Kristi Yamaguchi Visits Petaluma to Promote New Book

Olympic gold medalist Kristi Yamaguchi visited Petaluma on Friday, making stops at and to promote her new book "Dream Big Little Pig."

Watch the raw video from the event

Copperfield's had stocked 600 copies of the book, but all were sold out by the time Yamaguchi appeared, which staff said was "not typical." The event drew close to 100 people, many with children, who lined up to see the former Olympian discuss her book about a potbellied pig named Poppy who pursues iceskating despite adults who tell her that "pigs don't skate."

Yamaguchi said the book was partially based on her own experience growing up, and that she wanted kids to pursue their goals and dreams, no matter what others tell them.  A portion of the proceeds from the book will support the Always Dream Foundation and its early childhood literacy initiative, which Yamaguchi founded in 1996.

Yamaguchi won a gold medal at the 1992 Olympics in Albertville, France becoming a nation-wide sensation. She toured with Stars on Ice for the next decade and served as the Goodwill Ambassador during the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City.

Yamaguchi is married to retired hockey player Brett Hedican, with whom she has two daughters, ages 5 and 7. She lives in the East Bay. 

Dream Big Little Pig is intended for children ages 4 to 8 and is Yamaguchi's first book. The ice skater has also written two other books: Always Dream, based on her own life and Figure Ice Skating.