong, he had to win first. He had to lie to us all and win. Was it worth it? As a writer that’s what I want to know.  Was it worth it?      

 

 

Caroline Bock

author of the debut novel -LIE -

called "Unusual and important"

in a starred Kirkus Review;

"gripping" in a starred Library Journal

review; "suspenseful and thought-provoking,"

in a starred Booklist review

and "smart ... painfully believable" in a

starred Publishers Weekly review --

is now available everywhere

books/ebooks are sold

from St. Martin's Press, a big six publisher.