Welcome to the Treehouse

Latest News:

17 May 2013

Even more exciting: the new book on writing and reading short stories will be out in July and will be published in print as well as eBook format. And more: the print edition will include also the print version of my most recent eBook, From Apes to Apps: How Human Evolved as Storytellers and Why it Matters – so much to look forward to.

12 March 2013

An exciting change of plan: instead of simply publishing a collection of short stories, I will use them to create a ‘short story workshop’, sharing technique, inspiration, and analysis of complete stories, including critiques from professional editors – warts and all. Not only winning stories, but ‘also rans’ as well because there is often more to a story, and the reasons for writing it, than winning a competition.

It will be published by Collca as a non-fiction ebook about writing, and reading, short fiction. I will tell you more about it over coming weeks.

Hot News:

9 February 2013

From Apes to Apps: How Humans Evolved as Storytellers and Why it Matters is out now. The first in Collca’s new ebook series, BiteSize Science.

A cautionary tale  none of us can afford to ignore.

Details and e-retailer options here >  http://collca.com/fata

 

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The treehouse is my favourite spot for dreaming when I should be editing.

An anthropologist, traveller, writer, photographer, most things interest me and I hope you will find something here to interest you, too.

You will find my weekly Friday posts in the Blog but please feel free to wander about, and do visit the treehouse. I hope you enjoy your visit and I welcome your comments.

All images and text used on this blog are my own and are copyright. If you want to use something, please ask. Images inspire my writing; this blog is a way of sharing that inspiration with stories, travel pictures, writing tips, reviews, interviews, and up-dates on my latest work.

Updates:

My current non-fiction project: My next travelogue is about Papua New Guinea. I Worked there for five years, in West Sepik (Sandaun) Province, which shares a border with Indonesia. I have been through all my journals and photographs of that period, and constructed a true narrative that will let you share the experience of those extraordinary and exciting years as a development worker in the most diverse country on earth – the last frontier of nature’s beauty, danger and challenge.

Currently available travelogues:

Journey in Bhutan: Himalayan Trek in the Kingdom of the Thunder Dragon. Available  from Amazon UK, Amazon USA and from most e-book retail stores. It is in the illustrated BiteSize Travel series but quite a big bite at 43,000 words. I enjoyed writing this book so much, I was almost sad to finish it, but now you can share the journey with me. More details and options on my publisher’s page here> http://collca.com/jib

My favourite reviewer quote: “This book should be the gold standard for travel stories.”

Journey in Bhutan: Himalayan trek in the Kingdom of the Thunder Dragon:  Bhutan, or Druk-Yul (Land of the Thunder Dragon), deep in the Himalayas, is the world’s only Buddhist Kingdom. In a combination of narrative and journal, I take you trekking to the sacred mountain, Jhomolhari, and beyond towards the Tibetan border. We visit ancient monasteries and dzongs to learn the culture and history of this unique country, have an eye-ball encounter with a yak, some scary moments in a mini-bus on precipitous roads, and there are 37 original colour plates for you to see it all for yourself. For those who like to dig deep, the appendices include a glossary of Bhutanese words, historical time-line, and survival guide to Bhutanese Buddhism.

Masks of the Moryons: Easter Week in Mogpog  was the first in Collca’s new series of illustrated  BiteSize Travel books, and is available from most e-book retailers. The first published account of the spectacular Holy Week re-enactment of the Legend of Longinus in the traditional town of Mogpog, on Marinduque Island in the Philippines. Published by Collca on November 30 2011, more information is available at    http://collca.com/motm

With 26 original colour photographs, Masks of the Moryons, reveals who the Moryons are, their preparations and rituals day by day, their history, and how these cultural traditions have survived for over 150 years. I take you behind the scenes to experience Moryonan as a participant, to wear the mask, to find out how they are made and what it all means to the community. A glossary, annotated bibliography, and a section on how tourism affects cultural traditions, make this a useful reference for students of tourism and anthropology as well as a pleasurable read.

Other places you will find me: I’ve written a number of Guest Posts recently, and they are all on interesting web sites well worth a visit, so the links are listed below:

Terre Britton on her blog Creative Flux – an essay on writing travelogue and creative non-fiction: How I Survived Inside a Crocodile http://ow.ly/atFY5

And another piece about creative freedom and not being put into boxes: Switching Gender…er…Genre    http://www.siriuspress.com/studio/2013/02/switching-gender-er-genre/

Morgen Bailey  an “author spotlight” on Morgen Bailey’s Writing Blog – http://wp.me/p18Ztn-2AF

Jane Isaac on her blog Caffeine’s Not a crime – “author interview”, Author Interview: Meet Trish Nicholson

Gabrielle Kimm on her website – “author interview” http://gabriellekimm.co.uk/2012/05/13/interview-with-trish-nicholson/

Lorraine Mace on her blog http://bit.ly/K6ksoS  – an article: Writing Personal Experience

GotSaga Travel On-line travel community – an article: 10 Wonderful Things to do and see in Bhutan http://ow.ly/at021