Thursday, May 12 is professional skateboarder Tony Hawk’s birthday; he’s celebrating it by announcing a literary collaboration with Capstone Publishing Group aimed at Hawk’s core fan base – male preteens. This fall Stone Arch Books, a Capstone imprint, will launch Tony Hawk’s 900 Revolution Series of SF adventure novels for readers ages 10-14. The series is inspired by Hawk’s feat, first accomplished in 1999: successfully completing in a competition a 2.5 revolution, 900 degree aerial spin on his skateboard. The premise behind the series is that when Hawk lands his initial 900-degree aerial spin, a mysterious force shatters his skateboard, catapulting pieces of it all over the world. A group of teenagers set out on a quest to collect the pieces of the magical skateboard, and put it together again, thus restoring its powers.
The 128-page novels will include standard text as well as a 16-page graphic novel section, and will be available in both hardcover and paperback. The first four volumes, which will be released in August, are: Drop In (Vol. One) by Donald Lemke; Impulse (Vol. Two) by M. Zachary Sherman; Fall Line (Vol. Three) by M. Zachary Sherman; and Unchained (Vol. Four) by M. Zachary Sherman; all are illustrated by Caio Majado. Four titles will be released per season subsequently, for a total of 24.
In conjunction with the book series, an interactive Web site will launch on May 23; the site features a game sending players across the globe in search of the missing skateboard pieces, along with videos, downloadables, and both character and author bios.
Hawk will be at BEA on Thursday, May 26, signing ARCs of Impulse, the second volume in the 900 Revolution Series, at Capstone’s booth, #2952, from 10:30 am-11:30 am. There will also be a drawing for a skateboard autographed by Hawk, with the winner picked after the signing.
