FF - Women's Ski Jumping! Yeah!

I'll be away from my computer on Friday so I'm setting this on auto post and I really hope it works because...

It's time to celebrate!

Many of you who have followed this blog for a while know that I've long been frustrated with the IOC for not including women in the Nordic Ski Jumping competition at the Winter Games. I wasn't even aware that women weren't allowed to jump until I was researching for my SASS novel, THE FINNISH LINE. It boggled my mind when I found out. What age were we living in again? That was the year that World Class jumper Alissa Johnson sat on the sidelines at the Torino Olympics, watching her little brother Anders compete, but she was barred from participating because of her gender.

If that sounds crazy, some of the excuses the IOC used for not including a women's event were insane. It was too dangerous for girls (really!) or There weren't enough competitors in enough countries (wrong) or they were just not ready (ha!).

Women's Ski Jumping USA took up the fight ages ago, but they weren't included when the Olympics was held in their own back yard (Salt Lake City 2002), they didn't get the nod in time for Torino in 2006, and they were denied inclusion for Vancouver in 2010, even when other events that didn't meet the same rigid criteria the IOC was demanding of women's ski jumping were included. But the women didn't back down; they stepped up the fight even more. The Canadian athletes filed a discrimination lawsuit because their government would be providing funds to an organization that discriminated against women. Nada. Once again, the women were passed over.

You can understand then, with such a long and disappointing battle, how much this news means to these amazing women athletes:

On April 6, 2011, the IOC FINALLY voted to include women's ski jumping as an official event in the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, Russia!

You can read the story here, at the WSJUSA website.

(Guess where I'll be, winter 2014?)

I want to extend a HUGE congratulations to women jumpers everywhere, and in particular, the amazing ladies I met while working on THE FINNISH LINE - Abby Hughes, Alissa Johnson, Jessica Jerome, and Lindsey Van, and to their teammates, Avery Ardovino, Karin Friberg, Nina Lussi, and Nita Englund, to DeeDee Corridini, who has worked tirelessly for this day, to Vic Method, a great supporter and my contact with WSJUSA, and to all the countless others who would not take no for an answer, and demanded equality. Hooray!!!!!

For today's freebie, I'm offering three signed copies of my ski-jumping book, SASS: THE FINNISH LINE, which will soon become outdated (yay!) because in this book, girls couldn't yet jump in the Olympics... and now they can!!! Woot! I will also try to get my hands on some Sochi 2014 pins to go with the books, but as of this writing, I can't guarantee that yet. To be entered to win a copy of THE FINNISH LINE (and possibly a pin), leave a happy comment below. Bonus points if you jump over the WSJUSA website and join with the rest of us in supporting the women on their journey to Sochi. (Let me know in your comment.) Oh, and you could get your own pin, guaranteed, by donating just $10 to help support the women financially. (These are going to be collector pins, believe me. This is history!)

Because this is a celebratory week, this drawing will remain open until next Friday, April 15.

Happy Friday, and GO, WOMEN JUMPERS!!!!!

THE FINNISH LINE!!!!

It's here!!!! After much ado, I am happy to announce the release of my second book in the S.A.S.S. series, The Finnish Line. Here's the official Blurb:

When Nordic ski jumper Maureen “Mo” Clark set foot in Finland, she breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, escape from her famous skier father’s shadow and a chance to jump in the renowned Lahti Ski Games. But Mo quickly realizes that balancing practice and classes is more challenging than she expected. So when a gorgeous bad boy teammate offers coaching assistance—for a little publicity in return—how can she refuse? Surely she can work in a few extra practices somewhere between studying for calculus and sightseeing in Finland? Amid snowmobiling and dog-sledding, ice hotels and Northern lights, Mo begins to discover what strength and perseverance—the Finnish sisu—is all about. Now it’s up to her to take that final jump and cross the finish line in style.

Aerial Ski Gold Medalist Nikki Stone calls it "convincing, intimate, stimulating!"

I hope you'll enjoy reading Mo's story as much as I did writing it!

Cheers!

Gerb

A Long Goodbye

Yes, it's been a very long time since I posted on my blog - and not for lack of anything to say, either. Life has been, as life tends to be, very busy.

Sadly, our time in Japan is drawing to a close. My husband's company has decided that his talents are needed in the States and so we will be moving in June to Dublin, Ohio.

Some of you who have read NOW AND ZEN may recognize Dublin as Atsushi's home while his Dad worked for Honda. Little did I know that I would be following in Atsushi's footsteps! My family and I did live in Ohio years ago, so we are looking forward to being back in the Buckeye state. If only we didn't have to leave Japan to do so!

The exciting news is that I will be in the States this fall when S.A.S.S. - THE FINNISH LINE comes out. Watch this space for celebratory plans and contests!

Now, a word about THE FINNISH LINE... The main character in the book is Maureen (Mo) Clark, a Nordic Ski Jumper from Park City, Utah. During her stay in Finland, she confronts prejudice both in and out of her sport. While Mo's adventures are fiction, real world women ski jumpers are facing blatant discrimination right now as they continued to be barred from competing in the Olympics. Please stay tuned for updates on these phenomenal athletes' progress as they fight for the right to be included in what should be an open and politic-free event, and to see how you can show your support for Women's Ski Jumping!

Meanwhile, life is calling, and it's telling me to pack!