Weekly Top 5 Blog Posts for Writers...

1. Getting Through Freelance Rejection

2. Selected Resources & Organizations for Writers, Editors, and Other Freelancers — Part 1

3. How to Write Fast

4. New Year, Fresh Start: How to Recalibrate Your Freelance Business in 2009

5. Bloggers and Writers: Make 2009 a Year of Expansion

Writers in the Sky 2008 Keynote Address by travel writer Rob Story...

Rob Story, winner of the 2003-2004 Lowell Thomas Award, doing the keynote address at the Writers in the Sky 2008. Rob is a Telluride-based Outside magazine correspondent and also the author of Outside Adventure Travel: Mountain Biking.

Win a Copy of ‘The Eco-Travel Guide’.

Just a quick tip. Traveling the Green Way has a book giveaway running until the 2nd of January 2009.

They have a copy of ‘The Eco-Travel Guide’ by Alastair Fuad-Luke on offer.

Written by a sustainable design consultant, the book focuses on…

- the how, what, and why of eco-travel and offers ideas on how to minimize our impact as both a daily commuter and a long haul traveler.

- lists 200 vacation destinations around the world and information on green products ranging from hybrid vehicles to green travel clothing.

For your chance to win, head over to Traveling the Green Way and tell them how you travel green…

Book Review: Drama & Diplomacy in Sultry Puerto Vallarta by Jenny McGill.

I’m always surprised when I go and check the mailbox and discover that a book has arrived to be reviewed. It’s not that common an occurrence but it does happen. And that’s how I ended up with a copy of Jenny McGill’s book Drama & Diplomacy in Sultry Puerto Vallarta.

An anecdotal account of Jenny and her husband Howard’s life in Puerto Vallarta in the 1970s and 1980’s, this  book is a jumble of events and colorful characters that dotted the landscape of a town only beginning to grow.

Much of the book focuses on Jenny’s time as the consular agent for the US Government and offers an inside glimpse into a bygone era when diplomacy truly was diplomacy.

After telling us the four D's - death, detention, disappearance and destitute – that make up a consular agent’s area of responsibility, Jenny introduces us to a cast of characters, each of which fit into one or other of these four categories. The descriptions are not always pretty (or clean) but each individual character we meet provides an almost historic reflection of a Puerto Vallarta that no longer exists.

The writing style won’t suit everyone. Those who like their stories to flow  gently and evenly along a well defined path will find it difficult to read. You have a feeling that Jenny writes like she talks and the book is not so much a complete story as it is a collection of vignettes. Reading it is almost like sitting and listening to a favorite aunt reminiscing about her past – interesting and fun, sometimes confusing and disjointed, but always intriguing and compelling.

Weekly Top 5 Blog Posts for Writers...

1. Freelance Advice: Marketing yourself for free

2. How To Stay Focused: 7 Ways To Keep On Task

3. Interview with Allyson Lewis, author of The Seven Minute Difference

4. The 10 Free Resources Every Writer Needs

5. Clutter: One big tip – don’t “treat” yourself – plus eleven quick tips for keeping your home uncluttered.

Travel Writing Miscellanea..

A Backpacker in India interviews travel writer and photographer Arun Bhat.

Frank Bures has an inteview with Rolf Potts published in the Nov/Dec issue of Poets & Writers.

Sandwagon asks Does travel writing style rule over travel writing substance?

Travel writer David Farley offers some tips on how to Travel (and get paid to do it)

Beth Whitman has a conversation with travel writer Dave Fox for seattlepi.com

New York Times has a slideshow looking at Why We Travel

Times Online lists The Best Travel Books of 2008

Weekly Top 4 Blog Posts for Writers…

1. How To Start a Freelance Business Today (Tools for Beginners). 

2. The Essential Time-Saving Guide for Busy People

3. How To Beat Procrastination And Get Things Done

4. Why environment matters as a writer

Travel Related Fitness Giveaways at Healthbolt...

I’ve been playing Mrs Santa Claus this week over at Healthbolt with all the great giveaways that have been lined up for the month long ‘31 Days of Giveaways.’

And since many of these giveaways are perfect for the traveler, I thought I’d better give Write to Travel readers a heads up so they could head on over and enter into a giveaway or two.

Just click on the picture and it will take you to that specific giveaway post…










And if you think these are great, just wait to see what’s lined up for next week…

Authors@Google Video: Stephanie Griest

Author Stephanie Griest discusses her book "Mexican Enough: My Life between the Borderlines"...

Weekly Top 5 Blog Posts for Writers...

1. Freelancing on the move: 3 essential briefcase fillers you can’t afford to be without

2. The Art of Self-Motivation

3. 11 Ways to Banish ‘Lonely Freelancer’ Syndrome

4. How to Use a Genius Tool for Writers: Mind Maps

5. Improving Writer-Editor Relationships


Plus one...

Zinio Inside Opens 50,000 Magazines to Searching and Sharing

Win a Copy of Pauline Frommer’s New York City Guidebook...

Family Travel has a copy of Pauline Frommer’s New York City guidebook to giveaway. Check out Sheila's review of the book and then leave a comment by Friday 5th of December 2008 as to why you want to win this book.

I have...


And don't forget to check out the Passports with Purpose fundraising raffle.

Prizes Posted for Passports with Purpose Fundraising Raffle...

The list of participating travel blogs and the prizes they have procured are now posted over at Passports with Purpose.

All you have to do is ...

• Browse through the list of prizes.


• Choose which ones you’d like to win for you or someone else


• Click on the FirstGiving link


• Buy one or more $10 raffle tickets for each prize you want by December 29th (11:59 pm PST)

Don't forget - all money raised is going to the Heifer Foundation. So pull out the wallet and join me in buying a ticket or two.