New skating book on the way

Hi all,

I'm a longtime forum lurker/blogger/former adolescent competitive skater/freelance writer & producer who has a skating book coming out later this year, and wanted to give it a mention on the board while the joint is still at its collective jumping-ness (??)...

The book is currently titled SKATING ON AIR: THE BROADCAST HISTORY OF AN OLYMPIC MARQUEE SPORT… and will be published by McFarland Publishing. Here are some quick things to know about it:

-- It tells how figure skating reached the masses in the first half of the 20th century… rose to headliner status on TV, particularly with Olympic broadcasts, in the second half of the century… and is struggling to maintain that status nowadays in light of a multitude of changes, both in the sport and otherwise

-- By way of interviews with over 30 sources (including executives, producers, production staff, on-screen talent and figure-skaters-turned-broadcasters), it seeks to explain the unique relationship shared between TV and skating—including the ways TV has changed the sport and vice-versa.

-- Consequently it’s filled with interesting stories about “the old days” of covering the sport, the various battles for broadcast rights, the struggles to make coverage more progressive… and of course behind-the-scenes accounts of the stories remembered best… maybe some forgotten ones too.

-- It features a foreword by CBS’ Verne Lundquist (who very much misses the days of hanging out with Scott and Tracy)

It is NOT available yet, but there are three ways to keep in the loop about its development and release date...

1) 1) Become a fan of "Skating on Air" at Facebook (it now has its own page; just type up the title in the search engine and you should get it)

2) Contact me at [email protected] and I'll put you on a mailing list for it

3) Drop by my blog (State of the Skate—please Google it; I don’t think I’m allowed to post the actual address here)for periodic updates

And please… spread the word if you’re so inclined...

Thanks!

Kelli

New skating book is available NOW

I posted here about my book SKATING ON AIR over a year ago (see original post)... just wanted to let you know that it's now available via the McFarland Publishing website, online booksellers i.e. Amazon, and your bookstore of choice (though you will likely have to special order it).

Please read my original note for more info about the book itself-- and if you get the book and like it, please tell a friend

Thanks!

Kelli, thanks for the information. This book looks very interesting. Interesting perspective of the sport!

Thanks

If anyone's interested, here's a link to an interview I just did last week (about the book) for a Chicago-area newspaper:

Article: http://oakpark.suntimes.com/entertainment/6020464-421/former-skater-documents-tvs-influence-on-the-sport.html?print=true

Signing copies of "Skating on Air" at the Indy Challenge!

Hi all--

For anyone that is attending the Indy Challenge tomorrow (Saturday)... just wanted to let you know that I will have a table there on behalf of this book, and will sign copies if you like. Please drop by and say hello!

And let me know how the pairs are doing out on the ice; I was hoping to cover the event for my State of the Skate blog but seems unlikely now :-(

Thanks!

Kelli Lawrence
Author of "Skating on Air"