When I played football as a teenager in the Midwest, the first book that I connected with was “Friday Night Lights.” To my adolescent mind, the high school in that book, in Odessa, Tex., and its football team represented the essence of small town America. Years later, when I discovered that Odessa was also home to the famous Tejano Super Car Show, I was intrigued.

I am attracted to characters who express themselves in extreme ways. Growing up around Oklahoma City, I saw how some local artists reacted against stifling elements of our community and pushed the boundaries of their fields — the Flaming Lips with music, Larry Clark with photography, Mat Hoffman with BMX racing.