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‘Ski Instructor Confidential’ book signing at Verbatim Booksellers

Daily Staff Report
Shane Macomber/ Vail DailyVail Mountain ski instructor Allen Smith has written a book about anecdotes from other ski instructors from anywhere and everywhere called "Ski Instructors Confidential".
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Vail – Verbatim Booksellers in Vail Village will host local writer Allen Smith as he signs his book, “Ski Instructor Confidential: The Stories Ski Instructors Swap Back at the Lodge,” Wednesday at 5 p.m.Appearing with Smith will be a number of the local ski instructors who contributed to this book. Smith interviewed hundreds of ski instructors from all over the United States. A Vail ski instructor himself, Smith collected tales that span the country and date as far back as the 1940s.”I’ve been a customer of Verbatim Booksellers for years,” said Smith. “And with it being located so close to all our instructors in Vail, it was natural to want to have the book signing there.”

Smith organized the stories by topic, heading each category with titles like: “Thermals and Other Fashion Statements,” “Cool Kids and Cranky Parents,” and “Slides, Crashes and Other Feats of Gravity.” Within each category are anecdotes, vignettes and punch lines that add color to the life of the ski instructor.”Right now we’re selling a ton of these books,” said Robert Aikens, owner of Verbatim Booksellers. “I was overblown by how many people were coming in to by this book as birthday and Valentine’s Day presents. People love reading the humorous stories. They are sharing them with their friends and family.””‘Ski Instructors Confidential’ is a celebration of the ski teaching profession and the people that have made it great. Many of these folks are getting on in years, so I wanted to capture the fun of the ‘early days of skiing’ before they’re lost to the present day,” Smith said.The inspiration for this book came one day when a few ski instructors started swapping hilarious stories to kill time, wrote Smith in his introduction. “I began to think what a shame it was that the only people enjoying these tales were the seven of us in this small corner of the world. How many other great stories were being told in other meeting rooms across the country? There must be thousands.”

Verbatim Booksellers is located at 100 East Meadow Drive in Vail Village, near Campo De Fiori Restaurant, Mountain Dog and Claggett-Rey Gallery. For more information, call 476-3032.Telling it like it isBook signing, featuring Allen Smith, local writer and ski instructor, and author of “Ski Instructor Confidential: The Stories Ski Instructors Swap Back at the Lodge.”



Verbatim Booksellers, Vail VillageFrom 5-6 p.m. WednesdayFor more information, call 476-3032Vail, Colorado


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