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Pedal
Forty-nine and single. Fired from her lifelong passion: teaching music. Stripped of her self-worth. Can she reclaim her life through bicycle racing? Joanne Brick's thirty years as an elementary school music teacher evaporated into the rising sea of layoffs. A lifetime of dedication gone. At forty-nine, single with an ailing mom and bitter divorced sister, the future looked bleak. Family relationships soured as conversations moved to "the lettuce zone"-cold and crisp. Then one day, while cleaning out the garage for a yard sale, inspiration struck as she dusted off an old long-forgotten bicycle. And when she took her first ride she knew it was time to sink or pedal. "Onward! That was the answer that had eluded her earlier. There was dignity in that word. There was hope." Never a sports fanatic and sorely out of shape, Joanne was barely able to ride straight, but she took up bicycle racing because it added purpose to her life. "Joanne increased her own speed. The wind whipped her face. The whirring of the spinning spokes and chains rose in pitch as she spun faster. She was flying again, beyond failed careers, spurned lovers, regrets, and mistakes. She spun even quicker. Her breath came in swift, hard grunts." She pedaled past unemployment, failed relationships, family drama, and career loss. Her life began to fill with new friends, an inspirational Desert Storm vet turned cycling coach, and a sleek new physique from all the training. Then she ran into a brick wall in the form of Sheila Dominary, a women's bike racing adversary. Will Joanne regain her confidence as she pedals toward redemption, romance, adventure, and life beyond unemployment? Pedal is an inspirational journey. It is a contemporary story that deals not only with family relationships, but also with life's turning points and how ordinary people handle them.
301 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 3, 2015
143 people want to read
About the author
Louis K. Lowy
7 books39 followersLouis' latest novel, the prize winning urban fantasy, THE SECOND LIFE OF EDDIE COYNE (IFWG Publishing) is the story of a dying gambler who hits rock bottom and takes on one final bet for the ultimate prize—his soul. Released in August, 2019, it was awarded the 2020 gold medal in Adult Fiction / Fantasy by the Florida Authors & Publishers Association.
TO DREAM, book one of his science fiction epic, ANATOMY OF A HUMACHINE (IFWG Publishing), was released in 2017.
Louis K. Lowy’s first published novel, DIE LAUGHING (IFWG Publishing 2011), is a humorously dark science fiction adventure set in the 1950s.
His 2015 novel, PEDAL (Rereleased in 2017 by IFWG Publishing), tells the story of a 49-yr-old music teacher who loses her job and struggles to reclaim her life through bicycle racing.
Louis’ short stories have appeared in, among others, New Plains Review, The MacGuffin Magazine, the anthology Everything is Broken, and the Chaffey Review.
A former firefighter, he is the recipient of a State of Florida Individual Artist Fellowship and an alumnus of Florida International University’s creative writing program.
His website is www.louisklowy.com. In addition to Goodreads, he is on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
TO DREAM, book one of his science fiction epic, ANATOMY OF A HUMACHINE (IFWG Publishing), was released in 2017.
Louis K. Lowy’s first published novel, DIE LAUGHING (IFWG Publishing 2011), is a humorously dark science fiction adventure set in the 1950s.
His 2015 novel, PEDAL (Rereleased in 2017 by IFWG Publishing), tells the story of a 49-yr-old music teacher who loses her job and struggles to reclaim her life through bicycle racing.
Louis’ short stories have appeared in, among others, New Plains Review, The MacGuffin Magazine, the anthology Everything is Broken, and the Chaffey Review.
A former firefighter, he is the recipient of a State of Florida Individual Artist Fellowship and an alumnus of Florida International University’s creative writing program.
His website is www.louisklowy.com. In addition to Goodreads, he is on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
August 10, 2016
I have so many things to say about this book! Pedal is such an inspirational and uplifting story. No one would have blamed Joanne for giving up, after losing her job.....the only thing she ever really did....at the age of forty-nine, BUT SHE DIDN'T. The passion that she developed for bicycle racing was admirable. I instantly found myself rooting for her, smiling at her accomplishments, and shedding a few tears as she struggled.
I think that the one thing that stood out the most was how easy it was to relate to all of the characters. Whether you're a middle-aged and recently divorced individual, someone who had the rug ripped from beneath your feet (wondering what the hell you're supposed to do now), the has-been who got an unfair break, a widow/widower, or anything in between, I can promise that this book has some of the best written and relatable characters you'll come across.
You may be wondering if someone who knows little, or nothing, about bicycle racing could enjoy a book that's main focus is well.....bicycles and racing. The answer is a resounding YESSSSSSSSS!! I am not ashamed to admit that before picking up Pedal I knew virtually nothing about the world of bike racing and cycling coaches, but that didn't stop me from submerging myself into a new unknown. I quickly realized that Louis K. Lowy had my back and would provide me with just enough information to make me understand what the characters were experiencing, without providing so much background that I felt like I was drowning.
Thank you, Mr. Lowy, for showing me that passion, drive, and determination doesn't have to die with age, that we aren't defined by the titles we obtain, and that life is worth living...to the fullest...regardless of our age. You successfully made me reevaluate my level of determination, and made me wish that I didn't leave my bicycle behind, in Italy.
You can find this review (along with many others) here, on the CommonBookSense blog!
I think that the one thing that stood out the most was how easy it was to relate to all of the characters. Whether you're a middle-aged and recently divorced individual, someone who had the rug ripped from beneath your feet (wondering what the hell you're supposed to do now), the has-been who got an unfair break, a widow/widower, or anything in between, I can promise that this book has some of the best written and relatable characters you'll come across.
You may be wondering if someone who knows little, or nothing, about bicycle racing could enjoy a book that's main focus is well.....bicycles and racing. The answer is a resounding YESSSSSSSSS!! I am not ashamed to admit that before picking up Pedal I knew virtually nothing about the world of bike racing and cycling coaches, but that didn't stop me from submerging myself into a new unknown. I quickly realized that Louis K. Lowy had my back and would provide me with just enough information to make me understand what the characters were experiencing, without providing so much background that I felt like I was drowning.
Thank you, Mr. Lowy, for showing me that passion, drive, and determination doesn't have to die with age, that we aren't defined by the titles we obtain, and that life is worth living...to the fullest...regardless of our age. You successfully made me reevaluate my level of determination, and made me wish that I didn't leave my bicycle behind, in Italy.
You can find this review (along with many others) here, on the CommonBookSense blog!
March 12, 2016
The great thing about Pedal is that it defies convention. It is a coming of age story, only instead of a small child, it centers around a middle aged woman. It is a story with a woman protagonist, yet she is not defined by a man, nor is her story motivated by her search for one. There is some romance in it, but it’s not the main focus of her journey. It has always bothered me that a lot of female driven stories have a good start only to be stalled once the heroine meets a love interest. It’s refreshing to see a story where the main character finds strength in herself to deal with her obstacles and a man is just a secondary storyline.
Pedal is filled with characters that feel like real people. It is always a mark of a good story when it will draw you into a subject you are normally not interested in. I’m uninterested in sports, yet I’m glad a chance on this because it really is more than a sports book. It’s not really a sports book at all. It’s a story about a woman reinventing herself when she is forced to start over.
Pedal is filled with characters that feel like real people. It is always a mark of a good story when it will draw you into a subject you are normally not interested in. I’m uninterested in sports, yet I’m glad a chance on this because it really is more than a sports book. It’s not really a sports book at all. It’s a story about a woman reinventing herself when she is forced to start over.
February 13, 2016
I’m not going to summarize the plot, which is what most reviewers seem to do lately. Instead, I’m going to say what a good author does, and that is simply “to put us right there” with the characters and make us care about them by accomplished descriptions. Lowy does that. But not only that. On page 183 he even gives the reader a diagrammed map, which I found to be a very neat little ploy, an advantageous tool for those who have difficulty picturing such things. You might think that’s a gimmick, and perhaps it is, but the writing is authentic. It comes from the heart and the intellect—this is a creative work that has been scrutinized and carefully revised to make it hum, like pedals rotating on an open road. A pleasure to read! Don’t miss the opportunity, folks, of taking in hand a thing of value—this uplifting book.
March 26, 2016
I received this novel as a gift and I couldn't be happier about it. Pedal will "wow" you - it's got everything I am asking for when I read women's fiction :) Yes, it's not a romance novel but oh my god it's a fantastic book. This should be one of today's bestsellers. It's great that the author decided to write something in order to motivate women in a way that is not related to having to find the perfect guy or being in a romantic relationship - but instead focusing on the real life of an average woman and her ambitions - creating an awesome read in the process.
5 Stars!
5 Stars!
March 3, 2016
My first impression is that this book would be a cliched sports story: an unlikely athlete through sheer determination beats the field and becomes a sports hero. But in Louis Lowy's hands it becomes a lot more, a rousing piece of feminist literature. Understated drama, sharp observation, well-crafted sentences. A lot of authors read like they received an MFW. Lowy writes like he learned something while doing it.
June 28, 2021
"Pedal" is an inspiring contemporary story of family relationships, professional and personal success, and failure.
Joanne Brick is a middle-aged woman who has just lost her job of 30 years. She has no choice but to live off her family, comprised of an overbearing control freak sister, and a cranky, ailing mother.
Emotional scars from Joanne’s past haunt her as she tries desperately to reinvent herself – to overcome the past and regain her self-respect. Her discovery of an old bicycle helps propel her onto a path she never expected.
Author Louis K. Lowy has created an emotionally-charged world of everyday people – all striving for the same thing: the connections they need to keep each other going.
Joanne Brick is a middle-aged woman who has just lost her job of 30 years. She has no choice but to live off her family, comprised of an overbearing control freak sister, and a cranky, ailing mother.
Emotional scars from Joanne’s past haunt her as she tries desperately to reinvent herself – to overcome the past and regain her self-respect. Her discovery of an old bicycle helps propel her onto a path she never expected.
Author Louis K. Lowy has created an emotionally-charged world of everyday people – all striving for the same thing: the connections they need to keep each other going.
September 28, 2017
A warm journey!
Joanne had to deal with a major upset in her life, something that struck her passion. It turns into a major journey for her and something that provides inspiration for the reader. It's about moving forward and gaining your own passion back, when there's fear that it's lost. I was thrown off by the cover, but I enjoyed this story and how there were many different dynamics and how to deal with them. Well written story.
Joanne had to deal with a major upset in her life, something that struck her passion. It turns into a major journey for her and something that provides inspiration for the reader. It's about moving forward and gaining your own passion back, when there's fear that it's lost. I was thrown off by the cover, but I enjoyed this story and how there were many different dynamics and how to deal with them. Well written story.
May 29, 2016
‘Pedal’ is one of those rare stories that takes a while to grow on you. It starts slow, gradually occupying your mind and as you proceed further you are more and more engrossed into the story, until it no longer is a story but seems to be your own adventure. Not being a sport fanatic, as I first picked up ‘Pedal’ I was skeptical. This was the first time I was reading Louis K. Lowy, and I simply plunged headfirst into the book without any expectations. But I’m glad I did because the journey which the book took me in was nothing short of a joyride.
Pedal revolves around 49-year old Joanne, a single woman who had worked as an elementary school music teacher for 30 long years. But a sudden budget cut forces her out of her profession and all of a sudden life appears to be futile. As she struggles to get her life together, she finds a new interest in cycling. But how a mere interest again steers clear the trouble and helps her back on track is what the story is all about. With Joanne, you and I pedal along the dusty roads and meandering lanes wandering at this miracle of life.
But let’s not forget Joanne is a middle-aged woman almost in her fifties, and for her to enter a bike racing competition is truly challenging. As she struggles to prepare herself for the race, her body buckles and soon she collapses. But over and over again she pulls herself up; amidst the odds, through the twists of the story and amongst the pages of the book, she pushes herself. But why? The answer lies in the root of any passion that any person may possess. For dignity. After years of service in school when she was sacked, it brought her humiliation and riding the bike, once again brought back the dignity she wanted.
But the journey is not a mere cakewalk. Joanne fails and more than once. It is the determination to pick herself up and try again that mesmerizes the readers. I was intrigued reading the training sessions of Joanne with Tony, the beginning of a friendship that played a pivotal role in the story.
I enjoyed how the author has beautifully crafted the different characters of the book and brought out their significance. Joanne’s sister Ellie, Mr. and Mrs. Lang, Linda and many other personas gives Pedal the vibrancy it needs. Each character brings out different traits which affects Joanne’s journey.
In the end, the story clings to you and gives you hope. It leaves you with a feeling of joy and motivates you to overcome the hardships. Irrespective of the age, you can relate to the story and respect Joanne’s character. This is a story not just of a single woman but of plenty of us who have somehow been let down. What makes the story down-to-earth are the countless short incidents – family misunderstandings, two-almost marriages and plenty more that can be easily connected with any reader. Relationships, drama and passion are carefully crafted in this tale that teaches you the lesson of a lifetime.
Pedal revolves around 49-year old Joanne, a single woman who had worked as an elementary school music teacher for 30 long years. But a sudden budget cut forces her out of her profession and all of a sudden life appears to be futile. As she struggles to get her life together, she finds a new interest in cycling. But how a mere interest again steers clear the trouble and helps her back on track is what the story is all about. With Joanne, you and I pedal along the dusty roads and meandering lanes wandering at this miracle of life.
But let’s not forget Joanne is a middle-aged woman almost in her fifties, and for her to enter a bike racing competition is truly challenging. As she struggles to prepare herself for the race, her body buckles and soon she collapses. But over and over again she pulls herself up; amidst the odds, through the twists of the story and amongst the pages of the book, she pushes herself. But why? The answer lies in the root of any passion that any person may possess. For dignity. After years of service in school when she was sacked, it brought her humiliation and riding the bike, once again brought back the dignity she wanted.
But the journey is not a mere cakewalk. Joanne fails and more than once. It is the determination to pick herself up and try again that mesmerizes the readers. I was intrigued reading the training sessions of Joanne with Tony, the beginning of a friendship that played a pivotal role in the story.
I enjoyed how the author has beautifully crafted the different characters of the book and brought out their significance. Joanne’s sister Ellie, Mr. and Mrs. Lang, Linda and many other personas gives Pedal the vibrancy it needs. Each character brings out different traits which affects Joanne’s journey.
In the end, the story clings to you and gives you hope. It leaves you with a feeling of joy and motivates you to overcome the hardships. Irrespective of the age, you can relate to the story and respect Joanne’s character. This is a story not just of a single woman but of plenty of us who have somehow been let down. What makes the story down-to-earth are the countless short incidents – family misunderstandings, two-almost marriages and plenty more that can be easily connected with any reader. Relationships, drama and passion are carefully crafted in this tale that teaches you the lesson of a lifetime.
April 12, 2016
In an attempt to put it briefly, I consider “Pedal” to be an absolute must read and even though I was admittedly a bit skeptical at first, it turned out to be the kind of book that had me hooked essentially from start to finish. This is the first book that I’ve read by author Louis K. Lowy, but it has given me a favorable enough first impression that I now plan on keeping an eye out for future releases.
I think one of the main aspects of this read that stood out to me early on is that it has the kind of coming-of-age/self-development sort of theme I would usually expect to see in stories with a much different protagonist. I think it’s very unique and original to see that the author has incorporated this element into the character development of a protagonist that is an older women, a person that I personally find to be very raw, dynamic, and relatable to myself (as well as seeming quite realistic).
I must admit that it took a few chapters for Joanne to really grow on me, but as I progressed throughout the book I couldn’t help but finding myself rooting for her and becoming genuinely interested in how she was going to redeem herself and find a new sort of fulfillment in her life.
In summary, I enjoyed the read thoroughly and I respect the author for trying something new and, as a result, adding a refreshing new addition to the genre. I highly recommend it.
I think one of the main aspects of this read that stood out to me early on is that it has the kind of coming-of-age/self-development sort of theme I would usually expect to see in stories with a much different protagonist. I think it’s very unique and original to see that the author has incorporated this element into the character development of a protagonist that is an older women, a person that I personally find to be very raw, dynamic, and relatable to myself (as well as seeming quite realistic).
I must admit that it took a few chapters for Joanne to really grow on me, but as I progressed throughout the book I couldn’t help but finding myself rooting for her and becoming genuinely interested in how she was going to redeem herself and find a new sort of fulfillment in her life.
In summary, I enjoyed the read thoroughly and I respect the author for trying something new and, as a result, adding a refreshing new addition to the genre. I highly recommend it.
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March 26, 2016I wrote the book - I'll let the readers decide.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews