USA ...Here We Come!
Fellow pilgrims and armchair travellers alike,
I'm trilled to announce that next month marks an exciting time for Col and I, as The Year We Seized the Day, is finally set for release in the US. This comes in the wake of a starred review in the September 15 edition of the trade journal Booklist, and we're keeping all digits and limbs crossed for more positive reviews to come. Thanks to all of you who have taken time to post reviews or drop us a a line to share your thoughts. We're sincerely grateful for your support and will continue to personally respond to each message as we're able. Let the good times roll!
Buen Camino and blessings from TYWSTD HQ :)
I'm trilled to announce that next month marks an exciting time for Col and I, as The Year We Seized the Day, is finally set for release in the US. This comes in the wake of a starred review in the September 15 edition of the trade journal Booklist, and we're keeping all digits and limbs crossed for more positive reviews to come. Thanks to all of you who have taken time to post reviews or drop us a a line to share your thoughts. We're sincerely grateful for your support and will continue to personally respond to each message as we're able. Let the good times roll!
Buen Camino and blessings from TYWSTD HQ :)
Three year Anniversary! -July 2010
while the second edition (released early this year) is gradually finding its way into the hands of lovely readers everywhere, last month marked the three year anniversary of the first edition of, The Year We Seized the Day. It's been a busy time of late here at TYWSTD HQ (just imagine for a moment that there really is a Head Quarters). El is getting ready to move into her new Hinterland rainforest retreat and massage studio (affectionately named, 'Treetops'), while completing business studies and awaiting what should be the final draft of the revised, Eli's Wings, from editor extraordinaire, the wonderful Jude McGee. Colin has just signed a massive UK book deal and is frantically juggling personal commitments with new material for the world market, which should soon see him become bigger than J.K. Rowling... or there abouts ;)
Meanwhile, the new-look version of The Year We Seized the Day, is slowly making its way around the world via Kindle and Amazon.com. Special thanks to the wonderful pilgrims abroad who've take time out of their busy lives to drop us a line or post lovely reviews on travel blogs and forums. Regardless of location or circumstance, we love hearing from you and will continue to reply to each and every note independently as our little elves pass them on. Also, be sure to let us know where you posted your review so we can check it out :)
Thanks again for your support and warm winter wishes to all!
Eli and Col
Meanwhile, the new-look version of The Year We Seized the Day, is slowly making its way around the world via Kindle and Amazon.com. Special thanks to the wonderful pilgrims abroad who've take time out of their busy lives to drop us a line or post lovely reviews on travel blogs and forums. Regardless of location or circumstance, we love hearing from you and will continue to reply to each and every note independently as our little elves pass them on. Also, be sure to let us know where you posted your review so we can check it out :)
Thanks again for your support and warm winter wishes to all!
Eli and Col
The Year We Seized the Day... again! - April 2010
We're happy to report the shiny new edition of TYWSTD is in stores now and making it's way into the hands of some lovely people who have taken time to drop us a line. Keep the correspondence coming and be sure to spread the word about the book. Whether you loan it to friends or hoard your copy and make them buy their own *wink wink*, we're happy to know it's being shared. Keep it up!
Best,
Eli and Col
Best,
Eli and Col
BUY THE BOOK
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News & Updates - January 2010
We have plenty of news to share since the last edition, we'll be posting it all here very soon.
Until then, you can find out what Col's been up to here or join Eli on GratitudeLog.com- the happiest place on the internet!
If you'd like to order the shiny new edition of The Year We Seized the Day, you can do so here, here ...and here.
A Note of Thanks.
We would like to personally thank each and every one of the wonderful readers who took time out of their lives to drop us a line and say hi. We have appreciated and delighted in each email we've received. We especially want to congratulate those courageous (perhaps, nutty) souls who took to the Camino after reading our book. At the time, we may have mentioned something about refusing to be held responsible for any loss of life, limb or sanity ...blah, blah, blah. But now that you're all (with the acception of the lovely Jo from Lismore) safe, sound and newly enriched by your experience, we are more than happy to take credit - Phew and WELL DONE!!!
Sincere thanks and all the best for 2010 :)
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Until then, you can find out what Col's been up to here or join Eli on GratitudeLog.com- the happiest place on the internet!
If you'd like to order the shiny new edition of The Year We Seized the Day, you can do so here, here ...and here.
A Note of Thanks.
We would like to personally thank each and every one of the wonderful readers who took time out of their lives to drop us a line and say hi. We have appreciated and delighted in each email we've received. We especially want to congratulate those courageous (perhaps, nutty) souls who took to the Camino after reading our book. At the time, we may have mentioned something about refusing to be held responsible for any loss of life, limb or sanity ...blah, blah, blah. But now that you're all (with the acception of the lovely Jo from Lismore) safe, sound and newly enriched by your experience, we are more than happy to take credit - Phew and WELL DONE!!!
Sincere thanks and all the best for 2010 :)
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Eli answers ten of the most common reader questions - July 2008
Q. What makes TYWSTD different to all the other travel books written about the Camino?
A. The obvious answer is that TYWSTD is not a travel book – nor is it about the Camino. It is essentially a human story about two people’s independent quest to make peace with their pasts. The Camino is the stage on which that story takes place. The book also explores the various roles people play, the expectations we place on ourselves and others, and highlights the dynamics of two very different people sharing the same physical experience. I think Kaye Franklin of The Daily put it best, “this book is so much more than a travelogue. The real journey is the one going on in the minds and hearts of the authors.”
Q. Did you suffer any ongoing health consequences as a result of injuries?
A. Surprisingly not. Happy to report full recoveries for both. I do have several nasty scares on my feet though, that make for interesting conversation when wearing heels! Colin’s liver is still recuperating.
Q.Do you miss walking?
A. Yes. Though unaware of it at the time, I fell in love with walking on the Camino and missed it terribly when I returned home. More than the physical element, I missed the peaceful meditative state it inspired – something I had not found through any other activity. These days, I am an ambling version of Forest Gump. I walk several times a day, often disappearing for hours at a time on weekends. I never set off without a note pad and pen, and tend to get my best work done on my feet… though I did trip over a dog once!
Q. What happened to Simon and Mercedes? Did you keep contact with those you mention in the book?
A. As fate would have it, I bumped into Simon and Mercedes a few weeks ago (three years after meeting on the Camino) at my local pub in Byron Bay, Australia – pequeño mundo right! They are still incredibly happy together, and living in London. Simon is an environmental engineer and Mercedes is a secondary school teacher working with ‘at risk’ teenagers in the city. A little birdie also told me they are planning little pilgrims in the near future! I kept contact with Jonas for some time also… true to form, he was planning another walk when we last spoke. Colin still receives postcards from Sylvie, the hospitalero in Belorado. And although he denies it, I have a sneaking suspicion that he is maintaining a long-distance love affair with Mother Mary Goebbels.*Update: Congratulations Mercedes and Simon on the safe arrival of little Lola - we could not be more thrilled!!! :)
Q. What has stayed with you most? Has the experience changed the way you live today?
A. The people we met have all, in various forms, stayed with me. It takes a certain kinda someone to sentence themselves to such intense self-examination, and they were all unique and special in their own ways. But the main change has been to my perspective. The Camino has a way of stripping life to its bare bones. I have a much greater sense of presence now and tend not to get lost in the little things. I try to see each day as a mini Camino trail and every step as a destination unto itself. Though, I still occasionally get thrown by unexpected blisters or pot holes.
Q. What happened then, after the trip? It is driving me nuts!
A. What happened after the trip almost drove Colin nuts! He was so shaken that it was a full year before he was able to revisit the experience and begin writing the book. I worked at my family’s hotel until the manuscript was complete, then headed off traveling to research another book, spending six months living in the south of France and another six months in New York City, where I met my partner of two years, Connor. Col traveled throughout Europe, South America and the States in search of death-defying adventure (you know, swimming with white pointer sharks, chasing cyclones and jumping off bridges with rubber bands tied to his ankles… the usual) before settling in Adelaide. He claims his Camino never really ended, and that he is still living and learning… the hard way.
Q. What really did happen between you and Colin, are we supposed to believe that you have only ever been ‘good friends’?
A. I’m surprised at how often I get asked. It pops up without fail, in every interview and for some reason, it’s always directed at me (I am yet to meet a journo with the courage to ask Col). To the detriment of potential sales in the romance genre, yes; just good friends. But if it leads to increased sales and media scandal, let’s grease up the rumor mill!
Q. Can you still buy Mercurochrome? I can't find it anywhere!
A. Thanks to my all-knowing Garbage Heap, Wikipedia, I understand that Mercurochrome (Merbromin) was banned several years ago due to its mercury content. It’s no longer available throughout several markets including Australia and the US. But you can still order it online.
Q. Eli, have you learnt to love and listen to your body? Seems you've nearly killed yourself twice now - once with anorexia and once with sheer brutal torture and exhaustion? (This is an amalgamation of several question sent via email… all of which were understandably, from mums.)
A. Yes, I have learned to cherish and respect my health. While Eli’s Wings - the book I wrote about my experience with anorexia – finished with the recovery process underway, the physical complications of the illness continued on for many years. The Camino became a way of reclaiming my health. I knew it would be difficult for even the healthiest of pilgrims. The completion of it provided the evidence I needed to move on in a more positive way, uncompromised by a cloud of health concerns. I’ve heard of cancer survivors who challenge themselves with marathons. I guess I needed to walk across a country. And while I wouldn’t recommend it for everyone, I can gratefully report that I’ve never been better.
Q. Will you ever speak to Colin again?
A. Contrary to belief, Col is a genuinely sweet guy, and a dear friend… really! We speak and email often. He spent a month with me in France while we signed off on the final draft of TYWSTD, and has been a great support over the years. We both travel frequently, and always schedule in time for a drink when crossing paths. In fact, he still owes me a beer!
A. The obvious answer is that TYWSTD is not a travel book – nor is it about the Camino. It is essentially a human story about two people’s independent quest to make peace with their pasts. The Camino is the stage on which that story takes place. The book also explores the various roles people play, the expectations we place on ourselves and others, and highlights the dynamics of two very different people sharing the same physical experience. I think Kaye Franklin of The Daily put it best, “this book is so much more than a travelogue. The real journey is the one going on in the minds and hearts of the authors.”
Q. Did you suffer any ongoing health consequences as a result of injuries?
A. Surprisingly not. Happy to report full recoveries for both. I do have several nasty scares on my feet though, that make for interesting conversation when wearing heels! Colin’s liver is still recuperating.
Q.Do you miss walking?
A. Yes. Though unaware of it at the time, I fell in love with walking on the Camino and missed it terribly when I returned home. More than the physical element, I missed the peaceful meditative state it inspired – something I had not found through any other activity. These days, I am an ambling version of Forest Gump. I walk several times a day, often disappearing for hours at a time on weekends. I never set off without a note pad and pen, and tend to get my best work done on my feet… though I did trip over a dog once!
Q. What happened to Simon and Mercedes? Did you keep contact with those you mention in the book?
A. As fate would have it, I bumped into Simon and Mercedes a few weeks ago (three years after meeting on the Camino) at my local pub in Byron Bay, Australia – pequeño mundo right! They are still incredibly happy together, and living in London. Simon is an environmental engineer and Mercedes is a secondary school teacher working with ‘at risk’ teenagers in the city. A little birdie also told me they are planning little pilgrims in the near future! I kept contact with Jonas for some time also… true to form, he was planning another walk when we last spoke. Colin still receives postcards from Sylvie, the hospitalero in Belorado. And although he denies it, I have a sneaking suspicion that he is maintaining a long-distance love affair with Mother Mary Goebbels.*Update: Congratulations Mercedes and Simon on the safe arrival of little Lola - we could not be more thrilled!!! :)
Q. What has stayed with you most? Has the experience changed the way you live today?
A. The people we met have all, in various forms, stayed with me. It takes a certain kinda someone to sentence themselves to such intense self-examination, and they were all unique and special in their own ways. But the main change has been to my perspective. The Camino has a way of stripping life to its bare bones. I have a much greater sense of presence now and tend not to get lost in the little things. I try to see each day as a mini Camino trail and every step as a destination unto itself. Though, I still occasionally get thrown by unexpected blisters or pot holes.
Q. What happened then, after the trip? It is driving me nuts!
A. What happened after the trip almost drove Colin nuts! He was so shaken that it was a full year before he was able to revisit the experience and begin writing the book. I worked at my family’s hotel until the manuscript was complete, then headed off traveling to research another book, spending six months living in the south of France and another six months in New York City, where I met my partner of two years, Connor. Col traveled throughout Europe, South America and the States in search of death-defying adventure (you know, swimming with white pointer sharks, chasing cyclones and jumping off bridges with rubber bands tied to his ankles… the usual) before settling in Adelaide. He claims his Camino never really ended, and that he is still living and learning… the hard way.
Q. What really did happen between you and Colin, are we supposed to believe that you have only ever been ‘good friends’?
A. I’m surprised at how often I get asked. It pops up without fail, in every interview and for some reason, it’s always directed at me (I am yet to meet a journo with the courage to ask Col). To the detriment of potential sales in the romance genre, yes; just good friends. But if it leads to increased sales and media scandal, let’s grease up the rumor mill!
Q. Can you still buy Mercurochrome? I can't find it anywhere!
A. Thanks to my all-knowing Garbage Heap, Wikipedia, I understand that Mercurochrome (Merbromin) was banned several years ago due to its mercury content. It’s no longer available throughout several markets including Australia and the US. But you can still order it online.
Q. Eli, have you learnt to love and listen to your body? Seems you've nearly killed yourself twice now - once with anorexia and once with sheer brutal torture and exhaustion? (This is an amalgamation of several question sent via email… all of which were understandably, from mums.)
A. Yes, I have learned to cherish and respect my health. While Eli’s Wings - the book I wrote about my experience with anorexia – finished with the recovery process underway, the physical complications of the illness continued on for many years. The Camino became a way of reclaiming my health. I knew it would be difficult for even the healthiest of pilgrims. The completion of it provided the evidence I needed to move on in a more positive way, uncompromised by a cloud of health concerns. I’ve heard of cancer survivors who challenge themselves with marathons. I guess I needed to walk across a country. And while I wouldn’t recommend it for everyone, I can gratefully report that I’ve never been better.
Q. Will you ever speak to Colin again?
A. Contrary to belief, Col is a genuinely sweet guy, and a dear friend… really! We speak and email often. He spent a month with me in France while we signed off on the final draft of TYWSTD, and has been a great support over the years. We both travel frequently, and always schedule in time for a drink when crossing paths. In fact, he still owes me a beer!
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