An early September package deal from Lisa Whitaker of Meow skateboards began issues off proper this fall! She had reached out, noticing I used to be rocking a favorite Meow t-shirt in a photograph and supplied to ship just a few extra gadgets. I used to be so stoked, and it was nice timing as a result of I had been digging into Lisa’s historical past for my e book, Woman Gangs, Zines and Powerslides: a historical past of badass ladies skate boarders.
I needed to have a good time Lisa for being so important in our communal historical past. Lisa began out as a photographer/filmer/skater within the Nineteen Eighties, which led to being a sponsored Rookie skater within the Nineteen Nineties, then the webmaster behind The Aspect Challenge web site, which advanced into The Women Skate Community, plus her epic accumulation of footage that fueled the Villa Villa Cola movie manufacturing, Getting Nowhere Quicker (2004) amongst different movie initiatives and documentaries, after which turning into the proprietor of Meow!!! Phew! We had a enjoyable Zoom chat, and I’ll be pulling collectively an online bio quickly.
I did somewhat photograph shoot with the neighbourhood kitten, Gizmo since one of many Meow t-shirts was designed by Lori Damiano of VVC fame and seemed identical to him!
The enhancing course of with my writer ECW Press continues, and I used to be relieved to submit the most recent manuscript draft on deadline final week! It’s a whooping 93,000 phrases proper now however will probably get pared down a bit as soon as the road enhancing begins. I’m studying a lot concerning the behind-the-scenes means of writing and publishing. The aim is a Fall 2025 launch, so hopefully heading in the right direction.
A number of weeks in the past, I used to be in Vancouver for the 9th Annual Cease Drop and Roll contest organized by Rose Archie of Nations Skate Youth (and sponsored rider for Colonialism skateboards) on the Britannia Courts. Michelle Pezel at Delinquent skateshop proposed a e book launch there subsequent yr within the lead as much as the occasion, which might be a lot enjoyable! Hopefully all of it comes collectively. The 2024 occasion was additionally a fundraiser for Judy McLaren of The_Real_Hot_SkateMoms, who’s battling most cancers, and is only a great, vibrant particular person and skater mother. Please contemplate donating at this time.
I had a blast witnessing the competition, and was a part of the crew, timing the runs. We didn’t do a 40 plus class this yr, however that’s okay though I’ve been making an attempt to skate a minimum of twice per week to take care of some fundamental degree of ability! It was my 47th birthday final week and I used to be over on Vancouver Island having fun with a household reunion and a few fast skate classes at Tofino and Ucluelet skateparks earlier than it began sprinkling rain.
I had a good time, however am somewhat frightened about how I’ll maintain issues going over the winter since there’s no sheltered / indoor skateparks and even parking storage the place I reside, because it’s such a small city.
The spotlight of my fall was undoubtedly having a go to from my good buddies Rhianon Bader (all the best way from Berlin, Germany) who works for The GoodPush / Skateistan and Talia Kaufman (who is predicated in Portugal!) and is concerned with youth advocacy and sport at a global degree. Even with the rain we obtained out mushroom foraging and mountain climbing, and simply had an superior time catching up. Seems that Rhianon’s husband, Oliver Percovich (Skateistan CEO) and my husband each celebrated their 50th birthday not too long ago, so a shout out to each of them!
It’s feeling quiet in the home with out them, however I’ve obtained some nice interviews lined up with attention-grabbing ladies skaters and can maintain forging on with this undertaking.
Plus, thrilling information!! I’ll now be a columnist with Nearer skateboarding journal, which is edited by Jaime Owens, who has had a longtime reference to the skateboarding publishing business together with TransWorld and Skateboarder magazines. Nearer is a high quality manufacturing that’s revealed quarterly.
John Freeborn of Tails of… skateboarding has additionally included me in a cool new Skateboard E book Membership initiative, so contemplate subscribing to this article which is able to characteristic e book critiques and interviews. Thus far, I’ve submitted critiques for Late September (2024) a debut novel by Amy Mattes, who’s my pal and former Skirtboarder, Drop In: the gender rebels who modified the face of skateboarding by Deborah Stoll (2024), and a beautiful image e book by Cree-Métis writer / illustrator, Julie Flett referred to as Let’s Go! haw êkwa!, which acquired approval from Rose Archie!
Right here’s to darkish, wet nights studying extra unbelievable books and connecting with great skate boarders from around the globe.