DLE HUB CONTRIBUTOR GINGER KUENZEL PUBLISHES NEW BOOK

Longtime HUB columnist and editor Ginger Kuenzel is lighting up the literary world for the second time. Unique in scope, Ginger’s latest book–The Buzz on Lake George: Speedboat Racing 1900-1964–recounts the history of the wealthy gentlemen Gold Cup racers (1900-1929) as well as the grueling stock utility outboard marathons (1954-64).

Ginger’s self-described “labor of love” features drivers’ memories from countless interviews conducted by her, plus riveting stories about famed boatbuilder Marcel Raveau, discovered during her extensive research.

Ginger has a special connection to Lake George: she spent summers (and sometimes full years) there and watched boat racing on the lake with her siblings. Sometimes she and her brothers were behind the wheel as well. Her father, a racer himself, was instrumental in organizing the mid-century regattas that rejuvenated the racing scene post-World War II.

Another highlight is the tale of Gingerly, a 1956 Raveau-brand stock utility outboard christened with the author’s name by her father. Recently restored, and propelled by a Mercury Mark 55H motor, Gingerly is buzzing around on Lake George once again.

“And not to forget–there’s also a chapter about my (almost) illustrious racing career at the age of 13,” the proud author beams.

Due to Ginger’s background as a journalist, the process of doing research and acquiring information was already something she specialized in. She started the research for this book in the 1990s, but had little time to devote to it. Once she retired, and Facebook had come onto the scene, she ramped up her efforts, contacting some of the original drivers from across the country. “Some of the men I interviewed 10 years ago aren’t around now,” she relates. “And a lot of the ones that are still around now won’t be here 10 years down the road. I’m excited that I was able to capture their memories in my book.”

Because many of the amateur racers from the mid-century heyday of Lake George racing retired from their regular jobs before LinkedIn even existed, that platform was not an option for locating them. But many of them do use Facebook, in part to stay in touch with each other and keep up with today’s drivers and boats. And Ginger took full advantage of that platform, particularly the specialized Facebook groups that many of these men actively use. Ginger estimates she belongs to about ten of these groups related to boat racing. She finds these groups indispensable for her research. “Every now and then I’ll throw a photo onto some of the groups and ask a question about it, such as what kind of motor is this, or does anyone know the fellow in this photo? And I get lots of answers,” she says.

Also important to this process was the networking she did to promote the book. She sent complimentary copies of her book to many of the drivers she spoke with while doing the research. She then asked them to review it on social media and write feedback she could feature online. This way, Ginger was able to give these witnesses the end product of her hard work while simultaneously stirring positive buzz for the book.

Ginger’s advice to young professionals is to find affinity groups on social media–groups for professionals in your field as well as for personal interests. Either way, she states, you can make connections to people directly involved in activities you are interested in. Ginger advises people wanting to connect via LinkedIn to include a personal message. This way, the person on the other end will understand why you want to connect and is more likely to respond.

Illustrated with nearly 100 rarely seen photos, Ginger’s book is available on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/dp/1961680084 or you can order a signed copy from her website at https://utopianstate.com/my-books-1.

If summer travels take you to the Lake George region, the book is available at bookstores in that area. Ginger will also be giving lectures and signing books at several venues in that region throughout the summer. For event dates and locations, visit https://utopianstate.com/events-2024.