100 Things to Do in Dallas – Fort Worth Before You Die Book Blog Tour and #Giveaway #LoneStarLit

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You aren’t originally from Texas. What brought you here?

What brought me to Texas? A man! And no one was more surprised than me. After moving something like 16 times in 10 years and living in far-flung places (including Belgium and Italy) I decided to settle down for good.

I also decided to give up on men.

Well, along came Larry! We met online and he courted me from afar. We used to have dinner dates via Skype. He’s a great cook and I’d see him eating all these wonderful meals, while I’d be eating cheese and crackers.

Long story short, a couple years later we were married at Scarborough Renaissance Fair in Waxahachie, Texas. Cheesy as it sounds, I finally found my handsome prince! To top it off, our house has a turret and gargoyles, so it looks like a little castle.

Why is your travel motto, “Even home is a travel destination”?

I came up with that phrase because when people learn I’m a travel writer, they tend to overlook the fact that most of my articles and books are about places within a day’s drive of my house. They hear ‘travel writer’ and assume I’m off to Timbuktu every Thursday.

While I wouldn’t object to that, my travel motto is “Even home is a travel destination!” because there is so much to learn about and explore no matter where you live.

Why do you write travel books?

My goal when writing is to inform and inspire readers. I especially want people to realize that they don’t have to spend a lot of money or visit another time zone to experience the fun of travel.

The dictionary may define travel as simply getting from one place to the next, but when we speak of travel, we mean much more than that. What we want as travelers is to have new experiences, to feel deeply connected to the world around us, and to have a break from the petty and mundane responsibilities that frazzle our nerves.

What we forget about travel is that it’s not the journey that makes it fun, it’s our attitude along the way. We have to be connected and aware to have fun. We have to let go of our day-to-day worries. That’s why I often say travel is a mindset.

The reason I write travel books is to ignite reader’s curiosity and get them out the door for an adventure of their own. I want my books to take people places!