The Champion Behind the Champion Current Events

My sister, Kathleen (my official Director of Marketing) and I went to LA to sell my book at Worlds!  “The Champion Behind The Champion” is now in so many different countries around the world like Japan, Korea, Sweden, Canada, Germany, Switzerland, Italy & Mexico to name a few. Worlds were an exciting and different experience for me. We met so many interesting people from many different countries who were there for different  and multiple reasons. We also saw many of the who’s who of figure skating being right next to one of VIP entrances to the seating on the upper deck. One young lady, who was a college student, traveled all the way from Korea to see Yu Na Kim! ( She said she was on spring break) Now that is a fan!!! However after watching Yu Na Kim float effortlessly across the ice into her beautifully executed jumps and well centered and lovely spins, I understood why the college student came all the way from Korea to watch her. (We met the student on the bus arriving in LA, traveling from the airport to our hotel.) We also met several coaches from Chicago on our bus too, who I shared common skating friends with. Skating is a very small world….and that is an understatement.

My book has been enjoyed by so many different people of all ages since its publication in January, that when we were asked about the age range my book was written for…the answer became obvious 2 to 102!

The children were wonderful. Some people even came back to tell us how good the story was. Some came back to just say hi again. Some children came back to give me thumbs up and said the book was more than good, it was great! One parent told us they had to ask their child to put her book down and watch the skating! Another mom told us that it was great her daughter had my book because  she, the mom, could then watch the skating. Another parent asked his daughter if she liked the book as she turned the pages. The child looked up at her dad with big blue eys and said, “LOVE” very sweetly. Of course we said, “SOLD!” Oh it was so interesting!

Patrick Chan’s mom bought a book chuckling as she flipped through the book (before we knew whose mother she was). JoJo Starbuck bought a book, wrote a loving note to Julie Lynn Holme’s daughter and asked  Evan Lysncek’s for his autograph for Julie’s daughter. I was very touched. There were so many fun moments…too numerous to tell all. Darling kids, wonderful grandmothers and great mom’s and dad’s. Pictures will be posted very soon. Just know it was a positive experience and  I would go again…Torino, Italy anyone?

 Kathleen and I were exhausted flying home on the red eye late sunday night. I arrived in Cleveland at 6:30 am and Kathleen arrived in Tampa, Fl  about the same time…which brings me to my next adventure within a couple of hours of landing. I like to schedule events back to back to challenge my ability to stay awake and on the ball….just kidding.

Highland Drive Elementary School Book Bash, Brecksville, Ohio

~March 30, 2009~ 

I was tired, but excited to present the workings of how my book was developed to 4 classes of first graders. I showed them how I developed my characters and some of the magic behind the scene with the use of Photo Shop and the wacom tablet. They thought the magic was pretty neat when I made a newly drawn apple multiple twice on the big screen. The kids today have so many more tools then I had growing up. I can’t imagine what they are going to be showing their children in 20 years.

Anyway, when the skating questions started, I got them on their feet and taught them a lesson of how to get up correctly when you fall down on the ice. They learned balancing on one foot, rotation, and the basics of jumping intersperced with pictures of my original drawings. I showed them how I developed the drawings from sketches to the final painting. I taught them “shoot the duck”  on the floor just like Lambie Ann does in my book. I gave them an idea about skating,so that the book might mean a little more to them. I had a great time!!! I especially loved when the first graders asked me how old I was and then guessed 44… You have to love them!

The day was over about 2pm for me and I saw four classes of darling first grade kids. They all voted to make a stuffed LambieAnn and  I promised I’d be back with the how to make a plush LambieAnn. And Pictures, I hope to get them from Highland Drive to put up on my site.

Well,this is the run down of the past two weeks and now I am back to teaching, working on my next book about “Woolie” and trying to figure out my summer skating  schedule. Stay tuned…