Anybody Know about Cheryl Elliott?

[tombuch 0]

Does anybody know who Cheryl Elliott is?

She has written critical reviews of my book "JUMP Skydiving Made Fun and Easy" and Poynters "The Skydiver Handbook" on Amazon.com, and wrote a favorable review of "Jumping Through Clouds," a factually dishonest book that is critical of student skydiving. Her critical reviews were actually the same review just cross posted to both book pages. She seems to be advocating against tandem because of two unusual accidents involving students falling out of harnesses last year. Does she have a history with the sport? Was she wronged somehow?

Her profile says she is in Missouri. The Amazon reviews (dated October 25-29, 2007) are available at http://www.amazon.com/gp/cdp/member-reviews/ACNCY70CBK7F0/ref=cm_cr_pr_auth_rev?ie=UTF8&sort%5Fby=MostRecentReview

Her level of hostility toward the sport seems odd, and I'm wondering what caused it.

Tom Buchanan
Instructor Emeritus
Comm Pilot MSEL,G
Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy

[Jumpah 0]

Her use of "Reviewer's tags" are rather specific:

accidents, rig flaws, skydiving, tandem skydiving, skydiving dangers

She appears to have an agenda.

[Samurai136 0]

It could be the same "Cheryl Elliot" that posted here:

http://www.topix.com/forum/outdoors/skydiving/TEAOMR96NN60SN3DH

Quote

This poster's hypothesis is correct, the
jstudent weighed 230 1bs although only 5'4,
and her tandem instructor was 5'11 and weighed
145. This accident is sickening. One report
said that her horizontal strap had been
improperly adjusted so that it was under
one of her leg straps,- this was visible
during her drogue fall! I was saving up
for a tandem jump, but this has scared me
off the idea. I have a delicate build and
narrow shoulders,-and my imagination has
been working overtime since I read this
account.

Who knows if she has a personal axe to grind or merely found a reason to stay on the ground. I wonder if she posts about the Boeing 737 rudder problems w/ the same passion.

"Buttons aren't toys." - Trillian
Ken

[yamtx73 0]

She definitely has an agenda, while her profile on Amazon may state she lives in Missouri I'm inclined to believe she wasn't educated in the USA. In the last book she reviewed her spelling of 'favourite' isn't how it's taught in American schools.

The only naturals in this sport shit thru feathers...

[darkwing 4]

Her name vaguely rings a bell with me. Perhaps her son died in a jumping accident and she has been on a mission since then? I could be wrong though.

-- Jeff
My Skydiving History

[kelpdiver 2]

Particularly fishy is the level of detail, yet the errors.

"I was determined to make my first tandem jump next summer, but then I checked the USPA's online accident report and learned that during the summer of 2007 two first time tandem students died when they slipped out of their harness during the jolt of chute deployment and fell."

It happened, of course, in 2006, and harnesses were adapted in response to the one. I don't recall many would be tandems doing this much prep, knowing how to analyze the video, all for an intended jump 9 months later.

Funny (in the sense of odd) that despite this, she still gives Poynter 4 stars, but only 3 to you.

[airdvr 197]

There was definitley a woman some time back who's son died either on a first jump or very early in his career. IIRC she had an axe to grind with sport jumping. This could be the same person.

Please don't dent the planet.

Destinations by Roxanne

[ZigZagMarquis 8]

I think the book / person you're thinking of is " Jane Melbourne", the author or Jumping Through Clouds. Unless one or the other name is a psyudoname, Cheryl Elliot would seem to be a different person. Anyway, I've been meaning to read Jumping Through Clouds just to see what the lady has to say.

[Jewels 0]

Actually, I think her "reviews" are inappropriate no matter WHAT book she claims to be assessing. The so-called "review" is a review of tandems in general and seems to have nothing to do with the actual text of anything. She seems to be seeking any forum she can find, and doing it at the expense of authors who most probably have nothing to do with her complaints, other than the fact that their topic touches on something for which she strongly disapproves. If someone is genuinely critical of a book, their review needs to stand on the actual text.


Edited to add: I posted comments to her review of both books. I think it's only fair.

TPM Sister #102

[Skylark 0]

Quote

Does anybody know who Cheryl Elliott is?

She has written critical reviews of my book "JUMP Skydiving Made Fun and Easy" and Poynters "The Skydiver Handbook" on Amazon.com, and wrote a favorable review of "Jumping Through Clouds," a factually dishonest book that is critical of student skydiving. Her critical reviews were actually the same review just cross posted to both book pages. She seems to be advocating against tandem because of two unusual accidents involving students falling out of harnesses last year. Does she have a history with the sport? Was she wronged somehow?

Her profile says she is in Missouri. The Amazon reviews (dated October 25-29, 2007) are available at http://www.amazon.com/gp/cdp/member-reviews/ACNCY70CBK7F0/ref=cm_cr_pr_auth_rev?ie=UTF8&sort%5Fby=MostRecentReview

Her level of hostility toward the sport seems odd, and I'm wondering what caused it.

Have you tried simply asking her?

"Into the dangerous world I leapt..." William Blake, Songs of Experience

[jtval 0]

Quote

There was definitley a woman some time back who's son died either on a first jump or very early in his career. IIRC she had an axe to grind with sport jumping. This could be the same person.

So why would she have the credentials to write a review?
Is that her job to begin with?


You could be wrong on the name and she may just be an ignorant ass.

My photos

My Videos

[2fat2fly 0]

I'm glad that our standards of accountability are higher than hers

I am not the man. But the man knows my name...and he's worried