Aug
31
How to Prevent Mosquito Bites
August 31, 2011 | Leave a Comment
Thanks to Anne Sigmon for her post on Jungle Pants: Twelve tips for avoiding mosquitos–and the serious diseases they carry. Anne also provides a link to Tipnut’s Over 40 Mosquito Bite Itch Relief Tips.
Aug
30
Visionary Travel Writing
August 30, 2011 | Leave a Comment
What is a “Visionary” Travel Writer? What is a “visionary” writer in general? How about a writer who considers the spiritual, cultural, social, emotional, physical, psychological, racial, and political context in which they travel and write, not to mention live and breathe. Where ever you go there you are, right? We take ourselves everywhere. So a visionary writer is one who travels first into the miraculously complex depths of their own soul, and is willing to look at and express the whole kit and kaboodle, the “full catastrophe”—dark AND light, joy AND sorrow, beauty AND terror—with humility, insight, humor, and integrity.
Aug
30
Laura Fraser’s Mexican Writing Fiesta Oct. 23-29, San Miguel de Allende
August 30, 2011 | Leave a Comment
| October 23, 2011 | to | October 29, 2011 |
Immerse yourself in writing, relaxing, and exploring one of Mexico’s most beautiful colonial towns. The workshop is intimate, with a maximum of nine students, and held in a luxurious villa in the center of town, with lots of nooks and terraces for writing, reading, and dreaming. Workshop includes daily writing sessions in the morning, a reception, lunch at the villa, a cooking class and lunch in the country, a tour of town, an excursion to a private folk art museum, and a celebratory dinner and reading. $995 does not include airfare or accommodations (we’ll help arrange those). Visit Laura’s website for details and photos.
Aug
30
Lion Hunting in San Francisco
August 30, 2011 | Leave a Comment
San Francisco travel writers Jules and Effin Older made a 49-second travel video about San Francisco, and it’s a finalist in the 49 Hours of My SF Video Contest. Judging was based on “creativity, originality, entertainment value, and enthusiasm for San Francisco.” Visit the site before September 5th to view all five finalists — and vote for the Olders’ Lion Hunting in San Francisco, if you’re so inspired.
Voters who register will be entered for a chance to win gift certificates to renowned San Francisco museums, restaurants, attractions and more. Voting will end on September 6, after which winners will be announced and awarded. View the video winner prize package and official rules here.
Aug
30
Booktour’s Book Promotion Series
August 30, 2011 | Leave a Comment
Thanks to Cheryl McLaughlin for letting us know that Kevin Smokler’s BookTour.com is closing. We hope Kevin leaves his excellent ten-part series (“Everything you Wanted to Know about Book Promotion but were Afraid to Ask”) on the web as he moves on to other projects (his next book!)
Aug
30
Congratulations to Jak Wonderly
August 30, 2011 | Leave a Comment
The September issue of National Geographic features Jak’s image of an albino alligator (“Claude”) as a two-page spread, leading off the “Visions” section (formerly “Visions of Earth”). The magazine only publishes three images this way each month, selected from thousands around the world for their “intriguing” and “breathtaking” qualities.
You can see more of Jak’s photography on his Facebook page.
Aug
30
Grocery shopping in Thailand
August 30, 2011 | Leave a Comment
How close to a train track can you set up a vegetable market? Watch this video to find out.