Craig “JoJo” Colquitt was eating breakfast with his grandson Nash — scrambled eggs with cheese and bacon — when the youngster asked, “JoJo, what happened to your hair?'”

Out of the mouths of babes, right?

Well, that honest inquiry became the inspiration for Colquitt to pen his first book, appropriated titled “JoJo! What Happened to Your Hair?”

“I actually was thinking about writing a book before this one came about. It would have been a boring read, but this book was a lot more fun,” says Colquitt, a former punter with the Pittsburgh Steelers. “I enjoy spending time with my grandchildren, because they have a genuine love for life and they don't hold back.”

Colquitt says while he was trying to explain the history of family hair loss to his grandson, he had a thought about how a book might come to life. He found a literary agent and went to work. It became a challenging task for the first-time author and illustrator to get the project completed on time, he says.

What it's about

The book is a comedic tale that demonstrates the awareness and curiosity of children through whimsical illustrations.

Colquitt, who has nine grandchildren, says he hopes to communicate the important message that “our love for others outweighs one's outer appearance.”

“I am excited to share ‘JoJo' with my family, friends and fans,” he says. “Seeing the world through the eyes of my grandchildren has in so many ways allowed me to see through the eyes of a child. This book is a dream come true. The fulfillment to be able to inspire my grandchildren with creativity, as they have me, is truly a blessing.”

He says if he can inspire his grandchildren to be creative and express themselves, then that will mean more than his Super Bowl rings. He says it's important to spend time with your grandchildren and share a part of your life with them. That will create memories they will have forever.

The underlying message in the book is that for those who don't have hair, or much hair, they can cover our heads with hats or shave the hair and let that defeat them or they can use it as a positive, Colquitt says.

“Everyone has something” says Colquitt, 64, who lives in Tennessee. “I feel like this book is for everyone. Adults can look at it. Children can look at it. Because, we are still children, just in big bodies.”

Before he became an author

Colquitt is a former NFL punter who brought home Super Bowl rings in 1978 and 1979 with the Steelers. He spent seven seasons with the team.

He was twice named All SEC while playing for the University of Tennessee and was inducted into the Greater Knoxville Hall of Fame in 2009. His sons Dustin and Britton both play in the NFL — for the Kansas City Chiefs and Cleveland Browns, respectively.

Upon his reitrement from the NFL, Colquitt began his second career as a marketing representative and was instrumental in leading his company to become the largest maintenance service provider for K-12 public education in the U.S. For 13 years, he led Colquitt's Punting and Kicking Camps.

He is currently sought after as a speaker by Christian youth and sports associations and sports talk radio programs.

Based on an actual conversation, a simple question leads to a funny exchange that ends with a tender, unforgettable connection that grows sweeter with the passing of time to reveal what is really important in life. “JoJo! What Happened to Your Hair?” captures that magical moment forever.

If this book does well, Colquitt plans to write another.

Details: craigcolquitt.com

JoAnne Klimovich Harrop is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach her at 724-853-5062 or jharrop@tribweb.com or via Twitter @Jharrop_Trib.

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