What Boundaries? Live Your Dream!

ABSO-FRIGGIN-HYSTERICAL!

As someone who has backpacked with a huge unweildy backpack through Israel and had a guitar strapped to my back too, this book was like being with a close, hilarious friend. I loved Cheryl and her planning. I loved the way your describe your MC stumbling with the incredibly heavy backpack on. I love it all. I could identify with the glee at seeing faces light up with envy when she says she's spending 13 weeks back packing through Europe. And I laughed outloud when Cheryl said the wise words of better to have what you don't need that need what you don't have. I love it. I can't say enough about how much I like it. It flows. It just works. Every piece of it. By chapter 2 I was like HELLS YES I"M GOING TO SHELVE THIS!

So I am.

Well done. You got me.

Rachel May
Going Twice

This is the most fun I've had all week. Total, hysterical die-laughing fun. Best narrative voice I could ever imagine. Love the knapsacks that don't fit. But here's the beauty of this story - there is a strong underpining of love here - the love of friends, the love of adventure, love of LIFE. It's intoxicating and contagious. I want to backpack through Europe this second.
Well done, fair ladies. You rock the house.
Shelved.

Brilliant! I smiled all the way, and I've just read through everything you've got here. Is there going to be more? I hope so. You should definitely find a publisher.
First off, I rarely pick up travel books. In the few that I've read, the author tends to try to cash in on their courage, audacity and all round wonderfulness for being able to travel at all. I loved your book because it is as far from an ego-trip as it could possibly be. It is open, honest and, above all, completely real. So much of it rang true. I love to travel myself and could totally identify with your experiences: "Take the orange buggy; it runs all day." "The orange buggy? It doesn't run on a Sunday." Perfect!
Did you get all the way around the world? What was your favourite place? Your book just makes me want to sit down and have a coffee with you, and find out everything about your adventure.
Congratulations on a beautiful book (from what I've seen so far). Shelved.

Post more! Get to Turkey!

I've never backpacked, but after reading this it makes me want to. Great story. I like the flow of this book. Great job.

What Boundaries? Live Your Dream

Hi Lisa and Cheryl,

A warm bubbly narrative, funny moments, self-deprecating humour and the joy of all the adventures to come, a great read for our own travelling journey. Your characters shine through strongly and these are people we want to spend time with, great stuff - backed, Andrew W.

While I haven't backpacked around Europe, I do remember the challenges of packing (and being able to carry the pack!) for 3 weeks in Wyoming. This was absolutely hilarious. Fabulous writing! Definitely going on the shelf!

Hello Ladies,

I came across your book while doing a search for all things "Italian". Your book sounds like great fun - and what an adventure. I've just read the first chapter - red is my favourite colour too! I'm looking forward to reading more. Happy travelling to you both. Deirdre05 (Roma Amor)

Lisa and Cheryl!
What a great adventure! You make even the time spent preparing fun! This is funny, warm, engaging and so readable. This is the kind of book I would stumble upon in a bookstore, start reading, start smiling and then buy. What fun. Thanks for sharing this adventure with us in such a grand way.
On my shelf.
Jeff

Hello, ladies - well, it's clear that you're Bryson fans. This was a lovely little read, and refreshing to have that Bryson-esque voice and sardonic outlook on travelling coming from two "ordinary women in their 40s" (although if you persist on putting an apostrophe in "40s", I shall be terribly *vexed* - stop it immediately and emend). Lovely, rolling prose, and some canny little one liners. Here's to finding a new species of shrew in Inner Mongolia. I shall give you a moment on the shelf. Might I be louche, and invite you to pop over to my own nonsense on here, 'Pistols', to leave a brief comment? Lovely to meet you, and best of luck with 'Boundaries' - sestius

Here is the Backpacker’s Guide to Europe:

“What’s The Worst Thing That Can Happen?”

“ Here’s a tip. When planning your trip around the world, DON’T start with that thought foremost in your mind.”

And here is the Summary:

“Come join us in our journey to see the world, meet the people, and see how we can make fill a bit of this huge planet we call home with laughter. Join us for a day or join us for a lifetime – it’s never too late to live your dreams!”

With all the exuberance of setting out:

“It was hard to explain how excited I was at the little “gifts” that were on my seat when we boarded. Forget the typical blanket and pillow – we had our own special package of stuff for the long haul. An eye mask (in basic black), earplugs, a little lotion that smelled so nice, and a personal toothbrush complete with a sample of fresh, minty toothpaste. I was thrilled!”

Followed by some more mundane realisations:

“My immediate concern was that we would be turned away, back into the cold, lashing rain. It is called a “YOUTH” hostel, after all. Certainly, we were far too old to be staying here? The average age of anyone I saw was around twenty-one. I have a good twenty years on the oldest. Looking at two bedraggled, decidedly older women, sagging under the weight of their belongings – Would they send us somewhere else? An Irish Convalescent Home perhaps?”

“Lining both sides of our room were bare, blue, metal bunk beds. Bunk beds? What were we getting ourselves into? Four sets of beds, so this room could hold eight people. This brought to mind a comment our friend Sandy had said when we talked about staying in a hostel and how they weren’t much different from hotels. “Any room with more than two beds in it isn’t a hotel, it’s a shelter.” I sighed and promptly called the top bunk. This upset Cheryl more than I’d expected. “

But this is really an amusing romp through the backpackers’ Diary:

““I thought I’d be driving today. Did you want to drive?” Cheryl asked as she poked her head in.“Oh no! I’m just in the wrong side of the car.” How embarrassing.”

“At the Kerry Bog Village we were kissed by a Bog Pony – an adorable, blaze-faced creature whose hair was frizzing in the rain, just like ours.”

Eminently readable and thoroughly enjoyable. Shelved.

ABSO-FRIGGIN-HYSTERICAL!

As someone who has backpacked with a huge unweildy backpack through Israel and had a guitar strapped to my back too, this book was like being with a close, hilarious friend. I loved Cheryl and her planning. I loved the way your describe your MC stumbling with the incredibly heavy backpack on. I love it all. I could identify with the glee at seeing faces light up with envy when she says she's spending 13 weeks back packing through Europe. And I laughed outloud when Cheryl said the wise words of better to have what you don't need that need what you don't have. I love it. I can't say enough about how much I like it. It flows. It just works. Every piece of it. By chapter 2 I was like HELLS YES I"M GOING TO SHELVE THIS!

So I am.

Well done. You got me.

Rachel May
Going Twice

Lisa and Cheryl,

What a breezy and entertaining travelogue you have here. You establish a consistent and appealing voice for the narration, which is important for a book of this kind; otherwise, we are into endless facts and figures about travel schedules and hotels. You have avoided that trap admirably with this funny, charming book.

I spotted a glitch early on: ‘…that was good thing.’ – typo

On my shelf for a spell, and good luck.
Tony (Sirocco Express)

Dear Lisa and Cheryl,


Hey, you two. Did you pass through Heidelberg in Germany? My daughter lives and works there. She’s forty too and as crazy as you. She holds down a big job and kicks male butt. Mine too if I don’t watch out.

Here in Langkawi, we’re just as mad as you. Sailing across the Indian Ocean. Visiting Borneo, Philippines, Thailand. All that jazz. On an income of $1000 per month . Tee-hee.

What Boundaries? Live Your Dream went on to my bookshelf immediately.

What an adventure and bully for you. Much admiration.

Now, can I tempt you into the fiction world? Although I don’t know very much, it is all I know except how to drive a tractor. So in the hope you may write fiction too, here are a stack of notes to drive you dilly. Have fun.

Over the past five months I have spent three hundred hours providing page-long critiques but can no longer keep up with the volume.

So I’m trying another way of passing on information.

I will attempt to do better than critique your work by indicating how you might judge it yourself. Rather along the lines of give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish, feed him for life. You may or may not agree with everything and I admit I do not always stick to these thoughts either.

What I have set out below are guide-lines based on what I myself have learnt from being published.

The pitch is critically important as among the book-lists which editors scan, your pitch stands alone with no support from the synopsis. I write the synopsis first, because a key sentence there is usually appropriate for the pitch.

A synopsis is not a dust-jacket advertisement. Aimed at a professional editor, it is a no-nonsense summary of what happens in the novel, including how the novel ends. Don’t leave the editor dangling and don’t ask her questions. Tell her.

Somerset Maugham said, ‘There are three rules for writing a successful novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are.’

Correct. There are no rules for creativity. Think of Richard Bach’s Jonathon Livingstone Seagull. So way out, so creative it was rejected over a hundred times. Then it became a best seller.

There is one criterion though……. entertainment. Our writing must entertain from the very first sentence. There is no other reason for story-telling whether around a camp fire or in print..

I have struggled nine years to write three novels. Each written three times. One published, one lying fallow, Fig Tree currently in the process of being rewritten for the fifth time. Two literary agents requested the full manuscript but threw it back at me for narrative story telling. So I am rewriting, converting narrative to dialogue.

Based on what has happened to me, these are my thoughts on what editors want from us…………….


Plunge directly into the story. Do not set the scene or back-story first. When we go to a play and the curtain rises, we don’t see stage hands putting the props in place. The stage is already set. Likewise our opening paragraphs to the reader, the actors should immediately get on with it.

I have found that our opening chapter isn’t necessarily the first one we write. It might only occur to us when the novel is completed.

Let our characters drive the story-telling via dialogue, interplay and direct action. It’s stupid (although I am guilty of this) to have a stage set and silent characters frozen, while an off-stage narrator bores the audience with what is supposed to be happening on the stage.

Write minimal words because research shows that our readers’ brains race ahead of our words, visualizing the scene themselves, anticipating how our sentences end…… four times faster than they are reading. They become bored and frustrated by our overwriting, over description, unnecessary information. (I have been hauled over the coals for this.)

Write tight, sparse, lean, stark, bare bones. Adjectives and adverbs are for people who need a crutch to support their unimaginative nouns and verbs. As far as possible, always seek the appropriate noun and verb.

(Read John Steinbeck’s field notes Journal of a Novel which he jotted down while he was writing East of Eden. He edited out as many adjectives and adverbs as possible, finding the appropriate noun or verb instead.)

And yet, in my rewrite I am horrified to find superfluous words, adjectives, adverbs and general waffling which I am getting rid of. I am embarrassed at my own work.

My vocabulary is poor, so I use Roget’s Thesaurus which is a treasure. A real work-horse and a delight to use. It’s a companion that provides thousands of alternative words. Appropriate nouns and verbs are there for the picking.

Don’t write your scenes. Live them. Experience them. Meditate. Daydream yourself into them Watch what is happening. Listen to what the characters are saying. Smell the sweat or the aroma or whatever. Touch what the characters are touching. What do you feel? Taste the bile, the coffee, or the skin of the lover.

All communication is made through our five senses. I wear earmuffs when I write, to help me leave this world, experience the emotions and the senses and disappear into another universe which is the scene I’m trying to paint.

Are we stirring the emotions of the reader? Feeling is critically important. This can be achieved through good dialogue. Speak your dialogue aloud to hear what it sounds like. Is it natural? Do people really speak like that? Is it too formal? In the real world, we often don’t speak complete sentences. So dialogue can be truncated too to make it more natural.

In my opinion a novel must generate its own momentum, so readers experience it rather than read it. This can be achieved by dreaming it, experiencing it, living it, rather than writing it.

To avoid clumsiness I edit out the past participle ‘had’. I change ‘he had done it’ to ‘he did it’ It seems to make the action more immediate and more relevant.

I also dump words ending in ‘-ly’……. seemingly, clearly, obviously. actually, strangely, finally, eventually………. and all the others. Somehow they weaken our writing and make it vague.

And I am finding that much of the dialogue reads better if the ‘he said, she said’ is deleted.

Taking words out of our sentences and taking sentences out of long narrative paragraphs, in my opinion, is the secret to better writing. I can easily cut my stuff between 20% and 50%.

I learnt this when a literary agent demanded I delete 40,000 words from my first novel of 120,000 words. I was shocked but I cut it back to 80,000 words and the novel was published.

Fig Tree has already shed 16,000 words and I am currently rewriting it for the fifth time, changing the dialogue, cutting the narrative and tightening the writing as much as possible. I might dump another 6,000 words.

You may be interested in The Video Inside Our Heads, which is part of a confession I made about my idiocies in attempting to write. See, ‘How I Wrote and Sold My First Novel’ in Forum’s Writing section. It’s quite insane and you’ll probably laugh at me but it did work and I suppose that’s what matters..

I trust this is better than a critique and provides a bit of food for thought..


Kind regards,



Pierre Van Rooyen.

The Little Girl in the Fig Tree.

Lisa and Cheryl! This is such a nice story. What an adventure you two seem to have had! I would have liked travelling with you. Your language is also easy-flowing and fun. Your book is shelved.

Hope you will have a look on my book and read about how I broke up from a normal life!

Hi Lisa and Cheryl. What a great adventure you have had. You share your story with the same educational and entertaining qualities as a pioneer's diary. I expected a blow by blow of each place you visited but instead you delivered zany events of girlish mature women who love to live. Your work is an inspiration for anyone who is timid about traveling. You two managed to meet attractive men, socialize with flare and reorganize your plans with carefree yet responsible attitudes. I made it with you to Brussels and am amazed at your initiative to enjoy and find humor in every inconvenience. You certainly had every situation imaginable occur. A travel story that breathes. That's what Fodor needs on it's list. Shelved. Good luck. Janet Marie

This is the most fun I've had all week. Total, hysterical die-laughing fun. Best narrative voice I could ever imagine. Love the knapsacks that don't fit. But here's the beauty of this story - there is a strong underpining of love here - the love of friends, the love of adventure, love of LIFE. It's intoxicating and contagious. I want to backpack through Europe this second.
Well done, fair ladies. You rock the house.
Shelved.

Hi Ladies, I read in the order I've put on my watchlist. While I had an inkling that I was going to enjoy this, I wasn't prepared for how much I did. Kind of wish I had skipped a few and read yours first. This is told so well. The personal inner struggles with mundane things like packing your backpacks and the smelly shrimp and sausage, make this what it is. You've spent enough time on it for it to be relitivly free of technical issues, in fact I only saw a couple and they were so small, I can't even find them to comment on them. This is not a typical travel book, simply because the two of you are so personable. I hope that when this sells you use some of the money to do this again. It would be a great way to make a living. Good luck with this, I know it'll get published, but as with all of us, you'll have to cram it down a publishers throat. From reading this I think you can do it. Kennesaw

A travel book with a difference. This is lots of fun and very funny. Right from the first line 'There are few chunky backpackers', you had me. This is a great trip. And I was looking forward to your adventures in Spain, which I think I'll have to wait for until this is published. Good work, ladies!

Just had a quick look at your book, it was the picture of you guys parasailing that made me look! Hope you enjoyed it! This is a great account of two normal ladies going off and taking the world by it's horns. Well done i will WL this for when I have more time. If you like easy reading chick lit you can take a look and comment on my book Kel xxxxxx PS Good luck

Now, this one is fun to read. I love this style of humor. I'm not even interested in backpacking, but I love the descriptions of the equipment. It makes me think the whole book is going to be fun to read. It's going on my watch list.

John

Thoroughly enjoyed this - two adventurous ladies! Well done. Shelved.
Nicky

Hi Lisa and Cheryl,

I read your first three chapters.

You've written a hilarious travelogue.

Your two travelers are flawed, real people who I find interesting.

Your vivid descriptions make places and people come alive on the page. Your attention to detail is superb.

Your anecdotes were unique and interesting.

Your humor was spot on for me.

Your pacing brought me into your story and held my attention throughout my read.

Some suggested edits.

The "real" travelers name for a backpack. Travelers should be travelers' (possessive).

Somehow those questions led two ordinary women in their 40s on an incedible journey through . . . Spell out numbers 1 to 99. Same thing with 'The 2nd highest per-capita consumption after the Czech Republic.' There are more cases of this type of problem in your first three chapters.

It was a lesson learned the hard way, waking up at 3AM . . . '3AM' should be '3 a.m.'

While family members watched from behind, screaming "Sell, sell, sell!". No need for the period.

Its blood making this "pudding" black. 'Its' should be 'it's.'

These are minor lapses and didn't interfer with my enjoyment of your hilarious story.

Good luck with this book which I have backed.

Al

PS: Might I ask you to read and review SAVANNAH PASSION?

finally back for a further read. and more laughs, more dreams. shelved.
andy

Hey there you two!

Just got to the first chapter of your book and I can only say I wish I had time to read more. I'm on my teabreak and should've been back to work minutes ago! This first chapter had me chuckling away to myself all the way through.

You've set up the pace and the humour well and you have me wanting to read on.

Just a couple of suggestions. Have you considered starting with the line; 'There are few fat backpackers.' and then maybe go on with 'I made this astute observation...' This seems more in keeping with the rest of the chapter. To be honest, the first line, as it stands, tumbles over itself a bit and it's not really up to the standard of the rest of the piece. (AND if you want anything to be good, it has to be the first line!!) It also confused me a bit because I was too busy trying to work out the meaning of the 'pre-packing bit,' rather than involving myself in the story.

Also with the line that begins 'Never mind, I had never,,' Do you think you need both nevers?

Anyway I'm enjoying this read, looking forward to reading more. SHELVED!!

Good luck with this!

Mandy
X

Aggggghhhh!!!!! Why oh why oh why did I have to start reading this wonderful book! I'm only halfway through the first chapter, my baby has given up trying to get my attention in the conventional way (crying) and has instead started eating baby wipes in a bid to get mommy off of the computer, the house is a disaster zone which DESPERATELY needs seeing to and all I want is to sit down and finish this book. Grrrrr.... I'm putting you on my shelf in the hopes that at some point in the next few days I will be able to finish it. So far, I'm loving it!

OMG!
You two sound like other versions of myself and Other Half (in MY book!)
Me the 5* him the intrepid one. AND we also suffered robberies at the same Underground station -though ours was in Rome.
Just this short comment for now. I'll be backing this tomorrow when I can juggle my shelf around. Good luck with this. Alison

Ladies,

Most enjoyable. I like your view on life. I'm not sure I could be as brave as you, but I applaud you.

I felt the business about the rucksack in chapter one went on a little too long - I know it is of utmost importance, but I think it was just a bit too much. Other than that - I felt it all flowed well and the writing is obviously a true, honest narrative.

I am happy to shelve and wish you all the best of luck.

Kat

This is very funny and well written. Love the stlye which reminded me of Bill Bryson. Only one tiny nit pick - did you really pull your shoulder out of it's socket? If not, just say It felt as if . . . Now, if you did, we need more details.

This is going on my shelf now.

Joanna

Hi – Had a chance to give your book some time. I think you have the makings of an excellent story. This is relatable to anyone who has wanted to experience world travel. And the fact that two ordinary women did it makes it have even more appeal to the average Jane or Joe.

Here are my thoughts on the first two chapters.

Chapter 1:
Liked the humor with the svelte backpacking models vs. the average women. Could you expand on that a bit more? How did you feel when you looked at yourself in the mirror vs. the pics you see in the magazines?
You introduce the concept of “We” in the third paragraph. Who is the we?
Could you put in dialogue from a conversation that you and the other (of the we) had instead of summarizing with narration?
Example:
“It should be easy to backpack. All we have to do is toss a few things in our pack – what do we need any way?”
“I dunno. Food – that freeze dried kind, some matches, a sleeping bag.”
“There must be more.”
“Let’s just go to a sporting good store.”
Have us live the story be experiencing your interactions.
By paragraph 5, I know the other person is Cheryl.
I really liked the part where you are telling people “I’m backpacking in Europe.” Good thread of thoughts flowing from the simple statement.
The order of the story flows nicely. I just would like to see a bit more interaction at the front of the chapter.

Chapter 2
Start with a punchier lead to open the chapter. As an example:

The lure of rolling, green hills; black, foamy Guinness pints; and cheap tickets made Ireland the ideal launch of our round-the-world backpacking journey.
Would suggest you tighten up the writing a bit throughout this chapter. Eliminate extra words and use active verbs.
This sentence is an example of one that could use some condensing:
“It wasn’t long before the typical travel malady of something we affectionately call guidebook glaze began to overtake us. (Then there are several sentences saying this in different ways.)
Instead, something like…
“Soon guidebook glaze afflicted us. Our eyes turned glassy from reading small printed type. Our minds were mush remembering all of the sites we were supposed to visit. We were overwhelmed, and decided to drink Guinness rather than worrying about what Fodder’s thought we should do.”

Good luck to you as you progress on your book. Your trip sounds like it was an amazing adventure!

Nancy
Cycling, Wine and Men

Hi,
This is great stuff. I've read several travel books on Authonomy (something I don't usually read) and they've all been really good, this is the same. I laughed and enjoyed it. You have a lovely fresh approach to telling the reader about your travels and I felt as if I was almost there with you! Your descriptions are vivid and the info you give the reader just enough in my opinion - no bogging us down with all the boring facts ;-)
This is a book I could keep coming back to to read little snippets - so when is the rest coming?
On my shelf,
Annabelle ;-)
(Look forward to your thoughts on 'Adelaide' ;-))

I have just finished your writing, reading it while having breakfast and balancing a bowl of muesli on my lap. Have you any more chapters,? I have enjoyed your writing so much. It has been endlessly entertaining, and I have been "living the dream" Please give me more! This should , without doubt, go into print. Your descriptions are wonderful, and I love the way you pepper your writing with information about the places you visit without sounding like a guidebook. I could never get "guidebook glaze" reading this. When are you going to "do" the rest of the world? I want to share a book with you that you might enjoy: The Art of Travel by Alain de Botton. At one point he describes sitting on a tropical beach......"the beach stretched away in a gentle curve towards the tip of the bay......and the first row of coconut trees inclined irregularly towards the turquoise sea......" Just as you think he is in heaven he goes on to say " a sore throat developed during the flight....a pressure across both temples and a rising need to visit the bathroom. A momentous but until then overlooked fact was making its first appearance: that I had inadvertently brought myself with me to the island." I've always thought that that sums up travel!

I have just finished your writing, reading it while having breakfast and balancing a bowl of muesli on my lap. Have you any more chapters,? I have enjoyed your writing so much. It has been endlessly entertaining, and I have been "living the dream" Please give me more! This should , without doubt, go into print. Your descriptions are wonderful, and I love the way you pepper your writing with information about the places you visit without sounding like a guidebook. I could never get "guidebook glaze" reading this. When are you going to "do" the rest of the world? I want to share a book with you that you might enjoy: The Art of Travel by Alain de Botton. At one point he describes sitting on a tropical beach......"the beach stretched away in a gentle curve towards the tip of the bay......and the first row of coconut trees inclined irregularly towards the turquoise sea......" Just as you think he is in heaven he goes on to say " a sore throat developed during the flight....a pressure across both temples and a rising need to visit the bathroom. A momentous but until then overlooked fact was making its first appearance: that I had inadvertently brought myself with me to the island." I've always thought that that sums up travel!

I have just finished your writing, reading it while having breakfast and balancing a bowl of muesli on my lap. Have you any more chapters,? I have enjoyed your writing so much. It has been endlessly entertaining, and I have been "living the dream" Please give me more! This should , without doubt, go into print. Your descriptions are wonderful, and I love the way you pepper your writing with information about the places you visit without sounding like a guidebook. I could never get "guidebook glaze" reading this. When are you going to "do" the rest of the world? I want to share a book with you that you might enjoy: The Art of Travel by Alain de Botton. At one point he describes sitting on a tropical beach......"the beach stretched away in a gentle curve towards the tip of the bay......and the first row of coconut trees inclined irregularly towards the turquoise sea......" Just as you think he is in heaven he goes on to say " a sore throat developed during the flight....a pressure across both temples and a rising need to visit the bathroom. A momentous but until then overlooked fact was making its first appearance: that I had inadvertently brought myself with me to the island." I've always thought that that sums up travel!

Fabulous - can relate so easily to this...parts feel like my own life. In fact, some of it feels like my book, but better! Well done ladies - should do very well. Have backed with pleasure. Maria

Carrying a few extra Big Macs around your middle---hey, take a look around in any Seattle Wal Mart--so does most everyone else. Don't need the quotation marks to denote thoughts--lose 'em. Try using italics (my preferred method), which is allowed, although even this is sometimes frowned upon.

Flows well for a non-fiction account. "I sell real estate. Do you own a house?" Great! "Let me give you my card..." Some sales people are always so ON - even when on holiday.

Ah, a youth hostel. Still one or two of these in Daytona Beach. And those pesky ghosts--a no show, of course. And the novelty of the hostels quickly wears off. It was probably the water, rather than the food.

Ahhhh-the pickpocket-a venerable French profession. And this one an obvious clothes horse. It's probably a good thing you didn't do the mousetrap thing--in Europe, that would likely landed you in jail.

Good job!

Brilliant! I smiled all the way, and I've just read through everything you've got here. Is there going to be more? I hope so. You should definitely find a publisher.
First off, I rarely pick up travel books. In the few that I've read, the author tends to try to cash in on their courage, audacity and all round wonderfulness for being able to travel at all. I loved your book because it is as far from an ego-trip as it could possibly be. It is open, honest and, above all, completely real. So much of it rang true. I love to travel myself and could totally identify with your experiences: "Take the orange buggy; it runs all day." "The orange buggy? It doesn't run on a Sunday." Perfect!
Did you get all the way around the world? What was your favourite place? Your book just makes me want to sit down and have a coffee with you, and find out everything about your adventure.
Congratulations on a beautiful book (from what I've seen so far). Shelved.

I finished Chapter 3 and, I'm glad to say I'm still fully engaged. I'm impressed with your skills in describing setting, scenes and surroundings. It makes me feel like I'm there with you. I especially enjoyed your description of the bus ride and your use of the plastic bags. That was very real and drew me deeper into the story.

Very nice.

Steve

Love the title and big kudos for making a travel book so funny.

This is pretty funny stuff. It's easy-breezy and fun. Which one of you are writing it?

Steve

I'm Lisa, the writer and Cheryl is the planner who put the 18 month around-the-world adventure into reality (and the fodder for some of the funnier mishaps, too). :-) It's a team effort for editing, though. Glad it made you laugh - that's our purpose with telling this story! Thanks for giving it a look!

This is pretty funny stuff. It's easy-breezy and fun. Which one of you are writing it?

Steve

what boundaries - none! nice opening. great self-deprecating humour. i'm a sucker for travelogues, and i'm with you already. on my wl instantly. will take 3-4 days to read on and find room on the "big s."
best, andy

Great fun so far. I hope to read more and will put you on our shelf. Good luck on the site

Foolishly I had a quick look and then couldn't put this down again. Whoever is writing this is a natural, it's a good job I wrote Cuthbert before you thought of it. Really amusing, the observations are priceless, most people wouldn't even notice the things you report. Straight on my shelf. Patrick Barrett (Shakespeares Cuthbert)

Dear Lisa and Cheryl, I've really enjoyed reading What Boundaries? and I feel that I have been there alongside you in your travels. Great fun writing and you easily convey a real spirit of adventure and excitement. You must post up your continuing travels... On my shelf. With many thanks, Andrew (author of BIG FISH)

Dingle Dingle Dingle...This is such a fun refreshing read. Love the witty banter and humorous mishaps. You've done a great job at entertaining me with this story. I was just so caught up in the reading...hated for it to end. I think you'll do well with this and I'm more than happy to give it a turn on my book shelf.
Jan (LAZY CATS)