KSCwrites

L!VE List, Latin America: A New Spin on an Old Tradition

For terrific reasons the new Viva Latin America travel guide will not be released until April 2007. The publishers won a new publisher's contest and the book will be distributed through a top notch distribution firm. That means you should be able to find it your favorite bookstore including Barnes and Nobles and Borders as well as terrific indendent bookstores.

The guide is the first-ever armchair travel book created by an online community of travelers, writers and photographers. Packed with spirited essays and intense photographs, the 350-page book will carry readers to Latin America.

Organized by country, L!VE List Latin America the virtual community’s take on writing. Through essays for 300-700 words, writers from around the world share their best adventures in Latin America. Their words pulse with their love of the history, the culture, the food, and terrain that is Central and South America.

L!VE List sparked the passions of hundreds of travelers and writers across the world who, within minutes of announcing the project, nominated their Latin favorites for inclusion in the book. In a few weeks time more the L!vetravelguide website registered 500 nominations and received submissions of 450 essays and more than a 1,000 photographs submitted for publication. About one hundred writers made the final cut, and 250 photographs are set to be published. Authors and photographers varied widely among internationally established professionals and aspiring artists to L!VE Travel Guide community members who simply felt drawn to write about the places they love.

Some L!VE List contributors are being published for the first time. Others have written for publications as diverse as Mothering Magazine, iparenting.com, Americas Magazine, New Mexico Parent, MainelyKids, Library Sparks, Kipus, Time Out, National Geographic Magazine Online, Newsweek, Rolling Stone, Martha Stewart’s Body+Soul, Fitness Magazine, Associated Press, Reuters, Wall Street Journal, The Village Voice, California Chronicle, Rough Guide Books, Escape Artist, Transitions Abroad, International Living and Shecky´s.com.

Some contributors wrote about traditional Latin American venues such as the Galapagos Islands, Machu Picchu and the Iguazu Falls. Others wrote of the culinary opportunities of Paraguay, paleo tourism in Argentina, myths of the Mountains in Bolivia, and traveling with kids all over the continent.

Community Grass-roots Through and True

Although traditional marketing tactics and a public relations campaign will be used to market the book, L!VE List will remain true to its roots and be promoted by the community of writers and photographers who made the book. Writers will sign books, host readings and hold workshops on travel writing. Photographers will exhibit photographs at local bookstores, libraries and community venues.

L!VE List, Latin America will stir the imagination of the arm chair traveler. For others, it provides the foundation a trip long or short in the region. It will fuel plans for an extended trip like a gap year, work sabbatical, study abroad or volunteer opportunity. L!VE List readers might even drag their kids from the comforts of home to a live changing Latin American adventure.

Any Questions?

Drop me a line at KelleyCoyner@yahoo.com.