Kate McMahon Writes Girl Power Surfing Novel
Written by SurfWriter Girls Sunny Magdaug and Patti Kishel
Australian writer/editor Kate McMahon has spent twenty years surfing
around the world and cheering her friends competing on the World Surfing Tour.
Eager to make her own mark on the sport, McMahon did it by building a
successful publishing career. In 2001 she was "pinching myself when I landed
the dream job as editor of SurfGIRL magazine."
Since then she's been editing tween and teen magazines nonstop, including Disney
Adventures, Dance Academy and The Wiggles. With everything
leading up to her just-published first novel, Ocean Rules: The Bikini
Collective.
A young adult fiction book that focuses on three girls
competing on the junior surf tour, it mirrors many of McMahon's own surfing
experiences and lets her explore the trio's relationships and the things that
can be accomplished with Girl Power.
A coming-of-age novel, Ocean
Rules addresses the decisions the girls must make, choosing between fame
and friendships, surfing strategically to win or soulfully for the love of the
sport.
McMahon told SurfWriter Girls Sunny Magdaug and Patti Kishel, "I want to
provide young readers with an exhilarating read that promotes an action-packed
lifestyle, full of strong female characters. I also strongly believe that
surfing and the ocean assists enormously with managing mental health."
In many ways this debut novel reminds SurfWriter Girls of The
Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants by Ann Brashares – another book that
looks at female friendships growing up and the life choices we make.
Does 15-year-old Jaspa Ryder really want to be a
professional surfer? Can she compete against her best friends Mel and Carolyn
and still be friends? When the siren sounds what if only one of them can
get the last wave?
With a compelling plot and
well-drawn characters, Ocean Rules captures the excitement of surfing
and does what McMahon intends – “take readers on a wild ride that could
hopefully change their life." Six-time world surfing champion Stephanie
Gilmore agrees, saying, "I felt utterly invested in Jaspa, Mel and
Carolyn's surfing journey; can we be friends?"
First in a series, McMahon is
excited about the book's release and where the story lines take her. Living
just steps from the sand at Narrabeen, on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, she is in
the perfect spot to get lots of inspiration.
It also gives her opportunities "to get up to mischief with all of my
amazing surfer girlfriends."
Please post your comment below.
Comments will appear the next day.
Sunny Magdaug and
Patti Kishel hold the exclusive rights to this copyrighted material.
Publications wishing to reprint it may contact them at surfwriter.girls@gmail.com
Individuals and non-profit groups are welcome to post it on social media sites
as long as credit is given.
