Christine. WoW

Memoir. An Angel on my Shoulder and a Devil in my Suitcase

Sort of a sequel to my first memoir, The Choirboy and the Belly Dancer. An alternative title would be The Adventures of an Unlikely Travel Writer. But I like Angel better.

I was getting daunted by all the material I have, but Christopher (spouse) came up with the idea of a series of short books. Memoirettes? I feel a lot calmer with that idea. So my goal by the end of the course is to have a first draft completed: it will be the first small memoir and will cover my adventures in Malaysia (representing Canada in a car rally!), Nepal, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Africa. I have to pinch myself to recall that this was real. And really me. As for CONFLICT, I was fearful (especially of a five-day mountain trek in Nepal) because I have a neuro-muscular syndrome which is progressive, and has affected my balance and coordination since birth. How on earth would I do these things? Now, in old age, my mobility is even more limited and if I don't write these stories down, I'm fearful of sinking into a quagmire of self-pity. (Not my style.) The stories have lots of humour, and are aimed at entertaining, But those experiences of what I could do just might help people with similar afflictions.

ELEVATOR PITCH:

A Yes I Can-type memoir telling tales of adventures I never thought possible. I was raised (with the best of intentions) to think I CAN'T do many physical activities. Thanks to a career in journalism and 30 years with a national travel magazine, I had opportunities that would have been financially impossible otherwise. The book is part of a series of short memoirs, no more than 150 printed pages each, and would likely appeal to people with limited disabilities, to travellers, armchair and otherwise, and to seniors who remember a more accessible world.

All comments and opinions gratefully accepted (positive AND negative!)