It had been too long since I interviewed author John Cosper. Fortunately, I got an update for him just as he is about to have a big year.
A wrestling historian, John has written (or co0authored) several wrestling books, including books about Wahoo McDaniel, Mad Man Pondo, Chris Candido and many more. Not limited to wrestling, John has impressed me with his fiction books, especially his Dead Park series, which features short horror stories involving the Dead Park area. I can't get enough of his Dead Park books and fortunately, I will be getting more this year.
John gives a quick background on himself, before giving a look at his books scheduled to be published this year. This year, he has both wrestler bios and Dead Park books are planned for release. I already have many of his books on my shelf and I will be adding more.
I have interviewed author John Cosper many times. John has written several books with wrestlers and also has penned fiction stories, including his Dead Park series.
I am a big fan of all of John's works. I love his wrestling books for their historical content. His subjcts deserve the recognition and the readers get to know wrestlers who haven't enjoyed the spotlight as much as more well-known stars.
His fiction books are awesome. The Dead Park series centers around Dead Park Plaza. They are horror books, with some quirky humor sprinkled into the mix. I also love his other fiction books, including one on Charlie Kruel, one of my favorite independent wrestlers.
As the year comes to an end, I wanted to get a year end review of Ohio Valley Wrestling from our author friend John Cosper. Yesterday, I talked to John about OVW and also got a preview of his current wrestling and fiction book projects. That interview is at On the Beat With John Cosper.
In 2022, John became our go-to person for OVW news. A wrestling historian, as well as biographer, John attended many OVW shows, watching the action and talking to the talent. John has a keen eye and never steers me wrong.
Over the years, he told me to look for such upcoming stars as Billie Starkz, Charlie Kruel, Masha Slamovich, Skye Blue and many others. One by one, as I eventually saw them in person, I saw John's assessments to be right on. While Starkz is the wrestler most ready for the big time, the others aren't far behind on that same path. I quickly asked John to be my OVW correspondent for The Every Day Fan.
In this interview, John came through again. He names several wrestlers who had great years at OVW, along with a few most improved and ones to watch in 2023.
OVW might be the most exciting wrestling promotion in the country right now. Led by former WWE superstar Al Snow, it has quickly become home to fantastic wrestling action and rising stars. John much praise to Snow, along with trainers Doug Basham and the Amazing Maria.
Not surprisingly, when I talked to Snow earlier this month at Great Lakes Championship Wrestling's Blizzard Brawl, he was ever-humble, giving credit to his trainers and the wrestlers. Despite his humility, we all know Snow has a great mind for wrestling and he is proving it with the success of OVW.
John finished by giving a preview of his current book projects, starting with another OVW connection. John interviewed and featured OVW announcer Dean Hill in “Bluegrass Brawlers,” his book from a few years back. A part of OVW from the beginning, also a retired policeman, a musician, a motorcycle enthusiast and more, Hill is a part of Louisville history and not just around the ring. John previously talked about this book and it's another I look forward to reading.
He also has a book in progress with Gregory Iron. John offered to delay the book due to the unfortunate passing of Iron's father, but Iron is eager to get back into it.
John also discussed a book project featuring June Byers. A three-time women's world champ in the 40s-60s, Byers has quite a story. Two huge stories involve matches with Mildred Burke and The Fabulous Moolah, but there is a lot more to her story and John plans on telling it. John even admits to originally having a bit of a chip on his shoulder about Byers because of the Burke incident, but states he sees things in a bit of a different light now.
In addition to wrestling books, John is compiling quite a fiction library. He revealed the premise of the third book and a hint about the fourth in the Dead Park book series.
I appreciate John's contributions over the last year and I look forward to continuing this connection next year. John's knowledge of wrestling history, his insight into OVW and his continuing stream of excellent wrestling books makes him a great contributor to our wrestling coverage.
Earlier this week, I caught up with writer, author and wrestling historian John Cosper. In addition to wrestling, John is also an accomplished fiction author, who just released two new books. We talked about all of this in our interview at On the Beat With John Cosper.
“Girl Most Likely to Kill You” is available now and “Zombies of Oz” will be released this weekend. John gives a spoiler-free sneak peak at his two newest works, as well as a look ahead at the next book in the Dead Park series.
Of course, John never strays too far from wrestling. He's currently working on books with wrestlers Dean Hill and Mad Man Pondo and broadcaster Dean Hill.
John tells a few Pondo tales and we both share our appreciation for the veteran wrestler. This will be the second Pondo book and we agree Pondo probably has enough stories to fill several books and many would be stranger than fiction.
We finish our interview discussing the latest in Ohio Valley Wrestling. WWE legend Al Snow continues to do great things at OVW. John shares his thoughts on the talented roster and events.
Whether through his wrestling books, his event recaps or his talent evaluations, John always provides great wrestling content. Additionally, his fiction is a quick diversion from the squared circle.
I appreciate John's time and thoughts. I also am grateful for his ever-growing section on my bookshelf.
I have known author and wrestling historian John Cosper for several years. John is my “go to” guy for discussions of independent wrestling in the Ohio Valley area and wrestling in general.
John has written (or co-written) many wrestling books, including biographies on Wahoo McDaniel, Chris Candido, Princess Victoria and other fascinating wrestlers. Not limited to the squared circle, John also has written a few fiction books, including the Dead Park series. I proudly have several of John's books on my bookshelf, with more to come.
It had been longer than usual since I last spoke to John, but we finally got together yesterday for a Zoom interview. As usual, we talked indy wrestling and his book projects. That interview is at On the Beat With John Cosper.
John started by discussing a night at FTC wrestling with Bobby Blaze. Likening his experience with Blaze to previous encounters with the late Tracy Smothers, John was fascinated hearing Blaze's insight. Several wrestlers earned John's praise, perhaps with Reese Ramone at the top of the list.
From there, John discussed his multiple visits to Ohio Valley Wrestling, run by WWE legend Al Snow. John had several interesting stories from the shows and mentioned some of the talent. OVW is doing great things and it all starts with Snow.
As always, John discussed a few wrestlers on the rise. We share a respect for Billie Starkz, current the champ at both 2econd Wrestling and Girl Fight Wrestling. Having seen Starkz twice recently, I am very impressed with every aspect of her.
While I have yet to see Charlie Kruel in person, I have followed her online and I have a growing admiration for her. Still young and early in her wrestling career, Kruel has already taken her character in several directions, while not losing her core nature. She is one of the most intriguing young wrestlers.
We finished by discussing John's books. Diary of a Mad Man, the Mad Man Pondo book co-written by John and Pondo was the first of John's books to catch my eye. Since then, I have added many of his other biographies and have expanded my knowledge because of him.
I was drawn into his fiction books by Charlie Kruel: Escape From VHS Hell. This “bio” of Charlie Kruel is a fascinating look at the Kruel character. Already hooked by his writing, His Dead Park series has been my next favorite. John discussed all of this, including revealing Dead Park will be revisited at least a few more times.
I have such a good time discussing wrestling with John. After the recording, John agreed to join e for regular updates to discuss indy wrestling and other wrestling-related topics. Look for those here and on TheEveryDayFan.com.
Go to EatSleepWrestle.com for more info on all of John's wrestling books. Also, check DeadParkBooks.com, his site for the Dead Park series and other works.
Writer-author and friend John Cosper has a few book projects on the horizon. I always love talking wrestling with John and these books provided the perfect opportunity. On Monday, I interviewed John for Global Women Sports Radio. Our interview is at On the Beat With John Cosper.
We started by talking about “The Amazing Life of Mars Bennett.” While writing “The Ballad of Cousin Elvira,” about Elvira Snodgrass, Mars Bennett caught John's eye. Although Bennett died at the young age of 35, she lived quite a life and John covers it all with more than 70 photos and many stories. This is another example of John putting the spotlight on one of the women pioneers of wrestling.
Next up was “Katie Bar the Door!: History of Portland Wrestling.” The title says it all. This is an in depth look at the Portland territory. When I hear “Portland,” I immediately think of Roddy Piper. John states there is plenty of Piper in there and so much more.
The third book we discussed was “The Darkest Side of the Ring: Stories of Charlie Kruel and Ella.” Wrestling fans and horror lovers will enjoy the fictional tales of indy wrestlers Charlie and Ella.
The final book of the quartet is the second edition of “Bluegrass Brawlers: The Story of Professional Wrestling in Louisville.” With about 50 percent more text, John fills in some time gaps, expands on other stories and includes things that happened since 2014. The new cover includes Billie Starkz, one of the brightest young wrestlers and one I recently interviewed.
In addition to these books, John also talked about Ohio Valley Wrestling and Girl Fight Wrestling. Run by Al Snow, OVW has a great women's division led by “The Amazing” Maria. Our old friend Mad Man Pondo continues to give opportunities to impressive young women wrestlers.
As always with John, we packed a lot of fun wrestling talk into the interview. I applaud John for continually thinking outside the box with wrestlers like Mars Bennett. John would eschew the praise, but he is bridging the gap between several generations of women wrestlers.
Check out John's books at EatSleepWrestle.com. I am not just promoting John here. I am filling my personal book shelf with his books.
Fresh of the recent release of The Shops at Dead Park, John Cosper was kind enough to give me his time for another interview. Our interview is at On the Beat With John Cosper.
We started by discussing The Shops at Dead Park. When I read Dead Park Plaza, his previous book, I interviewed John and asked about a sequel or expansion of the Dead Park concept. When I saw The Shops at Dead Park released, I couldn't wait to get it and it did not disappoint.
While Dead Park Plaza has tales from the office building, The Shops at Dead Park takes that concept and brings it to the mall. It was a cool way to continue the series, while breathing fresh life into it. I hadn't thought of this idea, but that's why John is the author.
The Shops at Dead Park is every bit as entertaining and horrific as its predecessor. John again brings a bit of quirky humor, but not too much to overpower the horror. I will not give away any of the plots, but I enjoyed each story.
From there, John updated me on the latest Girl Fight Wrestling event. John talked about all of the talented ladies, like Skye Blue, Mickie Knuckles and the others, with a few Mad Man Pondo and Princess Victoria stories, too.
Lastly, we talked a bit about women in the WWE, TNA, Impact and more. I love picking John's mind. Having recently seen and interviewed Skye Blue, I can state John was completely accurate in his praise for her. She is the real deal.
I greatly appreciate John's time, knowledge and consideration in these interviews. I look forward to more in the future.
Go to EatSleepWrestle.com for all of John's books. He's got several fiction books and many wrestling autobiographies. My book shelf is quickly filling with John's books and I highly recommend all of them.
Last week, I was “On the Beat” with author friend John Cosper, who has lent his wrestling knowledge here several times. In this interview, we spoke about Dead Park Plaza, his newest fiction book of short stories, as well as Wahoo, his just released autobiography about Wahoo McDaniel. Lastly, and most appropriate to this site, John gave his thoughts on woman wrestlers to watch this year.
We started by discussing Dead Park Plaza, seven short stories of odd occurrences at an office complex. John describes it as “The Office Meets Tales From the Darkside." That's the perfect description. It's a collection of short stories of murder, mayhem and a little mirth in a seemingly mundane office complex. There is nothing mundane about the events, however, or the writing. A bit of quirky humor simply adds to the enjoyment.
The book is a quick, fun read, either all at once or savored one story per reading. I truly hated to get to the end of Dead Park Plaza, but I found "Executive Dining," the last story, to be the one I liked the most (although all were excellent).
The stories span 30 years at Lead Park Plaza, the four story office complex where all the strange things happen. John tells seven stories in Dead Park Plaza, but here can be (and have to be) many more stories to be told. While reading Dead Park Plaza, I was already hoping there would be a sequel (or several). Fortunately, in our interview, John revealed there is a good possibility for at least one more visit to Dead Park Plaza.
This isn't John's first foray into the world of fiction. He has a few other fiction books, including Charlie Kruel: Escape From VHS Hell, revealing the origin of our favorite purple-haired maniac wrestler. Dead Park Plaza is a winner, as I selected in my Great Reads 2021 list for Global Traveler.
The next topic was Wahoo the autobiography he co-wrote with Karen McDaniel, wife of the legendary wrestler football player. Wahoo lead a life which would have made an interesting fiction novel, but it was reality. John and Karen delve into the wild, crazy and real life of the larger-than-life character. From the wrestling ring to the pro football field and everywhere in between, Wahoo led quite a life and it is presented here in all its glory. Wahoo promises to make my Great Reads 2022 list.
Finally, we got around to discussing women wrestlers to watch this year. John started by mentioning OVW run by former wrestling star Al Snow. Al is really making OVW “must see” programming. Certainly a big part of that is the women's division, run by Maria James, aka Amazing Maria.
John gave his thoughts on several top women fans should watch in 2022. Among those are Haley J, Sierra, Judi-Rae Hendrix, Billie Starkz, Heather Reckless and LuFisto. John had insightful observations on each of these talented women.
Having previously discussed wrestling many times with John, I respect his knowledge and I will be looking out for these women. First up for me is finally seeing Billie Starkz, when she appears at 2econd Wrestling's Flood Zone on March 6 in Northbrook, Illinois.
Friend Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends who have met celebrities.
I met author John Cosper through Mad Man Pondo. Although we haven't physically met yet, we have talked several times and he has assisted me on a few articles on Global Women's Sports Radio.
John is the author of more than 20 books, mostly wrestling biographies, but other wrestling books and some fiction, too. My shelves have several of John's books, including Memoirs of a Mad Man, Chris Candido: No Gimmicks Needed and Charlie Kruel: Escape From VHS Hell. John is perfect for collaborating with wrestlers on their books, because of his knowledge, passion and respect for wrestling.
Today though, I feature John away from wrestling. John met Elvis and Elvis in Las Vegas a few years ago. This could have made for an interesting tag team (Freebird style, of course). Imagaine the Three Elvises versus the Von Erichs. John would just need to grow his hair a bit and get a dazzling jumpsuit.
Serious;y, John is a great guy and a talented writer. If you're a fan of wrestling, check out his books at EatSleepWrestle.com. Also, go to JohnCosper.com to check out his other books.
Elvis, John Cosper and Elvis in Las Vegas, NV-Otober 2016.
Friend Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends who have met celebrities.
David "Dr. D." Schultz was a highly successful wrestler in the American Wrestling Association and the WWF in the 1970s and 80s. Schultz might be best known for an incident on television's 20/20. Schultz released his book, Don't Call Me Fake, in 2018. His co-author was my buddy John Cosper.
John was the perfect person to write Schultz's book. John is knowledgeable and respectful of the business. Schultz is an old school wrestler with an interesting story and John was the man to bring it all out.
John has co-written many other books about wrestling. He most recent are Princess Victoria: Tears, Triumphs and Turnbuckles (With Vicki Otis) and Chris Candido: No Gimmicks Needed (with Jonny Candido).
I have interviewed John a few times and he has also contributed to a few of my articles on Globl Women's Sports Radio. He's as nice as he is talented. I look forward to more great books from John.
Girl Fight Wrestling is back and women wrestlers are in peak form already. With the return of GFW, I went back “On the Beat” with wrestling historian and author John Cosper.
Over the last year, John has become GWSR's “go-to” correspondent for GFW. The author of more than 20 wrestling books, John became friends with GFW founder Mad Man Pondo and eventually co-wrote Memoirs of a Mad Man with Pondo. As a knowledgeable and respectful fan and wrestling author, John is the perfect person to give updates and opinions on the action of GFW.
We started the interview talking about A Champions Challenge, GFW's big return event from a couple weeks ago. GFW champ Mickie Knuckles fought seven other women in her title defense. Billie Starkz won the match to become the new GFW champ. While it was somewhat of a surprise, Starkz is a very talented, young wrestler who is advanced beyond her years.
The wily veteran Knuckles is as tough as can be. I saw her up close during her stint at Resistance Pro Wrestling, where she held the women's title. No matter the outcome of any of her matches, Knuckles always gave her opponent a beating (and usually took a beating herself). On this night though, Starkz pulled out the win and is a deserving champ.
John is very high on Starkz and Knuckles. He feels Starkz and Knuckles could both be in a major company. Starkz's age might be the only thing holding her back right now. On the opposite end, Knuckles would be a great veteran presence in the locker room. Of course, Knuckles can still go in the ring, too.
Talk then moved on to GFW's event lat Saturday. Knuckles and Charlie Kruel opened the night with Knuckles getting the win. What a way to start a night of wrestling! Knuckles versus Kruel could main event any show.
John gives a rundown of the entire card, which also included Starkz, Dani Mo, Big Momma, Nikki Victory, Judi Rae Hendrix and more. John had interesting takes on all the matches and the women wrestlers. This night sounds like it could be a “Best of GFW” dvd all by itself.
I asked John for his thoughts on which of the women he thought would be the next one to get a call from any of the big companies. Several GFW alums, like Skye Blue and Sarah Logan, have already made appearances with the big companies and more will be following. The GFW roster is arguably better than ever.
We took a related detour to talk about Pondo. A man of many adventures, Pondo doesn't get the overall credit he deserves. He has done so much for women wrestlers.In an era where the big companies talked about the women's movement, Pondo was putting on shows highlighting women actually wrestling. Pondo has given women a platform to showcase their skills, while also sharing his years of experience.
Lastly, we talked about John's latest endeavors. His most recent books are Princess Victoria: A Tale of Tears, Triumphs, and Turnbuckles (with Vicki Otis) and Chris Candido: No Gimmicks Needed (with Jonny Candido). Ever-busy, John is working on a few new book projects. He also mentioned a project with Pondo, but couldn't reveal details yet. I can't wait for more info on any project between John and Pondo.
I appreciate John's time and consideration in giving GWSR updates on GFW and his books. You can get more info on John at EatSleepWrestle.com. Follow Girl Fight Wrestling on Facebook and check back here for news and updates on the best women's wrestling. You can watch the video interview at On the Beat With John Cosper.
I first saw Princess Victoria in my early days of following professional wrestling. Princess Victoria was a Native-American wrestler in the NWA. A respectful representation of her Native American heritage, Princess Victoria was a talented young wrestler on the rise.
In those pre-internet days of the early 80s, I only knew what I read in wrestling magazines or heard on television broadcasts. I had no idea of the traumas the woman in the ring had endured. Obviously, I also had no idea of the challenges she would face during and after her wrestling career.
Fortunately soon the full story of Princess Victoria will be told in a book. Vicki Otis, the woman I saw grace the wrestling rings as Princess Victoria so many years ago and wrestling author and historian John Cosper are collaborating to publish the Vicki Otis story.
Yesterday, I had the pleasure of interviewing Vicki and John about the upcoming book, which is planned for a spring 2021 release. This interview comes a few weeks after John first announced the book partnership.
I previously had inerviewed John about this book and other books of his. He described Vicki's book as being a hard read. In all honesty, I knew Vicki had experienced some difficulties, but I never knew what she experienced until I did even more research after that interview with John.
Vicki Otis was born in Portland, Oregon. After being trained by Sandy Barr, she feuded and then teamed with fellow trainee Velvet McIntyre. Vicki won the NWA Women's Tag Team Championship with Sabrina and later won it again with McIntyre. Vicki also held the NWA Women's USA title and later the WWF Women's Tag Team championship with McIntyre.
As a singles wrestler or in a tag team, Vicki was very popular and had a bright future. Tragically, Vicki suffered a career-ending injury in September 1984.
Vicki's career was relatively short, but her impact is still felt. Vicki was a true pioneer in women's wrestling. In a time when women's wrestling was slower-paced, Vicki's energetic, lively style stood out. She forced opponents to step up their game to match her in the ring. Vicki's legacy goes well beyond her in ring career though.
Every woman wrestler after her owes Vicki a debt of gratitude. As John states in our interview, a certain wrestling league shapes the history of women's wrestling as they see fit, but the real story involves women like Vicki, who put on great matches in small and large venues all over the world, without the benefit of being part of the “Diva Revolution” or the perceived “Women's Movement.” The true women's movement started with Vicki and others who haven't received the proper recognition by some.
Fortunately, the Cauliflower Alley Club is an independent organization that can celebrate the real heroes of wrestling. In 2018, CAC presented Vicki with their prestigious Women's Wrestling award.
One would think Vicki would be bitter, but that is far from the case. Vicki lives by the motto that a bitter vet helps nobody and she will not become bitter. That's not just lip service either and her upcoming book will be written, palpable proof of that.
In our interview, Vicki passionately talked about wanting others to know they can overcome life's adversities. Vicki is revealing pain and anguish, while also showing triumph and joy. Reliving traumas, putting them on paper and having them out there forever isn't an easy task. It's heartbreaking and gut wrenching, but Vicki felt so compelled to do it for others to benefit.
In our interview, I focused on the book. Stories from her career are best left to her book for now. Once the book is out. I certainly would love to revisit Vicki and delve into some stories.
I wanted to know what drove Vicki to write the book. I wanted to know how she found the courage to write the book. I had a rare chance to speak with a true wrestling legend and I wanted to hear her explain that.
I gotexactly what I wanted. I got Vicki speaking from her heart about her attitude, her desire to inspire others, her desire for others to take hope and more. That talk from the heart is much more meaningful and valuable than anything.
I hope we will have future interviews. I was so impressed with Vicki's perspective. Of course, I was already impressed with her career and accomplishments. Now I am even more impressed with Vicki on a much more significant level.
As for John, I know he is the perfect person to help tell Vicki's story. With more than 20 books on his resume, John is knowledgeable and has a true appreciation for wrestling and wrestlers. His book on the late Chris Candido is scheduled for publishing in early 2021, to be followed by Vicki's book. Both promise to be must reads. Both will find themselves in the ever-growing John Cosper section on my book shelf.
I started this process with an average knowledge of wrestler Princess Victoria. Through things like Taeler Hendrix's piece and my interview, I have learned so much about Vicki Otis and through the upcoming book from Vicki and John, everyone will learn all about Vicki.
I thank Vicki for a lot of great memories in my early days of following pro wrestling. I thank Vicki and John for their time and consideration in the interview. I look forward to the book and to future interviews. I encourage everyone to check back here for Global Women's Sports Radio's future coverage of Vicki's book. Lastly, check EatSleepWrestle.com for news on Vicki's book and for all of the other books John has written.
Friend Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends who have met celebrities.
I have written many times about Mad Man Pondo. Several years back at Resistance Pro, I heard Pondo would be coming in for a show. I knew of the legend of Pondo and I admit I felt a bit intimidated. His reputation wasn't bad, but it was crazy. You don't earn the nickname "Mad Man" for being docile.
Pondo proved to live up to that rep in the ring, but out of the ring, he is one of the nicest people you could ever meet. He always helped with advice to other wrestlers and setting up the ring. He also helped the promoters with the talent, storylines and crowd engagement. He was a complete asset to RPro from every angle.
Over the last several years, Pondo has run Girl Fight Wrestling, a wrestling company shining the spotlight on talented women wrestlers. These are legit women wrestlers, not gimmicky divas. GFW is their place to shine thanks to Pondo.
I met John Cosper through Pondo. An author, John worked with Pondo on Memoirs of a Mad Man. Capturing the essence of a larger-than-life character lke Pondo couldn't have been easy, but Memoirs of a Mad Man does just that.
You don't have to be a wrestling fan to enjoy this book. Pondo's life goes beyond the wrestling ring and the book has a lot of great non-wrestling stories in it.
John has written several other books, too. Charlie Kruel: Escape From VHS Hell is a fictional (?) account of the origin of Kruel, everyone's favorite purple haired maniac. Recently John announced future books will feature Chris Candido and Princess Victoria.
These are two good guys and good friends. Someday when this pandemic is over, I hope to join them for a night of wrestling fun.
Monday night I was back "On the Beat" with author John Cosper. As a returning guest, John is quickly becoming a favorite interview, because the sessions for me are a combination of talking to a friend and learning about the history of wrestling.
In this interview, we start with some serious chat about Charlie Kruel suffering a major concussion. Fortunately, Charlie seems to be okay, except for the loss of her gear.
Also, our friend the legendary Tracy Smothers is suffering more health issues. John gives a quick update in the interview, as well as on EatSleepWrestle.com.
On to happier topics, John gave us the details on two new books he will be writing for release in 2021. John is writing books on Princess Victoria and Chris Candido, two very interesting people who excelled in the ring.
Princess Victoria was a wrestling star in the 80s, but as I learned from John, her story goes well beyond her in-ring career. John spoke of the serious nature of the subject matter, but the importance of that story being told. Of course, I was familiar with her wrestling career, but I didn't know of her backstory. As tough of a read as it might be, I am really looking forward to learning more about her. John is working with Victoria, which will make this book even more personal and insightful.
Chris Candido was a tremendous wrestler who died too soon. An underrated, but very successful wrestler, Candido's story is another one I can't wait to read. John is teaming with Johnny, brother of Chris, which makes this a real insider's look into the fascinating life of Chris.
John's book resume keeps growing. Already an author of more than 20 books, John also mentioned a future project after the books on Princess Victoria and Candido. I am always interested in learning more about interesting wrestling folks and John is the perfect person to bring those stories to us.
I thank John for his time and consideration. I also look forward to continuing to hear his stories and his thoughts on wrestling. We even talked a bit about the Chicago Bears, but pehaps we brought them a bit of bad luck as they suffered a bad loss right after this interview.
I encourage everyone to check out EatSleepWrestle.com for more info on John and his books. Also, look back here for recurring coverage of and with John.
John Cosper is an award-winning writer and author with a resume that includes 25 years of writing sketch comedy, stage plays, film, television, and fiction. A long time fan of wrestling, John grew up cheering for “The Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels and the Von Erich family. John's passion for wrestling merged with his talent with words in 2013 when he started writing Bluegrass Brawlers, his first book. His website, EatSleepWrestle.com soon followed, as did 20 other books.
Along the way, he crossed paths with wrestling legend Mad Man Pondo and the two formed a friendship. The two men worked together to produce Memoirs of a Mad Man, Pondo's autobiography. It's filled with wild stories, all true, from the even wilder life of Pondo.
John is also a fan of Girl Fight Wrestling, the promotion Pondo started. Girl Fight Wrestling is all about the women in all the right ways. The focus is on highlighting and promoting them. If you're looking for bikini wrestling, look elsewhere, although the ladies of Girl Fight Wrestling would do well in any type of match. At Girl Fight Wrestling, it's about featuring the finest women's wrestling and developing young stars, like Skye Blue, Billie Starkz, Su Yung and Charlie Kruel.
Kruel is the subject of one of John's latest books, Charlie Kruel: Escape From VHS Hell, which tells the origin of Charlie Kruel, the purple-haired maniac. Summoned from an old VHS tape, Kruel has to battle some familiar villains, while dealing with the real world. It's a thrilling story of one of the most unusual characters on the wrestling scene (and elsewhere).
I talked about this book with Charlie in an earlier interview. A couple days ago, I interviewed John and got his take on the book and other fun stuff.
John also gives his review of the recent Girl Fight Wrestling: Jawbreaker and previews Night of the Living Girl Fight, the upcoming event. John writes about Girl Fight Wrestling's events on EatSleepWrestle.com, but he was also kind enough to assist me with my coverage of Girl Fight Wrestling here on Global Women's Sports Radio.
Epic Wrestling Entertainment presents Girl Fight Wrestling: Night of the Living Girl Fight on October 17 at the Park Memorial UMC in Jeffersonville, Indiana. One match already signed pits Mickie Knuckles against Kruel. After their interaction at Jawbreaker, Mickie Knuckles demanded the match and Pondo granted that request.
The main event will be a Broad Brawl. The battle royal will start with two women and every 30 seconds another woman will enter the fray. The last woman standing will be crowned the Girl Fight Wrestling champion. A few women have already been announced, including Hazel Croux and Aleida Ortiz. I'm sure a lot of Girl Fight Wrestling's familiar faces will soon follow.
John will once again cover it for his site, while I'll be doing the same here. John has also agreed to rejoin me here for more talk of Girl Fight Wrestling.
Near the end of the interview, John stopped just short of giving a scoop on his next book project. He did promise to talk about it with me soon though.
His most recent book The Ballad of Cousin Elvira sheds light on a true pioneer in women's wrestling. It's the life story of Elvira Snodgrass, one of the biggest, yet unheralded, wrestling stars of the 1940s. As much as she was the biggest challenger to champion Mildred Burke, she is too often overlooked by many, but not by John, who has a keen appreciation for the history of wrestling.
The Ballad of Cousin Elvira showcases one of John's strengths. His appreciation for and knowledge of wrestling goes beyond the most famous. Selecting Snodgrass as the subject might not be the popular pick, but the book is a fascinating look at one of the first true characters in wrestling. In addition to Snodgrass, John has brought to life the stories of Tracy Smothers, David Schultz, Lord Carlton and more.
It was a lot of fun talking to John and we plan on doing more interviews. It's always a treat talking wrestling with someone who really appreciates wrestling, especially women's wrestling. I thank John for his time and I look forward to our next chat.
