August 2017 BCATW Buzz

Mentorship starting in the fall

The BCATW board is still working out the specific guidelines for our mentorship program. This project matches those who are looking for help with their media skills, such as writing or pitching stories, with experienced members who would provide approximately two hours of mentorship per month over a six-month period. If you are interested in getting this training or would like to give back by helping a fellow member, please email me with “Mentorship program” in the subject line.

Media Member News

Ricky Shetty is currently traveling around South America with his wife and young kids as part of their #DaddyBloggerWorldTour. Ricky recently launched a Podcast and Videocast called “Digital Nomad Mastery” in which he has interviewed almost 200 travellers on “How to Make Money While Traveling the World.” There are several BCATW members featured on the show too! You can find out more info on his website and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes!

John Thomson is living in Los Angeles for a couple of months while his wife works on a TV series. A frequent bus rider, he sends this note from La La Land.

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It’s true, L.A. takes to the automobile like an addict takes to crack. Which is too bad because the city boasts a fine public transit system – subway, buses and light rail – ready and willing to wean motorists off their expressways. And while bus service outside the central core can be sporadic, social standing rather than scheduling is the real reason many Angelenos shun the Metro. Public transit is for the underemployed and the unemployed, I was told rather snootily by the city’s bourgeoisie. Add this transplanted Canadian to the list. Whenever I want peace and quiet I jump on the number 224 linking North Hollywood to Ventura Boulevard. I’m often the only one aboard. Silence. Pure bliss. The next issue I’m researching? Riding a bicycle to work in this motor-mad town. Commuters ride in packs called Bike Trains on the assumption there’s safety in numbers. Wish me luck. – John

Amanda in New Mexico

Darlene Foster will be launching the sixth book in her Amanda Travels series, Amanda in New Mexico – Ghosts in the Wind on September 2nd at Albany Books in Tsawwassen from 1 to 3 pm. She will also be signing her books at Chapters on Granville and Broadway September 9th, from 12 noon to 3 pm. One adult reader commented that Amanda in New Mexico is fast-paced, spooky and enough cultural reference to delight both readers and parents.

Darlene is looking forward to seeing many BCATW members at the September 6th Meetup (see below).

Industry Member News

Bard on the Beach: Barber of SevilleBard on the Beach presents Opera & Arias: The Barber of Seville. Rossini’s masterpiece of the comic opera stage, is one of the world’s most popular operas. Performed by the UBC Opera Ensemble and accompanied by members of the Vancouver Opera Orchestra, UBC’s Nancy Hermiston directs this in-concert costumed staging, with conductor Leslie Dala leading the musicians. Sung in Italian on the BMO Mainstage at Bard on the Beach in Vanier Park.

Performance dates and times:
Mondays, August 28 and September 4 | 2pm & 7:30pm (both days)
Tickets start at $20
Discounted tickets available for the final performance
Buy tickets online at bardonthebeach.org or call the Bard Box Office at 604.739.0559

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Bestway Tours & Safaris has just introduced a variety of new programs visiting Africa’s hidden safari gem, Botswana. Celebrated for its untamed wildlife and pristine wilderness, Botswana offers some of the best game viewing on our earth. Travellers can experience the prolific wildlife of the Okavango Delta, home to more than 2,000 different species of plants and animals, the alien landscape of the Makgadikgadi saltpans, the largest elephant population in Africa at Chobe National Park and hundreds of additional locations that offer an incomparable safari experience.

BCATW members can save $100 per person on select dates when booked before September 30, 2017. To view a selection of programs, visit https://bestway.com/countries/botswana.php. For more information, please contact bestway@nullbestway.com.

BCATW Meetups

How to Turn Your Travels into a Series of Travel Adventure Books

Wednesday, September 6, 2017, 7:00 PM

Big Rock Urban Eatery

310 West 4th Ave, Vancouver, BC

Darlene FosterIf you’ve ever wanted to turn your travel writing into a fictional book series, meet Darlene Foster, who has just published her sixth novel based on a world-traveling 12-year-old.

The author of the popular Amanda Travels series – featuring a curious twelve-year-old who travels the world learning about different cultures, dealing with unfamiliar situations, and meeting unique and sometimes suspicious individuals – will talk about how she uses her own travel experiences to create works of fiction. She will discuss how travelling with the eyes of a child can enhance the experience and enrich writing, no matter what age you write for. Sharing her writing process, she will read from her latest book, Amanda in New Mexico – Ghosts in the WindThere will be plenty of time for questions.

If you are unable to attend this event, Darlene will also be reading and discussing Amanda at Albany Books on September 2nd from 1:00 – 3:00 pm and at Chapters on Granville and Broadway September 9th, from 12 noon to 3 pm.

Enjoy your last days of summer!

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