From the Writer’s Desk

It’s hard for me to believe, but it has been two years now since the publication of Misspelled Paradise. It seems like a good time to give a few updates on the book, my traveling, and my writing.

Misspelled Paradise is still consistently in the top 50 books about Colombia on amazon.com (and frequently in the top 25). I am humbled by the overwhelming positive reviews, and am especially happy that many readers have cited it as both helpful and insightful for their trips to Colombia or Latin America.

I continue to write and travel. This past year, I took a big trip to Italy, visiting friends, and getting to experience the Colosseum, Sicily, Mt. Etna, Pompeii, Assisi, delicious espresso, and real Italian gelato in person. My summer was spent at the largest national park in the United States, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The rest of my year was spent in the desert southwest and back home in Washington State.

As for writing, yes, I still am scribbling in journals and typing away on my computer: look for an announcement on a new book soon…! I was also excited to be a contributor to The Wonder of It All, published fall 2015. A travel story of mine was one of many tales of the National Park Service published in this book.

Thanks again to all who have read Misspelled Paradise and my blog/website. If you haven’t poked around the site for a while, I encourage you to check out my new photo galleries (including of Italy and Alaska) and reviews of other travel books (some classics, some from new and emerging authors). Check back to these pages for more photos and reviews as the year progresses!

There’s a lot of this world to still explore; until my next big trip, I think I’ll keep writing and curling up with good travel books. What about you?