Ed Gordon talks with former NBA wife Rita Ewing about her latest novel, Brickhouse.
ED GORDON, host: Rita Ewing broke on the literary scene with her first book, "Homecourt      Advantage," which she co-wrote.  Now the former wife of NBA legend      Patrick Ewing is making her solo debut as a writer with her novel titled      "Brickhouse." Ewing says while "Brickhouse" is less autobiographical than      "Homecourt Advantage," both draw on her experiences.</s>Ms. RITA EWING (Author): "Homecourt Advantage" was a story that I shared      with Crystal.  We were best friends at the time going through the whole      NBA-thing lifestyle.  This book, "Brickhouse," is something that, you      know, I thought up.  The idea was based on experiences I had while      opening up my bookstore in Harlem.  So, therefore, you have Harlem as the      backdrop for the book.</s>ED GORDON, host: Which of the two books is closest to you?</s>Ms. RITA EWING (Author): Probably both about the same.  "Homecourt Advantage" was the      New York Flyers, which was a New York-based basketball team and the men      and women involved.  That was me back in the '80s and '90s with Patrick.      "Brickhouse" is based on a gym in Harlem called Brickhouse and an      entrepreneur going through the challenges of opening and keeping her      business there in Harlem, which is going through a major transition now      with the bigger businesses coming in--and the woman, Nona, who is a      fitness guru.  So, you know, I started training in a gym years ago.  So      the whole backdrop of the gym scenario, which was such an intriguing      scene for me and definitely part of my life.</s>ED GORDON, host: Has it at all been difficult for you to utilize your life      frankly in your book?  Do you think, `Ugh, maybe that's too private of a      time.  I don't want to share that'?</s>Ms. RITA EWING (Author): I don't know that the privacy of the moment comes into play.      I think what gets me is that for years, you know, I've dealt with the      stereotypes of being married to an NBA athlete.  And so when I write      about these characters, oftentimes I am feeding into the stereotypes.      With "Homecourt Advantage," we were able to give both sides.  We were      able to show women who were completely different from the stereotypical      trophy wife.  And I did the same in this book, in "Brickhouse."</s>ED GORDON, host: How much of what you have done was a way to show people who may      have characterized you to say, `Look, I'm a businesswoman, I'm a writer,      I've had a nursing degree.  I am my own person'?  How much was it      important for you to put that out?</s>Ms. RITA EWING (Author): It's always been important, and I guess simply because I was      raised by parents who always stressed education.  And so to come from all      of that, that kind of background, to this whole thing where you're just      hit with a stamp that you're the complete opposite of all that you were      raised to be was very challenging.  And so I do appreciate the      opportunity to present me as who I am and hope that people don't feed      into the stereotypes, don't label me.</s>ED GORDON, host: You know what's interesting, too, in the new book, "Brickhouse,"      is the idea that you deal with a number of things that are in the news      today: steroid use, gentrification and the idea of using Harlem as the      model there. Is that a want of yours, to interject these kinds of social      matters into these books as well?  Was it conscience to do that?</s>Ms. RITA EWING (Author): At the time when I was writing this, I was going to focus on      AIDS, but it was--I kind of felt like, `Oh, everybody's talked about      that.' So let me focus on something else and something that is very      prevalent amongst the fitness industry.  So I thought I'd throw in there,      you know, a little bit of the steroid abuse with the trainer Allen Wade.      You see the turn it took. I mean...</s>ED GORDON, host: Well, one of the interesting things that you find is the      development of characters.  How many of your friends now look at you and      are careful to say things around you for fear that they're next in the      book?</s>Ms. RITA EWING (Author): Not too many, and I think it's because I've never really      picked particular people or situations where someone could say, `I know      you're writing about me.'  If anything, it would be more based on my own      personal experiences.</s>ED GORDON, host: But do people say that anyway, though?</s>Ms. RITA EWING (Author): In jest.</s>ED GORDON, host: Do they try to find themselves in the book?</s>Ms. RITA EWING (Author): In jest.  Sometimes, you know, yeah, which is fine.  Which is      fine.</s>ED GORDON, host: The new book, it's a novel called "Brickhouse" by Rita Ewing.      Thank you so much...</s>Ms. RITA EWING (Author): Thank you.</s>ED GORDON, host: ...for coming in today.</s>Ms. RITA EWING (Author): Thank you very much.</s>ED GORDON, host: Appreciate it.</s>ED GORDON, host: This is NPR News.