Rumble Strip World: Voices from the road is now available! It's been a wonderful four months since we began this project in August 0f 2020, while on a socially-distancing, virus-avoiding, quarantined and then isolated-in-a-car road trip in North America. I interviewed forty people about thirty-seven trips in sixteen countries. Then I transcribed the interviews, edited them for length and clarity, wrote the chapter transitions and introduction, and consulted on the design and production processes. 
And now here it is! 
We're selling it only through the online bookstore Blue Norther for the next few months and perhaps permanently. It's an experiment. 
It's appropriate that it's being released Thanksgiving week as I am so grateful to all the road trippers who talked with me about their memorable experiences. I have heard from about a dozen others who'd like to tell me about their road trips -- and so it's likely there will be another volume of Voices From the Road on the way for next year. 

Rumble Strip World. Voices from the road
Thanks so much to those of you who have engaged with us on social media in the past week as we have mentioned your interviews! We have put up eighteen names so far and next week we will post the next eighteen on Instagram and Twitter.
 
We haven’t finalized the details for publication day on November 24th. One minute, I’m thinking ‘Zoom call, or Crowdcast, Virtual Book Launch’ and the next, I’m feeling so Zoomed, and virtualled out that I’m leaning toward just an email and post or two.
A few years ago, we were thinking of doing a big party as a fundraising event. Quite a few people just felt overwhelmed and exhausted at the idea of one more thing to dress up for and someone suggested we organize a ‘non-event’. Tickets were printed and sold for a certain date when you were supposed to just stay home. We made a ton of money for our worthy cause (I think it was the Red Cross, but it might have been a library board.)
These days I’d love to get an invitation to a regular party but it’s all about Zoom and staying safe now. 
 So, we might try a ‘non-Zoom non-party’. 
 
Reading recommendations
We’re all spending a lot of time reading these days and I’m seeking recommendations on travel books. My favorites are Bill Bryson and Elizabeth Gilbert; I’m also just about to start in on Cross Country by Robert Sullivan. I’d love to hear about the ones you’d recommend I read.
 
Project for Spring 2021
Rumble Strip Books will be releasing an anthology of Legendary Road Trips—a collection of essays by travelers who love to write and who have a story they want to share. Submissions have been coming in, but we are open to more. Please take a look at the guidelines here. https://www.rumblestripbooks.com/legendaryroadtrips.html
If you’re on the website at www.rumblestripbooks.com, you’ll find them on the Anthology Guidelines tab. It’s a non-paying gig, but if your piece is selected, you’ll receive some marketing buzz and a copy of the book in print.
 
Balcony view, instead of a windshield
It seems like you don’t have to go very far to experience a storm this year. Last week, Eta came through. 
 
Featured photo
Storm Watching

Counting down to November 24th!
Launch date for the fifth book in the Rumble Strip series. Thanks so much to those of you who have already pre-ordered! The printer has promised to deliver next week. 
 
A good book for teens and preteens
I had a friend mention the other day that Rumble Strip World. Voices from the road would make a great holiday gift or stocking stuffer for teens or preteens who are interested in travel – or for those you’d like to inspire to want to come on a road trip with you. 
 
Sneak peeks on Social
Starting next week, day by day, on Instagram (@rumblestripbooks) and Twitter (@rumblestripbook,  because twitter limited the username to 15 characters) -- 
I’ll be posting the names of all 36 sources of stories for Rumble Strip World. Voices from the road, plus a few words about their road trip memory. Please share to any family, friends or followers you think might be interested. Books only available at  https://bit.ly/3nMWIQJ
 
Advance Review Copies
We will be printing a small number of copies to send to book reviewers in the media and other authors who would be willing to provide a short review. (We do have a number of authors who were interviewed for Rumble Strip World, but sorry, no, they can’t be reviewers.) If you know of anyone, could you please let me know, at gail@windwordgroup.com?
 
Short getaways
It’s been an intense week and the list of possible tension-relievers hasn’t included a nice, long road trip for a while. But “staycation” is a word that’s entered all of our vocabularies now, and even an hour or two can help. This week, we socially distanced at a beach, strong wind blowing, sun shining, birds reminding us that we share the planet. 
 
Featured photo

​

I’m enjoying reading and rereading the transcripts of the interviews I’ve done for Rumble Strip World: Voices from the road. We’ve had a few inquiries about who is in the book, what countries are covered, anything about family or solo travel, etc. and so I thought I’d share the Table of Contents.
 
Lauren and Steven Keys
National Parks USA

Bill Widmer
Maine, USA

Simon Tam
Massachusetts, USA

Kate Roca
Around Lake Michigan, USA

Tina Klinefelter
Rocky Mountains, Canada

Brandon Magnuson
Mount Fuji, Japan

Ed and Jennifer Coleman
Baja California, Mexico

Kate Roca
Michigan, USA

Talek Nantes
Italy

Cody Miller and Anna Quinn
Yosemite and Glacier, USA

Ron Blake
Wyoming, Nebraska, USA

Greg Cayea
Peru

Geena Truman
Iceland

George Holliday
Croatia

Ngozi Edema
Alberta, BC, Canada

Chizoba Anyaoha
Bali

Michael Puldy
Florida, Texas, California, USA

Jackie Lambert
Romania

Jennifer Melroy
Alaska, USA

Gloria Bell
Arizona, USA

Sage Scott
The Netherlands

David Pressler
Connecticut, New Hampshire, USA

Robert Kienzle
Thailand

Brittany Delacruz
Montreal, Canada

Bonnie McKenna
Texas, USA

Phil Partridge
Spain, France, Italy

Jennifer Broome
Maine, Vermont, USA

Judi Cohen
India

Varun Sharma
Bali

Emma Morrell
Namibia

Emily Underhill
Southwest USA

Alyssa Musto
Southwest USA

Fred Siegel
Canada to Alaska

Johnny Welsh
U.S. southwest, Mexico

Alyssa Long
Kentucky, Colorado, USA

Saurabh Saxena
New Zealand

Jenny Lynn
South Africa, Tanzania

David Stone
Florida, Ohio, USA, Ontario, BC, Canada

 
 
On Instagram
I’m not doing any traveling right now, so for @rumblestripbooks, I’m combing through photos from previous trips and posting three times, on a different theme each week. This past week it was cars – convertibles, to be specific. One my own, two from car shows in Savannah and Amelia Island. If you’d like to add your own photo of a convertible, please post to #rumblestripbooks. 
Next week, it’s either beaches or mailboxes.
 
Featured Photo

​