This short collection of literary essays will take readers on amazing journeys. Varied in both style and geography, the well-crafted words that comprise the essays in this book demonstrate not only an obvious adventure, but heart and mind-opening lessons. The truths and transformative experiences expressed in each essay prove that life-altering travel does not always involve exotic locations. These writers inform, instruct and inspire with stories that they dare to tell others about themselves.
About the Author: Elizabeth M. Collins is an award-winning defense writer, sometime traveller, and new mother. She has a master's in nonfiction writing from Johns Hopkins and was the top civilian writer for the Department of Defense in 2012. Her work has appeared in newspapers and websites worldwide, and in Outside In Literary and Travel Magazine. Vicki Valosik is a writer, sociologist, and synchronized swimmer based in Washington, D.C. Her work has appeared in publications such as The Atlantic, Huffington Post, Washington Post Magazine, American Scholar, Philadelphia Inquirer, Washingtonian and International Educator. More of her work can be found at vickivalosik.net. Bonnie Foote, PhD, taught English literature at UCLA before she switched to teaching yoga in Washington, D.C. She and her grandmother have travelled together through, in chronological order, Disneyland, Europe, Southeast Asia, Antarctica and West Africa. Annie Mahon is a student, teacher and writer of mindfulness. She has been writing all her life. More recently, she has become known for her monthly essays on mindfulness, a book of essays, Thoughts from Annie, and various articles on mindfulness and families. Follow Annie's blog at http: //rawmindfulness.com/. Sylvia Bailey Shurbutt is Professor of English, Director of the Appalachian Heritage Writers Project and Coordinator of the Appalachian Studies Program at Shepherd University. She is managing editor of The Anthology of Appalachian Writers (ISSN 1946-3103). Her writing has appeared in The Journal of Appalachian Studies, The Journal of Kentucky Studies, North Carolina Review, Women's Studies, Women and Language, Essays in Literature, The Southern Literary Journal and Scribner's American Writers and World Writers series. Shurbutt was 2006 West Virginia Professor of the Year. Marilyn Campbell is an award-winning feature writer whose work has appeared in Connection Newspapers, The Florida Times Union, Outside In Literary & Travel Magazine and the Spinnaker. She received an M.A. in writing from the Johns Hopkins University. She lives in Washington, D.C. with her husband and son. Johanna Droubay lives with her husband and two children in northern Virginia. Her work has been published in Willamette Week, Reed magazine, and Potomac Review. She received a B.A. in English from Reed College and an M.A. in writing from Johns Hopkins. She works in communications at a high school.