My essay about tracking lemurs in Madagascar — while fighting off stinging caterpillars, malaria-carrying mosquitoes, blood-sucking leeches, spiders the size of my fist, and moths bigger than a hummingbird — is featured in the new e-book, Animal Addict’s Guide to Global Volunteer Travel. For traditionalists, the book is also available as a hard copy on Amazon.

By the way, I loved every minute of it!

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I’ll be speaking at Book Passage at the Ferry Building in SF on Monday evening (September 12th, 6:00 – 7:30) about the best ways to organize travel information for a mobile application — and the best ways to enjoy San Francisco’s waterfront.

Joining me will be historian Daniel Bacon, author of Walking San Francisco on the Barbary Coast Trail. Daniel is full of fascinating information about the history of San Francisco’s waterfront; I’m reading his book now. (The book is also full of fascinating information.)

My favorite quotation so far is a response to the assertion that the 1906 earthquake and fire were some sort of divine retribution for SF’s hedonistic ways:

If, as they say, God spanked the town

For being over frisky,

Why did he burn the churches down

And spare Hotaling’s whiskey?

Please join Daniel, Linda Watanabe McFerrin, Left Coast Writers, and me for this event. Wine will be served.

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New Classes

August 20, 2011

I may be teaching a couple of classes in southern Marin County, beginning in January. Stay tuned for more info on: Publish your own Blog! Whether you want to speak your mind online, showcase your art (writing, photography), promote your services (accounting, event planning), or digitize your resume—blogging is the new power tool. In addition [...]

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Caroline Kennedy: She Walks in Beauty

May 13, 2011
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Caroline Kennedy feels like a childhood friend. I grew up seeing her image on TV and in Life Magazine articles. She was a White House princess, and, like many of my classmates, I wanted to be her. So I jumped at the chance to hear Caroline in person at a Dominican University/ Book Passage event [...]

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Dead Love: The App Happy Zombie

April 13, 2011
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I was interviewed in March (2011) by Erin Orison, for DEAD LOVE/the Daily Slice. We discussed the ZIA (Zombie Intelligence Agency), of which I am a charter member, as well as popular zombie mobile applications and tips for zombie hunting along San Francisco’s waterfront.

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App Happy Class

March 10, 2011
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Want to find out why millions of Americans are excited about mobile apps? In the “App Happy” class you’ll learn how to develop, launch, and market your own mobile travel application. Taught by the co-developers of the San Francisco Waterfront app, Suzie Rodriguez and Laurie McAndish King, the class covers everything from choosing a topic [...]

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Smithsonian Channel Shows Frog Photo

March 6, 2011
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The Smithsonian Channel will show a half-hour segment called Smithsonian Spotlight: Picture Perfect, in which photo judges discuss what makes a good photo, and use my “Hidden Frog” photo as one of several examples. Here’s how they describe the segment: “Since 2003, Smithsonian Magazine has run an annual contest, offering photographers the chance to have [...]

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Getting fit for print at Central Coast Writers’ Conference

September 15, 2010

The three classes I’m co-teaching at the Central Coast Writers’ Conference got some press in the SLO Tribune: “… In addition to Bransford’s keynote address, the conference features workshops covering everything from poetry to picture books to Hollywood blockbusters. Diane Lebow and Laurie McCandish [sic] King will lead three workshops on travel writing, while Marcia [...]

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Seven things I learned from winning Smithsonian magazine’s photo contest

May 24, 2010
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What a thrill it was to win 1st place in the Natural World category of Smithsonian magazine’s 7th annual photo contest! I wish I’d been a little more prepared for my 15 minutes of fame, though. Here’s what I learned from the experience: You can’t win if you don’t enter: With such a large contest, [...]

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I’ll be teaching at the 2010 Central Coast Writers Conference on September 17, 2010.

March 1, 2010

Fellow travel writer Diane LeBow and I will teach three classes at the 26th annual Central Coast Writers’ Conference on September 17th and 18th, 2010. Class descriptions are below. Registration info is here. If you register before July 29, the conference is only $129—a real bargain.  And the Inn at Morro Bay is offering a [...]

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