People That Inspire …What Writer’s Read

This year is fast drawing to an end and I definitely fell behind in my writing …I had hoped to have my next book out several months ago. Though I probably should have spent every spare minute I had writing, I still like to read as much as time will allow. My favorite author has always been Clive Cussler …I started reading his books when there were only a few in print, and now I have a hard time keeping up with all his new releases!

I recently started reading a book that I do believe is now out of print, but it’s still possible to get a hold of a copy through book re-sellers. It’s called OVER the EDGE, by Greg Child … a true story of four young rock climbers kidnapped by Islamic militants in Central Asia. I’ve wanted to read this book for some time, as a while back I was fortunate enough to meet one of the true life characters of the book, Beth Rodden. Beth is a true ROCK star …she became a rock climbing phenom at a very young age, and one of the most talented and famous climbers in the world. I was truly impressed how friendly and down to earth she was. She is a great ambassador for the sport, and an amazing role model for any young woman.

All writers develop their own style over the years, but one thing I believe is vital to not only being successful as a writer, but vital to enjoying writing, is to write what you know and love. For me that’s action, adventure, ruins, mountains, diving, and the amazing cultures that make up our incredible and diverse planet. I have a few outlines for books that are a departure from this genre, but for now the adventures of Logan Nash will continue!

Beth Rodden & I at Smith Rock, OR

Volcanos and Mayan Ruins

I just returned from an amazing trip to Central America. Already falling behind on my self-imposed finishing date for my next book, I thought what better than to get inspiration from the setting of the book itself!

I love exploring ruins, and there are no better Mayan ruins than Tikal in Guatemala. This was my third trip to Tikal, but I could never tire of exploring this fascinating site. It truly was an inspiration, but as is often the problem when I travel, I also crave the excitement and adventure that makes me who I am. I did manage to get a fair amount of writing done, and now have only to finish up the last couple of chapters before the editing begins!

Guatemala has some amazing volcanos, including the two highest peaks in Central America. During my trip I had the opportunity to climb four peaks, including the two highest peaks in Central America ..both higher than the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies. The volcanos and jungle ruins were amazing, but what really made this trip were the incredibly friendly people I met, both local and traveller alike.

I truly believe travel enriches one’s life in a way no schooling ever could. I feel truly blessed to be able to explore this amazing planet of ours, and feel I am not only a Canadian, but a citizen of the world.

This is our group that climbed Acatenango Volcano (May 2012)

The main square in Tikal

What Inspires…..

I just returned from an amazing trip to Southeast Asia. One of my last days there I saw an ad for Chang beer…”Live Like You Mean It” …..I thought, “WOW, that is exactly how I feel” ….so many people go through life full of negativity, bitterness, anger, complacency, never realizing what an amazing gift life is…..the minute you stop living is the minute you start dying.

Life inspires me…travel…adventure…experiencing new cultures…meeting positive passionate people…pushing myself to my own limits, not limits set on me by what is considered the norm…what people my age should do…what society expects…BORING!!!

In Thailand I had the opportunity to do some great diving in the Andaman Sea, and spend a few days climbing at one of the rock climbing meccas if the world, Railey, Thailand, but the highlight of my trip was the time I spent in Myanmar(Burma). The people were incredibly friendly and welcoming…..the country was rich in history…the ruins at Bagan just one example. My fondest memory is spending an afternoon with a local family at Inle Lake. We had to take a dugout canoe to get to their house, which sat on stilts…no land access…no electricity. None of them spoke a word of english, but they fed us, made us green tea, and showed us how they make their living….one worked as a guide on the river, and a couple of the woman rolled cigars to sell in the market…I’m not a smoker, but had to try one! There was a whole herd of kids of all ages…they didn’t have much…very little for toys…we taught them games they could play by using simple everyday items…the smiles on their faces made my trip.

My life has always been a traveller and adventurer…..I never thought I would become a writer, but for me it’s my way to show what an amazing world is out there waiting to be discovered…..I write fiction, but it’s reality based fiction…..the life I have chosen for myself is the life I love….even though I’ve spent a large amount of my life travelling, I still approach every adventure with a child-like enthusiasm…..on my last journey I took over 3,000 photographs…..just a taste below.

EXACTLY!

 

Rock Climbing, Railey, Thailand

 

Waiting for Sunrise

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sunrise over Bagan

 

Inle Lake House on Stilts

 

Burmese Family

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Highlight as an Author

I just returned to Bangkok today after an amazing week in Myanmar(Burma) …as always I headed straight for Khao San Road. To any of you who have traveled SE Asia you know that Khao San Road is the center of the backpacking universe ….a mix of people like you’ll experience nowhere else in the world. As I was heading down the street to one of my old haunts I caught something out of the corner of my eye that made me stop in my tracks …..there were two girls having a beer at one of the many outdoor restaurants that line Khao San Road, one was writing in her journal while the other was reading a book ….not just any book …..The Map …..I was shocked, I couldn’t believe my eyes. I had to walk over and talk to her…..

“Sorry to interrupt you, but I couldn’t help notice the book you’re reading” …..before I could finish what I was going to say she replied.

“Yeah, it’s a great book …..why, have you read it?”

With a little chuckle I replied. “Yes, several times……I’m the author, and I was a just bit surprised to see someone with my book all the way over here in Asia.”

Flipping the book over she squealed. “Oh my God, look Cath(her friend), it is the author”

They invited me to sit down and we enjoyed a round of Chang beer while she proceeded to tell me how she had traded books with another traveler in Koh Phi Phi, who also loved the book. She said she had planned on trading it again, but instead she had me autograph it and said she would keep it, and of course had a photo of her holding her book with the author.

I have had a very successful book signing …..I have had The Map reach number one in its category on Amazon, but this was truly my proudest moment yet as an author …..I can’t even explain the rush I felt when I saw someone sitting 12,000 KM’s from home with my book, and that fellow travelers were enjoying my book and telling other travelers about it …..it’s been a good day!

Surrey International Writers’ Conference

This last weekend was the Surrey International Writers’ Conference. It was inspiring to be around so many accomplished authors, editors, publishers, as well as many aspiring authors and avid readers.

 

 

SIWC Book Signing

At the book signing event I was extremely fortunate to have at the table beside me NY Times bestselling author Robert Dugoni ( http://www.robertdugoni.com ). Not only was Robert very down to earth and friendly, but he also took the time to talk with me about ways to further my career as a writer and tips on marketing….that is when there was a break in his stream of fans that lined up for his autograph! The location was great because it also brought a few extra people my way as well. All in all I had a fantastic time and found it to be an invaluable learning experience as well as very inspiring.

 

Robert Dugoni holding his new copy of The Map

The Map, A Logan Nash Adventure rolls on…

A few months ago my first novel, The Map, A Logan Nash Adventure reached #1 on amazon.ca in the Men’s Adventure category. Since that time it has reached #1 on a total of 16 days in the Men’s Adventure category, and has been in the Top 50 for several months, as well as spending 31 days in the Top 100 of the much broader category of Mystery & Thrillers(almost a quarter million books in this category). It has also reached new heights in several other categories.

Top Rankings Reached for “The Map, A Logan Nash Adventure”

 

Men’s Adventure:           #1 out of 5,434

Action/Adventure:          #2 out of 64,014

Mystery & Thrillers:        #8 out of 232,107

All Books:                      #229 out of 17,101,607

The Map, A Logan Nash Adventure reaches #1 on Amazon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The last few days have been very exciting for me. As a new author I never thought my book would be ranked near as high as it is on Amazon. Four days and counting, The Map, A Logan Nash Adventure has been ranked Number One on amazon.ca in the “Bestsellers in Men’s Adventure” category, and fairly high in some much broader categories as well. The biggest shocker came yesterday when the paperback version of The Map was ranked Number One, and the hardcover version (considered a separate title), was ranked Number Two. Listed below are the highest rankings that “The Map” has received so far.

Rankings for “The Map, A Logan Nash Adventure”

Men’s Adventure:           #1 out of 5,434

Action/Adventure:          #4 out of 64,014

Mystery & Thrillers:        #10 out of 232,107

All Books:                      #307 out of 17,101,607

It definitely inspires me to complete my next book!

Amazon Bestsellers: Men’s Adventure

                                        

The main category where Amazon has placed my book is “Men’s Adventure”. It’s a category with nearly 5,500 titles, which includes authors such as Clive Cussler, Tom Clancy, and Steve Berry,  just to name a few. Amazon works on a rolling calendar that updates every hour. When I first published my book I would have been over the moon to just make the top 100 in this category. A few weeks ago I’m proud to say, “The Map” reached as high as #3 in Men’s Adventure, and even more amazing, it reached #1,234 in all books Amazon Canada carries….that’s 1,234 out of approx. 16 million titles! Since reaching #3, it has been a rollercoaster the last couple of weeks, dipping down to #74, and back up to #6….I’m patiently waiting for the day The Map reaches #1 in Men’s Adventure…even if only for a day!

 

Successful Book Signing

Thank you to everyone that attended my first book signing….it was a huge success. The management of Chapters were also very impressed, and said they would love to have me back in a couple of months to do another book signing, as well as when my next novel comes out in the fall. The manager said if he graded book signings, I would definitely get an “A”. Before the actual event I did a lot of reading on what it takes to have a successful book signing, and although everyone’s ideas differ somewhat, one thing that was universally agreed upon was that you don’t just sit behind a table, but you get out there and talk to people…show some enthusiasm!! Sometimes little things can help make a difference too….eye catching props….a dish of candies, or in my case, a treasure chest of candies. I know this is only one step on a long journey to a career as a writer, but it’s one I will savor for now with a nice glass of wine. Unfortunately the downtime will be short….I plan to release my second novel, “2012: Mayan Cenote” at the Surrey Book Fair (Western Canada’s largest book fair) in October, where they have already a table booked for me. I’m really looking forward to this event, not only for all the exposure it will bring, but that it takes place in metro Vancouver, a place I called home for many years.

The world of a writer is often a world of solitude, and days like this are the days that energize and inspire me….thank you!

Autographing a book…

Well, here I am only days away from my first book signing and I’m thinking of what clever little things to write in the books I sign….I certainly don’t want to sign every book “Best Wishes”  I have attended a few book signings myself, and have also researched how other authors have signed their books, but I’m open to any ideas anyone might have!

If you’re in Kelowna on Saturday February 26, my book signing will be taking place at Chapters in the Orchard Park Shopping Centre from 10am – 2pm.