I’ve long wanted to hike the Appalachian Trail. Walking the 2,178-mile footpath is on my bucket list — my list of things I want to do in my lifetime (before I kick the bucket). It’s more than a list of my goals — it’s a compilation of my dreams. We often work toward our goals, […]
Usually when I write, I’m excited. I’m focused, of course, but underneath it all, I feel excited about this book. I think I’ve chosen an innately interesting topic, and the story is coming along well. But occasionally, as I work on a scene, I worry: what if everyone thinks this book sucks? The first time […]
My home office is full of pieces of art from Africa: a beaded wire bowl made in South Africa, a huge raffia sculpture of a baobab tree from Madagascar, a smooth wooden bowl created in Cameroon, and a beautiful poster of homemade Malagasy paper pressed with flowers. But my favorite is a wall-sized colorful batik […]
The New York Times ran a fabulous story yesterday about how the recession is causing people from all walks of life to reinvent themselves. Is This the Time to Chase a Career Dream? may not seem like it’s directly related to a blog on writing and publishing a book. But it is! Why? Because writing […]
Writing a travel memoir has been a dream of mine for years. Ever since I realized my love for travel, writing about it seemed like the perfect project, a chance to use my journalistic skills, write creatively and see the world, all at once. So even before leaving my job as a reporter with the […]