Today we’re talking with gymnast Karen Campbell. Let’s
welcome her!
Tell us a little bit
about how you got into gymnastics and why you love it so much.
My story
is like so many other elite gymnasts, I was already flipping all over the
furniture by age two and my parents wanted me to burn off some energy in safer
place.
What are some
sacrifices you’ve had to make for the sake of your dreams? Would you say they
were (and are) worth it?
I only
know the media answer to this question and by that, I mean that I’ve been told
what “normal” teenagers do, but since I haven’t done many of those things,
nothing really feels like a sacrifice. Okay, maybe I miss eating some of the
foods I ate without second thought as a kid—ice cream, cake, fried cheese
sticks—but my healthy and more limited diet doesn’t bother me too much and I
don’t feel as well prepared for workouts if I’m not eating right. So, I guess
what I’m saying is that I can’t imagine my life without gymnastics, so it has
to be worth it, right? Who would I be without it? I have no idea. It’s so much
a part of me.
What’s the ultimate
goal that you’re working towards?
I’m tired
of blending in. Tired of my skills blurring with a dozen other gymnasts. I’d
never say this out loud to anyone, but I think I’m ready to stand out, whatever
that means.
What would you do (or
how would you react) upon achieving that goal?
There’s
really no way to know until I get there. One thing that helps me a lot when it
comes to things like this, is that I love the day-to-day training, I love the
process as much if not more as the outcome. Of course I want to win, but when
I’m up there on top of the podium, I want to have flashbacks to all those hard
days and the relentless repetition and the hours and the discipline.
Who or what inspires
you?
Right now,
I feel like the idea of being the only person to do a skill or having the most
difficult routine of anyone in the competition or the best execution, is my
driving force. I used to be much more conservative and only really cared about
my own performance. I wanted to hit all my routines, even if that meant making
them easier. Now, I have these fantasies of doing something incredible that
makes the audience and the other gymnasts gasp.
After your parent’s
accident, Coach Bentley took you in; how’d you feel about that? What’s your
opinion of his son, Jordan?
With Coach Bentley, most of the time, I can’t figure out
what he’s thinking or why he says or does certain things. It drives me crazy.
So until I figure out why, I don’t really know how to feel except grateful that
I stay at my gym with my teammates. And Jordan…I don’t know what to say about
him other than, he’s setting the standard for every boy I meet from this day
forward.
I hope you don’t mind
me asking, but how have you coped since your parents’ accident? Who or what has
helped you get through this?
I’m not
sure. I wish someone could give me a score or an evaluation sheet and tell me
what I need to work on to though everything. I’m not there yet. Not even close.
What’s something
you’ve learned about life recently? Where do you place your hope?
My hope is
in myself and my own ability to overcome obstacles. I just hope that this isn’t
too big of a mountain for me to climb. I don’t know what I’ll do if it is.
About the Book...
Publisher:
Long Walk Press
Pub.
Date: August 1, 2013
Pages:
288
From
the International Bestselling Author of the Tempest Series...
Set
in the tough world of Elite Gymnastics...
I've
gotten used to the dead parents face. I've gotten used to living with my
gymnastics coach. I've even adjusted to sharing a bathroom with his way-too-hot
son. Dealing with boys is not something that's made it onto my list of
experiences as of yet. But here I am, doing it. And something about
Jordan--being around him, talking to him, thinking about him--makes me feel
like I can finally breathe again. That's something I haven't been able to do
lately. He knows what it feels like to be me right now. He knows what it's like
to wonder--what now? I think about it constantly. I need answers. I need to
know how to get through this. In the gym, if you're struggling, you train
harder, you do drills and conditioning. How do I work hard at moving on? At
being on my own? And what happens if I might be...maybe...probably falling for
Jordan? I mean we live together now. That can't happen, can it? But kissing
him...well, let's just say it's not an easy activity to forget.
Buy the book here:
About the Author…
Julie Cross is the International Bestselling author of the Tempest
series, a young adult science fiction trilogy which includes Tempest, Vortex,
and the final installment, Timestorm (St. Martin's Press). She's also the
author of Letters to Nowhere (8/13), a mature young adult romance set in the
world of elite gymnastics, as well as several forthcoming young adult and new
adult novels with publishers like Entangled, Sourcebooks, HarperCollins, and
St. Martin's Press/Thomas Dunne Books.
Julie lives in Central Illinois with her husband and three
children. She's a former gymnast, longtime gymnastics fan, coach, and former
Gymnastics Program Director with the YMCA. She's a lover of books, devouring
several novels a week, especially in the young adult and new adult genres.
Outside of her reading and writing credibility's, Julie Cross is a
committed--but not talented--long distance runner, creator of imaginary beach
vacations, Midwest bipolar weather survivor, expired CPR certification card
holder, as well as a ponytail and gym shoe addict. You can find her online via
twitter, her personal website, email, facebook, Goodreads, or co-moderating the
YAwriters section of reddit.
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The romance aspect of it. Cannot wait to read.
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