Norma Safford Vela

"Slap" Maxwell is a sportswriter of the old-school--hard-working, uncompromised. Unfortunately, his type of writing doesn't fit well in the modern world. His wife wants to discover her own talents, which baffles Slap (almost as much as his editor's bizarre metaphors). Slap only makes things worse by starting an affair with a young news writer. Oh, and his only son turns out to have absolutely no talent as a writer or sports fan, despite Slap's dreams.

Local TV show host Bonnie Molloy has the life of a sort-of celebrity. Sometimes her fans actually remember her name. But when it comes to her family life, a little fame goes a long way. Especially when her husband and children catch a glimmer of themselves in the supposedly true anecdotes mom tells her morning viewers.