Roaming About

A Life Less Ordinary

Category: Ideas (page 11 of 20)

Liesbet Collaert Interview and Her Book, Plunge – Guest Feature on Priorhouse

February 6, 2021 / / 1 Comment

This past week, author, photographer, and blogger Yvette had me over for a chat at her insightful, diverse, and creative blog Priorhouse . She read my book, interviewed me, highlighted quotes, shared her takeaways from Plunge, and left additional thoughts in the comment section. Check this feature out here.

Good Morning Readers,

Today I want to share the Priorhouse Interview with blogger Liesbet Collaert.

How did this interview come about?

I have been following Liesbet’s blog on and off for a while now and so I wanted to jump on board (pun intended) with the sharing of her new book, a short memoir called Plunge.  

Interview: 

Thank you, Yvette, for featuring my life, writing process, and debut travel memoir Plunge on your blog today. I’m looking forward to interacting with your readers!

Question #1: What is your brief bio?

Hello everyone! My name is Liesbet Collaert and I recently published my first book, Plunge – One Woman’s Pursuit of a Life Less Ordinary. I was born and raised in Belgium, where I worked as a teacher until 2003. In that fateful year, I took my passion for traveling westwards, crossed the Atlantic Ocean by plane, and never returned. I was 27. 

Eighteen years later, I am still a nomad, with a string of sailing and RVing adventures under my belt. My husband, our 60-pound rescue dog, and I are currently living on the road in a 19ft campervan, exploring North America. Writing became my job as well as my hobby. I translate documents (English and Dutch), create articles, co-edit a Caribbean boating magazine, maintain a blog, take photos, and focus on other writing projects. Because of our unique lifestyle and low expenses, we manage to satisfy our free spirits, minimalistic ideas, few responsibilities, and desire to live on our own terms. Indefinitely.

Question #2: Tell us about the book

Continue reading here.

Writing Update February 2021 – Doing the Rounds

February 3, 2021 / / 58 Comments

Every first Wednesday of the month, the IWSG (Insecure Writer’s Support Group) engages writers to share their fears, thoughts, progress, struggles, excitement, encouragement, or anything really, about their writing. A different question is posed each month as a writing prompt. Answering it is optional. For February, the question is: “Have you made any friends through the blogosphere?”

This amazing, supportive group of writers was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. Today, the co-hosts are Louise – Fundy Blue , Jennifer Lane, Mary Aalgaard, Patsy Collins at Womagwriter, and Nancy Gideon.

My answer to the question

That would be a resounding “yes.” New friendships – virtual and in real life – are the cherries on top when it comes to blogging. I believe every blogger agrees. The conversations that ensue in the comments are what keeps us going. I love those interactions and I have had the pleasure of meeting quite a few bloggers in their own homes, after following their blogs for months or years.

Terri of Second Wind Leisure Perspectives, Janis of Retirementally Challenged, Kathy of Smart Living 365, Donna of Retirement Reflections, Jude of Dr. Sock Writes Here, Duwan of Make Like An Ape Man, fellow IWSG author Ellen of Ellen Jacobson, and Stephanie of SV Cambria come to mind. And if we would have planned our visit to Toronto, Canada a bit better two summers ago, I would also have been able to visit with Debby of D.G Kaye, Writer and Natalie of Natalie the Explorer!

My book news

In my writing update of last month, I hinted at my first one-star review by a certain Lisa G. and how I felt about that. I also mentioned my travel memoir Plunge had been picked by a book club. Believe it or not, there is a correlation; an ironic tidbit I can now share, after my conversation with the sailing women of New England who discussed my book is successfully behind me. I was anxious about that Q&A after the group’s main discussion… Why? Because Lisa G. was the one who picked my book for this book club!

This is what happened: Lisa’s first sentence of the review was “Only reason I finished this book was because it was selected in our book club.” Huh? I was astonished Plunge had already been picked by a book club and wondered which one. As I posted some promo info on a sailing-related Facebook group, another member of this book club told me about their pick and if I would be interested in joining their Zoom event after the main discussion. This is when I found out it was Lisa who instigated the book club and who chose Plunge as its first book! But, she ended up not liking it and making that very clear to me in her review… The Q&A went fine. I was glad she was NOT the moderator. She only asked if I had fun experiences sailing as well. Many! Which I included in my book.

January was an extremely busy month for me. Again. This time with conducting interviews, writing guest posts, preparing a webinar about writing and publishing my book, social media posts, and a phone interview with The Daily News, the local newspaper in Newburyport, Massachusetts. A feature article about me and my alternative lifestyle will be published in their quarterly magazine around mid-March.

Working on promo material in Imperial, CA
Working on promoting Plunge in the desert of Five Palms, CA

Five guest features with me were posted last month: an interview with Marian, a true story (the beginning of chapter one in Plunge) for Hugh, and a Q&A with Jacqui, with Jude, and with Operation Awesome.

More four- and five-star reviews for Plunge showed up on Amazon and Goodreads. The one from Suzanne not only compliments my book and is extremely well written, it also touches upon the essence of Plunge. She really gets what I was trying to achieve with my writing.

My cover made the final round of the “Cover of the Month” contest in January on AllAuthor and finished at #22. Not bad, knowing that about 400 covers were nominated to compete. I can now say I made the “top 25.” 😊 Thanks to everyone for voting.

Plunge ended in the top 25.

The biggest book event I had last month was my “scary” Zoom presentation for the Seven Seas Cruising Association (SSCA). For the first time in my life, I was one of two panelists at a webinar. I created a 25-minute slide show in PowerPoint (also new to me), did some practice runs in my head, and was nervous about this for weeks. The recording of my presentation will be available on YouTube later this week. I will share a link to this free resource about writing and publishing on social media whenever it is live and on Roaming About in my next writing update (first Wednesday of March).

What’s next?

In August 2020, I began working on Plunge non-stop. Weekends, evenings, on the road. When I wasn’t sitting behind my computer, my brain was going 100mph. I felt overwhelmed and stressed. After six months of this (yes, it’s been that long!), I need a little break. But, of course, I have a hard time allowing myself to slow down. Yet, I don’t live in a camper van to work full-time (and for no income) …

So, here’s the compromise: Mark, Maya, and I drove south for a change of scenery and the prospect of February beach time. We are currently in Baja California, Mexico. Internet has been spotty to say the least. For good or for bad, I have had to let go of my daily “upkeep.”

Our campsite in Baja California the day I wrote this post
Breakfast table this morning

This month has a few things in store: reviews of Plunge should start appearing in print, I hope to secure a couple of interviews with influential travel bloggers, I have a phone interview lined up with a major Belgian newspaper (not sure I’m ready to tackle that “market” yet or whether my Dutch is still up to snuff…), and I plan to target a larger audience, somehow. Stay tuned!

I contributed this post to edition #6 of the #weekendcoffeeshare.

Spotlight on New Book Debut Author Liesbet Collaert – Guest Interview on Operation Awesome

January 31, 2021 / / 2 Comments

This past week, my interview with J. Lenni went live on the blog Operation Awesome. Why should you read yet another feature about/with me? Because you can win a free eBook copy of Plunge when you answer the question I pose to readers in one of my answers. Check it out here.

Operation Awesome Spotlight #20Questions in #2021 of #NewBook Debut Author posted by @JLenniDorner of @OpAwesome6

Plunge: One Woman’s Pursuit of a Life Less Ordinary by Liesbet Collaert

1- How has the global pandemic impacted your travels and nomadic lifestyle?

By April 2020, campgrounds (even the free ones without amenities, which is where we always stay) and facilities started closing. My husband, dog, and I were in Florida at the time. The logistics became tricky, so we decided to abandon our lifestyle for the time being, drove to Massachusetts, and stayed at my in-laws over the spring and summer. They could use our help because of the pandemic. We ended up spending six months there, staying six feet apart and avoiding the main part of the house. Mid-October, the three of us hit the road again, heading west.

2- Would you please, in 160 characters or less, give a #WriteTip ?

Hire a professional (copy) editor before publishing your book!

3- What most motivates you to read a new book?

Recommendations from others – fellow authors, bloggers, friends, family.

4- What was the most surprisingly delicious food that you ate while on the road?

Continue reading here.

Author Interview: Liesbet Collaert – Guest Appearance on Dr. Sock Writes Here

January 29, 2021 / / 1 Comment

This week, fellow author, blogger, and educator Jude has me over on her blog Dr. Sock Writes Here, for an interesting Q&A. She is another virtual friend that I had the pleasure meeting (on Vancouver Island) in 2018. I enjoyed answering Jude’s thoughtful, organized, intelligent, and inspiring questions and I think you will enjoy our interaction!

Liesbet, Kali, and Darwin in the Bahamas

Today I am happy to bring you an interview with the writer, Liesbet Collaert. Liesbet has recently published her travel memoir, Plunge. It is a fascinating account of ten years that she spent living on a sailboat and exploring parts of the world that most of us only dream of. 

Jude: 

You have spent most of your adult life travelling throughout the world, and you describe yourself as a nomad. In what ways is your nomadic life different from a typical western lifestyle?

Liesbet: 

The beauty of a typical western lifestyle, in my opinion, is the stability, comfort, and familiarity it offers. You know what to expect, you have neighbors/friends/family/ colleagues around, you easily find products in your grocery store, you have favorite restaurants, trails, outings, hobbies, and your planned activities usually work out.

Life on the road, or the water, as a nomad is insecure, unfamiliar, and rather challenging because of these reasons and others. Yet, the adventure and freedom make it worthwhile. My husband and I love that novel feeling of each new place, have learned to be flexible, and keep our expectations low or non-existent. We are self-contained, fix issues ourselves as much as possible, and don’t rely on people. We figure things out as they come and enjoy discovering unique locations, cultures, foods, …

Another big difference are the amenities everyone takes for granted: running water, unlimited electricity, reliable internet, a washer and a dryer. Each time I stay in a house of relatives, I embrace my hot, pressurized shower, the space in my room (I can walk more than one step before I bump into something), the fact that my computer can stay plugged in, and the real bed. If there’s a comfortable couch, I might never leave! 😊

 Jude: 

Your memoir, Plunge: One Woman’s Pursuit of a Life Less Ordinary, spans about a decade. Why did you focus your memoir on those ten years in particular?

Liesbet: 

That’s a great question, Jude! I knew so little about writing books that the first time I ever considered this project, I didn’t even know that my kind of story was called a memoir.

Continue reading here.

Annual Expense Report 2020

January 27, 2021 / / 34 Comments

Expenses - image

Every month, I post a report of our expenses to show that it is possible to live a comfortable, exciting, and adventurous life without breaking the bank. “The less money you spend, the less you need to make” is my motto. 🙂

Our first yearly expense report (2016) can be found here, the report of 2017 is here, the one for 2018 here, and our 2019 expenses are located here.

These reports include ALL of our expenses, in US$, for two adults and a 60-pound dog. We adopted Maya on June 4th, 2019. Under groceries we incorporate food, produce, and non-alcoholic drinks predominantly bought in supermarkets. Toiletries belong in that category as well. Dining out means eating at a restaurant/event or purchasing take-out food. The health category covers non-prescription medicines and vitamins/supplements; medical contains prescription drugs and doctor’s visits. Because of our income level, Mark and I are eligible for free health care within the state of Massachusetts. For check-ups, we both return to the East Coast. The utility cost refers to phone data plans with AT&T.

In 2020, Mark, Maya, and I lived in our campervan Zesty for six months and in the “room above the garage” the other six months.  We spent about $1,000 less than the previous year. The fact that we sat still for so long during “the summer of Covid” certainly has something to do with this.

Free camping in New Hampshire
Hiking in the White Mountains, NH
Waterfall in the White Mountains, NH

We went on a couple of multiple-week trips in our van during that period, but used less diesel and replaced less parts than in 2019. On the other hand, we needed to buy a few household items to survive – read: cook – in our guest room in Newburyport, MA.

The room above the garage
Our cooking station

The grocery category was relatively high, probably because we pretty much cooked all our meals at home once the pandemic arrived. Our average grocery cost in 2020 was $357 a month.

Falafels in homemade pita bread, served with eggplant, aioli, hummus, tomato, and lettuce
Homemade lobster rolls and French fries
Pad Thai with chicken

Usually, I split the bigger categories up in the table underneath, but WordPress is causing me trouble, so I’ll itemize #2 and #3 here. The camper category is divided among maintenance: $1,511; insurance: $1,118; diesel: $1,110; registration: $136; parking: $14; and tolls: $4.

New tires!
Checking the tire pressure
Mark fixes a few blemishes on Zesty

Writing was a new category last year, and a big one at that. The total sum for publishing my travel memoir Plunge accounts for my editor: $2,024; book cover:$175; ISBN numbers: $295; proof copies: $72; license: $35; software Quicken: $25; font: $15; and postage: $13. I still have a long way recuperating that $2,654 in sales!

Publication of Plunge – One
Woman’s Pursuit of a Life Less Ordinary

Alcohol and gifts are pretty much in line with last year. The dog category is lower, thanks to Maya needing less drugs for her allergies. The utility category is higher, because AT&T raised their (unavailable now) monthly unlimited data plan from $25 to $35. None of the other categories stand out, except camping. In 2019, we managed to camp for free the entire year. Last January, we paid for a one-week stay at a developed National Forest campground in Florida for me (and Maya), while Mark flew back to Massachusetts.

Developed NF campground in Ocean Pond, Florida
Sunset over Ocean Pond, Florida

Because of Covid, our credit card company, Chase, allowed customers to use their points at 1.5x their value for groceries (usually this rate is only valid when buying plane tickets with points). We greatly took advantage of that, since we couldn’t fly back to Belgium and… 1/3 of our groceries for “free?” We also received some credit ($310) for owning a Chase Sapphire Reserve card. Why do I mention this?  Because all these points (and credits) amounted to $3,084! So, technically, we spent that much less in 2020, which brings our total expenses for last year to $12,052 instead of $15,136.

Our favorite campsite in Arkansas
Sunrise at Big Fir Public Use Area, Arkansas
Free camping near Ajo in the Arizona desert
Sunset in the Arizona desert

2020 Overview:

Groceries:

Camper:

Writing:

Dog (vet/meds: $385; food: $242; supplies: $209):

Gifts:

Alcohol:

Utilities (cell data: $455; propane: $40; dump: $13; Skype: $5):

Household (oven MA, stove MA, speaker):

Health and Fitness (vitamins & haircuts):

Clothing (shoes, shorts, socks):

Drinking out:

Dining Out:

Entertainment (guided tours):

Computer (web hosting):

Camping:

Transportation (shuttle buses BOS):

Medical (drugs):

Laundry:

Postage:

Miscellaneous:

 

TOTAL:

 

$4,278

$3,893

$2,654

$836

$730

$714

$513

$253

$242

$235

$231

$217

$67

$64

$61

$48

$47

$33

$17

$3

———

$ 15,136

(Table might not load correctly on tablets – try turning the screen for better results.)

Maya at Ocean Pond, Florida

Do you keep track of your expenses? How did your budgeting go in 2020? Any categories you’d like to do better with in 2021?

Chatting with Liesbet about Her #1 Debut Novel – Interview on WordDreams with Jacqui Murray

January 24, 2021 / / 1 Comment

Author, blogger, and educator Jacqui Murray was one of the first people to read and review my travel memoir Plunge – One Woman’s Pursuit of a Life Less Ordinary on Amazon and Goodreads. Not only that… She also posted her five-star review on her popular, well-researched, and informative blog WordDreams as a birthday gift to me on November 28th. You can read that in-depth review here. It garnered 115 comments!

In short, Jacqui – versatile, busy, and productive as she is – has been an incredible cheerleader and supporter of me, the aspiring author. After reading Plunge, she had three burning questions. Please, check out what they are and how I answered them on her blog.

***

I have rarely enjoyed a memoir as much as I liked Liesbet Collaert’s, Plunge: One Woman’s Pursuit of a Life Less Ordinary. Maybe because at my core, I’m nomadic. She does what I wish I would (and don’t). Here is my review if you’d like to read more about this wonderful life story.

No surprise, I had a few more questions she didn’t cover in her book so Liesbet agreed to drop by and answer them.

***

Thank you, Jacqui, for inviting me to your informative, entertaining, and diverse blog WordDreams after you already surprised me with your fantastic and detailed five-star review of Plunge – One Woman’s Pursuit of a Life Less Ordinary on my birthday in November.

  • Do you like wandering on water in a boat or land in a van better?

What a great question. And, not an easy one to answer. I tend to think that there is a good time for everything, based on our circumstances, desires, and fate. Hopping on a sailboat seemed like the perfect adventure at the time and I enjoyed (most) of that eight-year experience in the Caribbean and South Pacific, until there came an end to it and we moved into a 19ft campervan to explore North America and, hopefully, beyond.

What I’m trying to say is that there are advantages to both lifestyles. While adventuring on land is less challenging than on the water (less life-threatening conditions, less maintenance, lower costs, more freedom to go wherever, the weather is less important and all-consuming, more outdoor space, and prepping/planning isn’t an ordeal), there are many factors that I miss about the boat life.

Continue reading here.

Taking the Plunge: Liesbet Travels the Sea – Interview with Marian Beaman on Plain & Fancy

January 22, 2021 / / 1 Comment

Marian Beaman is the author of Mennonite Daughter, a fascinating book about her Mennonite upbringing. Find my 5-star review of her book here. Marian also blogs at Plain & Fancy and has been incredibly supportive of my writing journey and my debut memoir, Plunge. This week, she is featuring me on her website with an author interview in which you are bound to learn a little bit more about me.

Almost exactly one year ago this week, Liesbet, Mark, and Maya visited our home, via their RV Zesty. I wrote about our 4-hour visit HERE.

Liesbet and I spent part of the time discussing her work-in-progress memoir, PLUNGE, here just a manuscript on her Tablet

* * *

PLUNGE has made a big splash in the memoir world, and I’m pleased to feature Liesbet’s splendid memoir/travelogue here. Let’s start with a Q & A.

Three fun facts about yourself

  • I don’t have a phone
  • I never took any writing or English literature classes
  • I’ve been writing a diary every day since I was fourteen

You have been a writer for a long time, journaling and writing numerous articles for travel magazines. When did you realize you wanted to write a memoir?

Continue reading here.

A Divided America – Let the Healing Begin!

January 20, 2021 / / 45 Comments

Today, I’m featuring two towns in Arizona, less than 25 miles (37 km) apart. And a monstrosity in the same area. This is my contribution to this week’s #wordlesswednesday and a link-up to #weekendcoffeeshare.

(Hover over or click on photos for captions.)

Bisbee, AZ

Bisbee is an artsy, liberal, historic town in Arizona

Tour operators wear masks

Tombstone, AZ

Tombstone is an Old West, conservative town in Arizona.

Continue reading

Writing Update January 2021 – One Month after Publishing “Plunge”

January 6, 2021 / / 105 Comments

Every first Wednesday of the month, the IWSG (Insecure Writer’s Support Group) engages writers to share their fears, thoughts, progress, struggles, excitement, encouragement, or anything really, about their writing. A different question is posed each month as a writing prompt. Answering it is optional. For January, the question is: ““Being a writer, what frustrates you most when reading other people’s books?”

This amazing, supportive group of writers was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. Today, the co-hosts are Ronel Janse van Vuuren , J Lenni Dorner, Gwen Gardner, Sandra Cox, and Louise – Fundy Blue.

My answer to the question

I have little free time to read books, so I am pretty picky about the ones I start and have every intention to finish them. I am also a tad stubborn and hate giving up. So, I never actually dismiss a book. What bugs me most are typos. I find them in every book, even bestsellers, and for some reason (my A-type personality, my background as a teacher?), they annoy me. My eyes are always drawn to them and I have an inexplicable need to fix them. It’s hard to be a perfectionist! 😊

But here’s the rub… The irony… The contradiction… The frustration… I produce typos and grammatical inaccuracies myself! Yet, I don’t find those, because I’m too familiar with the content. If there’s one thing I learned from publishing my own book, it’s that EVERYONE makes those mistakes. And that they are difficult to find, even by professionals. After many rounds of editing and proofreading, Plunge, as it stands right now, published and all, still has three typos in it! Anyone up for a game? One is in the epilogue… It’s so hard to be a perfectionist!

Familiar winter writing surroundings

My book news

Since my travel memoir, Plunge – One Woman’s Pursuit of a Life Less Ordinary, has been published (see last month’s post), I had to change the heading of this section from “My book progress” to “My book news.”

Continue reading

Bye, Bye 2020 – Welcome 2021!

December 24, 2020 / / 64 Comments

A lot has been written and discussed about this past year. Jokes were made at the start of it. 2020. It looked interesting; sounded promising. New in so many ways. Now, it’s almost over. And it still went fast, despite the dreadful circumstances.

Santa in the cauldron, Tubac, Arizona

The pandemic messed things up for all of us. Nobody was immune to it. Yet, some people struggled more than others. Financially, mentally, physically, socially. In our circles, the lack of hugs, social interaction with friends and family, gatherings for special events (from celebrations to a funeral), and being able to go out for a meal or a chat seemed to be the extent of the “suffering.”

Christmas tree in the American old west

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