I decided to take advantage of the long weekends, and developed a goal to visit 13 countries in 13 weeks. Each weekend I would travel to a new country, recording everything that happened in my travel journal. Little did I know about ten years later, that journal would be used to kick off my first book!
Autumn Carolynn – 24 February 2024
The Back Flap
Traveling in Wonder: A Travel Photographer’s Tales of Wanderlust is an author’s extended letter to the many countries she’s visited, first as a student traveling abroad, then as a flight attendant, a travel agent, and more recently, a travel photographer. Traveling in Wonder is a former flight attendant’s reflections on the 30 countries she traveled to or lived in within 30 years. Traveling in Wonder is also a love letter to self, and the courage it takes to get on a plane and go, but also in choosing not to run away from your problems in the present, and equally, letting ordinary days teach you more about yourself.
About the book
What is the book about?
Traveling in Wonder: A Travel Photographer’s Tales of Wanderlust is about a goal to visit 30 countries within 30 years. The book is divided into four parts: Study Abroad Series, Flight Attendant Series, Travel Agent Series, and Travel Photographer Series! Each chapter is about a different country and takes the reader through the hardships as well as happy moments as I learned how to travel. At the end of each chapter, I also share photographs from each country so it is not only a travel memoir but also a travel photography book.
When did you start writing the book?
I traveled to a new country, England, in the fall of 2013. I was studying abroad in Canterbury and finishing my major in English Literature. Classes were on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with my time off being Friday-Monday. I decided to take advantage of the long weekends, and developed a goal to visit 13 countries in 13 weeks. Each weekend I would travel to a new country, recording everything that happened in my travel journal. Little did I know about ten years later, that journal would be used to kick off my first book!
How long did it take you to write it?
After each trip I’d take, I’d come home to record the travels in my journal. I continued this practice throughout being a flight attendant, travel agent, and further. However, actually sitting down to record each entry started the summer of 2020. It took countless re-writes, edits, and additions into the book that were consistent between 2020 through the end of 2023.
Where did you get the idea from?
I grew up near Chicago. When I was in high school, I took my first photography course, film photography. I borrowed my dad’s old Nikon and was given weekly homework assignments to go out and shoot. During this time, I started to make friends in the class with the other “artsy” kids, and we ended up taking the train all around Chicagoland to complete our homework assignments each week! I think this prompted the catalyst for learning how to travel with friends, and soon enough I’d slowly learn how to travel solo.
Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?
The hardest parts of the book weren’t exactly the writing portion I’d say, but it was more along the lines of what I should cut. Originally, the book started out being over 110k words, but now it has settled right around 88k.
What came easily?
The parts that came easily to me were the stories I felt were the strongest, the ones I could relive in my memory like it was yesterday.
Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?
Every name and person in my book is real!
We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?
While I was writing this travel memoir, I also went to my local library to find other travel writers. I particularly enjoyed The Yellow Envelope by Kim Dunan as Kim describes her travels in an admiring yet comical way.
Do you have a target reader?
I would say my target reader is one that enjoys travel or learning about travel. I’ve had a lot of interest from Traveling in Wonder come from flight attendants and other readers within the industry!
About Writing
Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?
My writing process was every night before bed or during the day – whenever I had free time! But I would take it one chapter at a time and read it over and over again until everything matched.
Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?
I created a general outline of each chapter, the main stories I wanted to share within each one, and a takeaway point for the reader to learn about each country.
Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?
I ended up doing a little bit of both! I wrote it all, then edited it myself, then read it again… I repeated this process and worked with editors until I decided it was finished.
Did you hire a professional editor?
Yes! I had 3 editors, 12 beta readers, and 2 sensitivity readers.
Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?
My go-to is usually Studio Ghibli soundtracks with a side of hot black tea.
About Publishing
Did you submit your work to Agents?
Yes! While simultaneously editing my book, I also sent it in tiers to agents. In the end, over the course of a year, I sent it to 107 agents.
What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?
It was honestly a gradual process. I could have kept on sending my book to more agents but since my book was about real people in my life, I knew waiting for more agents to respond, and having to wait even further for publishers, would slow down my timeline. In the end, I knew self-publishing would be the way to go for me!
Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?
The book cover is actually a shot I took when I was in Vik, Iceland on the black sand beach. It’s been my favorite photo I’ve ever taken and I decided to use it as the background for my book! However, I did have my book cover professionally formatted using my photograph as the cover.
Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?
It is a bit of both! I do have a plan that I work on every day as there is always something new to learn in the marketing world.
Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?
I would say to not let others’ thoughts or opinions get in your way – to do what you really want to do, when you want to do it! It’s scary to come out with a book that can make you really vulnerable, but it’s been a wild ride and so worth it.
About You
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in the suburbs of Chicago. I am still a Cubs fan and grew up watching the Bears (But now I am a Vikings fan. Sorry, dad!)
Where do you live now?
When I became a flight attendant, I was based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. I loved it so much, I am still living here, even though I’m not a flight attendant anymore!
What would you like readers to know about you?
I would like readers to know that in my book, I also discuss mental health and how my life changed as I grew older due to being bullied as a kid. I learned how to get help, which I discuss in my book. I wanted to let readers know that it is OK to ask for help when you’re struggling.
What are you working on now?
My next book is about traveling after 30!
End of Interview:
For more from Autumn Carolynn visit her website and follow her on Instagram and Facebook.
Get your copy of Traveling in Wonder from Amazon US or Amazon UK.
