AT LAST, A BOOK CONTRACT
Wednesday, March 10, 1982. Walter Frese, founder and president of Hastings House Publishers of New York signed a contract with me to produce one title, with the understanding that if it was successful I would continue the series with other Daytrip books.
GETTING STARTED ON THAT FIRST BOOK:
Without an advance, I had to learn how to finance a rather lengthy stay in England while researching my first book, Daytrips from London. It seemed only too logical that since this in its small way helps promote travel to England, that the Brits should pay part of my expenses. So, I wasted no time in contacting the British Tourist Authority in New York, arranging a meeting with them only one week after the book contract was signed. On March 18th, 1982, my meeting with Andrew Glaze of BTA went very well, and he even set up meetings with the New York offices of British Airways and British Rail — and advised me not to leave those meetings without free airfare and a free railpass in hand! So, all I was left to pay for was a cheap room at a London Bed-and-Breakfast, and meals. I even snagged a free pass for historic sites, museums, and the like.
On May 4, 1982, I was off on BA flight 174 to London, landing around 6 a.m. Immediately I headed to the B&B near Paddington Station, then straight to Windsor to begin taking notes and pictures. Many miles of walking were involved in trying different routes, connecting the various attractions in some sort of logical progression. A pocket-size mini-cassette recorder was used to take notes, which probably made me look like I was mumbling to myself. Ah, yes, another crazy Yank.
During the following two months, I had walked myself silly all over more than 50 cities, towns, villages, and country paths. And then came the hard part — writing.
I'll soon be posting sample chapters from that book, taken from the current 7th edition and updated to 2006. The first will be the easy trip to Windsor and Eton. Yes, this is not exactly off-the-beaten-path, but it covers aspects of the castle grounds and towns that are not all that well known. And you can do it even before recovering from jetlag.
Intereted in photography? Check out my "Assisting Avedon" blog.
SO, just what Little Adventure am I up to now in 2013? WHY, just the most challenging one of them all! CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT.
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