Farsighted Fly Girl

It's been a really busy few months with the release of my new book and all the publicity events that go along with a book launch. That's in addition to my usual travel, writing and teaching schedule. So when my friend, photographer, writer and guidebook author Lily Girma , invited me to participate in a writer's blog hop, I was aghast but excited about the chance to delve into my chaotic writing process. I'm honored to join so many talented writers who all provide a snapshot into what their writing process involves and what motivates them to write what they do. Below are my answers to the questions about my writing life and in a few weeks, three writers that I respect and am inspired by and who also happen to hail from some my favorite places in the world--Italy's Angela Corrias , London and Cuba's Mario Lopez-Goicoechea  and Chicago's Maureen Jenkins ,will share their answers. 1. What Am I Writing Now? After an enthralling visit to the Andalusia ...

With TBEX Dublin coming up soon, I've been ruminating on my experience at TBEX Toronto . A lot of bloggers have asked me about whether it's a worthwhile conference and how such a big and buzzy event can be helpful for independent-minded bloggers. In my opinion, it all depends on who you are and where you are in your travel blogging journey. I was a speaker at the very first TBEX , when it was just a gathering of  travel bloggers and writers meeting up in Chicago. Maybe there were a 100 people at that meeting in the Chicago Cultural Center but it seemed more intimate. That was four years ago. TBEX Toronto attracted 1200 attendees. It didn't seem intimate, it didn't seem like just a gathering. It was a BIG EVENT.  There were pre-tours and post tours and parties and speed dating and lots of drama. If you are an introvert and don't deal well with crowds, you probably wouldn't find TBEX that enjoyable. If you don't like the idea of corporate sponsorship or a...

Volunteering and giving back has always been an important part of my life. I've participated in several travel blogger charity events but I don't think I've experienced so much glee to give back as I did at The Passport Party Project .  The event is a global awareness initiative that gifts 10 passports to undeserved girls in 10 cities across the U.S. Travel blogger Tracey Friley of One Brown Girl gathers travel bloggers in every city to volunteer and guide girls into the expansive world of traveling.  So it was a given that when the event landed in my city of Chicago, I was totally there. The party kicks off in the morning and we lined a table with supplies to create personal travel vision boards. Of course, no party is complete in my book unless there is quality sugar involved.  These cupcakes represent a range of flavors and nations. We provided encouragement for the girls with tales of our travels, a show & tell session an...