Everywhere I go, people ask me about Kevin Mills. What’s he like? Are his books any good? What does he smell like? I bet he smells like clove or something manly like that.

Settle down, people. The fact is, I’ve worked with the mysterious sportswriter for near 20 years and I barely know anything about him at all. He makes fun of my baseball team all the time. He’s seen every band created since 1972 in concert at least once. He’s got some weird connection with the ocean. I don’t know, maybe he’s a pirate!

So, instead of just taking wild shots in the dark, I figured I’d ask him a question or two. Actually, seven. Here are his answers.

How did you get into sports writing?

I started writing for the school paper while at Gordon College and covered sports. That led me to the Boston Globe. I covered high school sports there for about three years. I also was the sailing writer for the Lynn Daily Evening Item and was the summer intern with the Portland Newspapers during that time. I think the Sun Journal hired me to help bolster their yachting coverage.

What do you like about covering sports?

It is always different and you never know what to expect. It is fun to be part of these iconic sports moments that people remember forever. And it is a tremendous privilege to tell the stories of great athletes and what they achieve. And sitting at a ballgame on a nice sunny day is a pretty good gig if you can get it.

What made you decide to write novels?

It was one of those things I’d always wanted to do and one of the few goals that I had yet to achieve. I had tried on a few occasions but finally had a novel idea that I felt I could do something with. Besides, you told me girls dig authors.

What are your novels about and stuff?

The ones I’ve written so far are historical novels based on Maine’s maritime history, of which my ancestors were a significant part as shipbuilders, merchant mariners and lighthouse keepers. My first novel was Sons and Daughters of the Ocean. It’s about three teenagers growing up in the age of sail along the coast of Maine. Their lives are shaped and defined as they become products of that seafaring environment. The follow up is called Breakwater. It is a story about a former lighthouse keeper with a parallel story about his grandson. It is a story of love, faith and tragedy as both seek to understand the purpose of their lives. The next one is called Sea of Liberty. It is about the age of privateering during the Revolutionary War.

Do you have any book signings planned?

I’ll be appearing at the Maine Lobster Festival in Rockland Aug. 3 and 4. David Cassidy and I will be there the same day while women by the thousands swoon. I also have speaking engagements at the Maine Lighthouse Museum July 27 as well as the historical societies in Brooksville and Waterboro. For more information, check out my website www.kevincmills.com or like my Facebook author page https://www.facebook.com/kevin.c.mills2

Which side of the newsroom smells worse, sports or metro?

My desk isn’t actually in either section of the newsroom. I like to hang with those cool kids in the Encore department. But I must say that the stench from metro has greatly improved since you finally took that beast paw home with you.

Will the Kansas City Royals ever go to the playoffs?

Absolutely!! It will be my greatest work of true fiction.