10-01-2005, 05:36 PM
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#1 | | Member
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 64
| Sherraine MacKay's book 'Running With Swords'!
Running With Swords
The Adventures and Misadventures of an Irrepressible Canadian Fencing Champion
by: Sherraine MacKay
Available now!!!
Inspiring, reflective, and brimming with the author’s irrepressible joie de vivre, Running With Swords is the often hilarious story of one young woman's Olympic dreams – and the passion, tears, the happiness and madcap adventure that went along with chasing those dreams across the map of Europe and beyond.
Consistently listed among the top ten women fencers in the world and ranked as high as number two, this six-time World Cup fencing gold medallist revisits the incredible journey that took her from the small farming community of Brooks, Alberta where she was born, to Paris, France where she lived and trained for the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.
In Greece, following a personal upset that shocked the North American sports community, the author examines the aftermath of her own defeat against the joys of leading her Canadian team to a fourth place finish – the best finish ever by Canadian women in Olympic fencing.
The book is the remarkable story of young athletes from around the world, of the sacrifices made in pursuit of those dreams, of the friendships forged, and the joy of participation, whether on the track, in the field, on the ice, in the water, or on the piste.
For athletes, both young and not so young, Running With Swords is both a personal journal and a universal examination of the spirit that demands we strive to be the best we can be at whatever game we choose to play.
Reviews:
Running with Swords is not just another sports book. MacKay is able to see the irony and humour in a life pursuing athletic excellence. Whether staying in youth hostels to save money or using her broken Spanish to inadvertently threaten a bank teller, she brings the reader along on her journey of self-discovery. Her intelligence, insight and quirky way of viewing the world are surpassed only by her humour. Who knew the world of a world-class fencer could be so inspiring and so funny? I found myself laughing out loud.
~ Robin Brown, CBC Radio’s The Inside Track
Every athlete has spent her life challenging herself, wearing the maple leaf, and daring to represent this great country that we call home. Sherraine … has done all of that and she … tells us her story with humour, emotion, and most of all, truth.
~ Catriona Le May Doan, Olympic Gold Medallist and Canadian Athlete of the Year, 2002
Humorous, sharp, and lovable, Sherraine MacKay has given us a spectacular window into the hidden world of the Olympics, and the exhausting, slavish, dedication, and oftentimes, impoverished life of its athletes. I will never again watch any world sport without a sense of connectedness to the disciplined lives of those players.
~ Donna Morrissey, author of Sylvanus Now
I highly recommend Sherraine MacKay's book if you suffer from low self-esteem, lack of enthusiasm … if you feel depressed or if you simply want to enjoy a great trip with a vibrant companion. Possible side effects: elation and increased competitiveness.
~ Roch Carrier, Former National Librarian of Canada and author of The Hockey Sweater
For more information on how to buy a copy please contact:
www.sherrainemackay.com
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10-01-2005, 08:41 PM
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#2 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: USA
Posts: 455
| I can't wait to read it!!:-)
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A setback is just a set up for a comeback | |
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10-01-2005, 11:12 PM
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#3 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 3,002
| 1. I don't Read about women.
2. I don't read books written by women.
3. Women should be cheering not fencing. | |
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10-02-2005, 06:04 PM
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#4 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Cougar Country
Posts: 8,882
| I look forward to reading this book.
Thanks for letting us know Geordie!
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“Patriotism is your conviction that this country is superior to all others because you were born in it.” - George Bernard Shaw | |
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10-02-2005, 10:22 PM
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#5 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,183
| You know, until now I really pictured Sherraine as some lumbering chubby big butted epee fencer. I feel really sheepish now. She's downright beautiful!!
Lean, athletic, muscular, fast and feminine. Are we suuuuure she's not a foil fencer? Shes prettier than Valentina Vezzali...and thats a tough one to overcome in fencing.
She's absolutely dreeeeeemy!!!
Fatfencer
PS: Given my nom de plume, its should be completely obvious to everyone that I am intimately familiar with being chubby and bigg-butted. My knickers are like a clown car now; I've lost some 30lbs since I started and am looking forward to the next 20. | |
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10-02-2005, 11:12 PM
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#6 | | Din Älskling
Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Somewhere inside your head. Or am I?
Posts: 4,196
| Quote: |
Originally Posted by fatfencer
Fatfencer
PS: Given my nom de plume, its should be completely obvious to everyone that I am intimately familiar with being chubby and bigg-butted. My knickers are like a clown car now; I've lost some 30lbs since I started and am looking forward to the next 20.
| Congratulations! Keep up the good work! 
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10-03-2005, 10:57 AM
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#7 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Jyväskylä
Posts: 3,876
| Congrats on the publication... well done.
I'll look forward to reading it.
Will it be available in English, or only Canadian?
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10-03-2005, 11:11 AM
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#8 | | Moderator
Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 10,151
| Oui, eh. ..... | |
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10-03-2005, 12:08 PM
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#9 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Cougar Country
Posts: 8,882
| Quote: |
Originally Posted by Mr Epee Congrats on the publication... well done.
I'll look forward to reading it.
Will it be available in English, or only Canadian? | I thought ThatReallyHurt & I have been doing a good job in teaching all of you some Canadian while you're on F-Net... we use u's in all the right places and liberally pepper our posts with "eh?'s
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With special thanks to Mr. E...
“Patriotism is your conviction that this country is superior to all others because you were born in it.” - George Bernard Shaw | |
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10-03-2005, 01:27 PM
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#10 | | Member
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 64
| Book Tour
Quote: |
Originally Posted by Fencergrl I look forward to reading this book.
Thanks for letting us know Geordie! | If I recall, you are from Vancouver area right? Immediately after World Championships, Sherraine will be heading back to Canada to do her Book Tour starting in Vancouver. I believe she will be doing a public reading as well as a media day! I'll keep you posted if you wish.
Cheers,
Geordie | |
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10-03-2005, 01:34 PM
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#11 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Cougar Country
Posts: 8,882
| Quote: |
Originally Posted by geordie If I recall, you are from Vancouver area right? Immediately after World Championships, Sherraine will be heading back to Canada to do her Book Tour starting in Vancouver. I believe she will be doing a public reading as well as a media day! I'll keep you posted if you wish.
Cheers,
Geordie | Please do, I will pass the info on to my club mates and the BC Fencing Association (if you haven't already).
__________________
With special thanks to Mr. E...
“Patriotism is your conviction that this country is superior to all others because you were born in it.” - George Bernard Shaw | |
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10-03-2005, 06:34 PM
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#12 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 167
| I'm always interested in new reading material.
Off subject a little bit. I noticed in the pictures that she appears to use a french grip.
Do alot of the upper level Women's Epee fencers use the French and pommel? | |
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10-03-2005, 08:01 PM
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#13 | | Member
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 64
| Quote: |
Originally Posted by flyingfencer I'm always interested in new reading material.
Off subject a little bit. I noticed in the pictures that she appears to use a french grip.
Do alot of the upper level Women's Epee fencers use the French and pommel? | Well, if you look at the top 16 in the world, only 3 women use a french grip. On the Canadian National Team there are 3 out of 5.
Geordie www.sherrainemackay.com | |
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10-05-2005, 08:46 PM
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#14 | | Member
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 64
| By the way, if you've looked in stores for " Running with Swords" and have come out empty handed...please be patient.
They are being shipped out as we speak and should be in stores by the end of this week!
Cheers,
Geordie www.sherrainemackay.com | |
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10-05-2005, 09:03 PM
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#15 | | Boom!
Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Canada
Posts: 5,925
| Quote: |
Originally Posted by geordie If I recall, you are from Vancouver area right? Immediately after World Championships, Sherraine will be heading back to Canada to do her Book Tour starting in Vancouver. I believe she will be doing a public reading as well as a media day! I'll keep you posted if you wish.
Cheers,
Geordie | Any chance that there'll be any Manitoba stops on the book tour?
Thanks for letting us know about the book - I'm looking forward to reading it!
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10-05-2005, 09:59 PM
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#16 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Canada
Posts: 201
| Quote: |
Originally Posted by geordie If I recall, you are from Vancouver area right? Immediately after World Championships, Sherraine will be heading back to Canada to do her Book Tour starting in Vancouver. I believe she will be doing a public reading as well as a media day! I'll keep you posted if you wish.
Cheers,
Geordie | *Gasp!* Oh my god, that's so cool!!!! Is she also doing autograph signings of her book? I'll be first one in line!  (I live in Vancouver too!) Please keep us all posted!Thanks Geordie! 
Sherraine's so cool and nice, I got her autograph and picture during the Vancouver World Cup!!  hehehe
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International Left-Handers Day -- August 13th | |
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10-05-2005, 10:29 PM
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#17 | | Member
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 64
| Quote: |
Originally Posted by ThatReallyHurt Any chance that there'll be any Manitoba stops on the book tour?
Thanks for letting us know about the book - I'm looking forward to reading it! | Big time bummer on this one...Manitoba isn't on the list. She'll be starting in Vancouver on October 19th followed by media days in Calgary and Edmonton then Ottawa and Toronto.
Still the book is very much worth the read!
Cheers,
Geordie www.sherrainemackay.com | |
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10-06-2005, 12:50 AM
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#18 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 685
| Geordie thanks for this thread. I'm very interested in reading this book and have purchased a copy. For US fencers, you can purchase copy like I did through amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...books&n=507846
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10-06-2005, 01:13 AM
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#19 | | Boom!
Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Canada
Posts: 5,925
| Quote: |
Originally Posted by geordie Big time bummer on this one...Manitoba isn't on the list. She'll be starting in Vancouver on October 19th followed by media days in Calgary and Edmonton then Ottawa and Toronto.
Still the book is very much worth the read!
Cheers,
Geordie www.sherrainemackay.com | Well, phooey. Thanks for the info, though!
Gotta start calling Chapters repeatedly to find out when they'll be getting the book.
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10-06-2005, 02:01 AM
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#20 | | Member
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 64
| Quote: |
Originally Posted by ThatReallyHurt Well, phooey. Thanks for the info, though!
Gotta start calling Chapters repeatedly to find out when they'll be getting the book. | Apparently Chapters/Indigo/Cole should have it by the end of this week.
For some reason it's showing up on their system as temporarily unavailable but it's because it's being shipped right now. It's better than what it said last week... "This book has not been released yet." 
We're currently trying to work out a way to have the book available through www.sherrainemackay.com but I'll keep you all posted as I learn more.
Thanks for your support!
Geordie | |
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