Getting Rooted in New Zealand - Author Interview

At 26 Jamie decides to move from California to New Zealand to escape men (there are 100,000 fewer men than women there), and to discover something new. There she befriends a famous model, works a series of odd temp jobs and learns a lot about herself.

A pleasant, easy and heart warming travel/life/dating/work memoir. Honest and real, no part of her story seems contrived or forced. Jamie welcomes you to experience it all along side her. Reading the book felt like chatting with a hilarious and emotionally honest best friend.

The author Jamie Baywood was kind enough to ask a few of my questions. Getting Rooted in New Zealand is available in paperback and ebook on Amazon.

In one sentence how would you describe your book? 

The best way I can describe Getting Rooted in New Zealand is a funny travel memoir or an accidental true love story in a comedy of errors. 

You mention that during some of your temp jobs, you spent your time writing about your coworkers and experience on the job. Was that content the beginning of this memoir? 

Yes, absolutely. I consider myself an accidental author. I didn’t go to New Zealand with the intentions of writing a book about my experiences there. I didn’t start keeping a diary or writing until I moved to New Zealand. I wrote to keep in touch with friends and family. I had funny experiences that I had trouble believing were true. I wrote the stories down to stay sane. I wrote situations down that were happening around me and shared them with friends. I saved the emails that eventually became my book. The stories made people laugh so I decided to organize the stories into a book and publish in the hopes to make others laugh too. 

What challenges did you face when writing this book? Was it hard to remember some of the details? Is it all based on journals? 

Most of the book was written as the events happened; it just took me a few years to work up the nerve to publish. To write my book Getting Rooted In New Zealand, I relied upon my personal journals, e-mails, and memories. Some of the names of the characters and organizations, but not all have been changed to preserve privacy. In February 2013, I organized my stories into a cohesive narrative. It went through several rounds of editing and then I published in April. 

I self-published through CreateSpace an Amazon company. Getting Rooted in New Zealand is available on the Amazon US and Amazon Europe sites. I would like to have the book translated into different languages. 

The biggest obstacle I am finding is book distribution, I would like to have the book available to purchase in New Zealand and Australia. I’m in the process of trying to get it printed and distributed in New Zealand and Australia through Booktopia.com.au, Bookworm.com.au and Whitcoulls. It’s been a struggle to find a way to properly distribute the book to New Zealand and Australia. 

While in NZ, you perform a monologue about an experience at your temp job. Have you done any more performance or live story telling since then? 

I had the opportunity to write and perform for Thomas Sainsbury the most prolific playwright in New Zealand. I performed a monologue about my jobs in the Basement Theatre in Auckland. I had never done anything like that before. The funny thing about that experience was Tom kept me separated from the other performers until it was time to perform. I was under the impression that all the performers were foreigners giving their experiences in New Zealand. All of the other performers were professional actors telling stories that weren’t their own. At first I was mortified, but the audience seemed to enjoy my “performance,” laughing their way through my monologue. After the shows we would go out and mingle with the audience. People would ask me how long I had been acting. I would tell them, “I wasn’t acting; I have to go to work tomorrow and sit next to the girl wearing her dead dog’s collar around her neck.” 

Besides the lack of men in NZ, moving from California what was the one biggest cultural impact?

Whenever I go back to California, I am always shocked by how busy, crowded and loud it is. Everyone is rushing around, there is so much traffic, and it just feels chaotic all the time. I was amazed with how quiet and unpopulated Auckland felt. People in Auckland would complain about traffic and I would laugh. 

California and New Zealand are roughly the same size. It wasn’t until I went to New Zealand that I understood how enormous America is.

New Zealand feels so safe. In California, I would carry pepper spray with me everywhere I went. I was always on edge living in California. It was amazing to me that in New Zealand the police didn’t have guns. I felt much safer as a single female traveling alone in New Zealand than living in California. 

The flip side of the feeling of being sheltered from the world in New Zealand was I felt isolated. There was a palpable feeling of being at the end of the world in New Zealand that at times I found overwhelming. 

I read you are working on a second book. Will this also be a memoir or a novel? (PS: I'm looking forward to reading it whatever it is) 

I’ve been living abroad for over three years. I lived in five countries; America, American Samoa, New Zealand, Scotland and now England. I plan to move again internationally in 2014, I’m not sure where yet. I plan to divide my books by the countries I've lived in. My next book will be about attempting to settle in Scotland. 

Any advice you would give you an aspiring writing wanting to write a memoir about their own life?

Be yourself. Some people are going to love you; some people will hate you no matter how good your book is. Believe in yourself, no one else is going to do it for you. 

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About the author Jamie Baywood: Jamie Baywood grew up in Petaluma, California. In 2010, she made the most impulsive decision of her life by moving to New Zealand. Getting Rooted in New Zealand is her first book about her experiences living there. Jamie is now married and living happily ever after in the United Kingdom. She is working on her second book. 

Jamie Baywood can be followed on the following sites: Facebook.com/jamiebaywood
Twitter.com/jamiebaywood
Pinterest.com/jamiebaywood
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7069448.Jamie_Baywood
amazon.com/author/jamiebaywood

Coyote Lost at Sea by Julia Plant - Book Review

Book: Coyote Lost at Sea: The Story of Mike Plant, America's Daring Solo Circumnavigator

Author: Julia Plant

Genre: Non-Fiction, Memoir 

Publisher/Publish Date: International Marine Publishing / February 27, 2013

Source: Publisher, NewGalley

Pages: 256

Rating: 4/5

GoodReads  •  Amazon

Coyote Lost at Sea tells the story of Mike Plants rocky life and successful sailing career told by the person who probably knew him best, his sister Julia Plant.  Along with journals and memoirs that Mike had started writing, she pieces together the life of someone who was a risk-taker, charismatic, intense, and liked to hide from the limelight. This is not just a book about adventure, but a look into who he really was, and what lead up to his disastrous final trip across the Atlantic.

What drew me to this book was the adventure of singlehanded ocean sailing, but what I really enjoyed is how much Julia shared about her life growing up with her brother. She using the writing of the book to process what his life and death meant to her, and tries to uncover what lead him on his unending travels and dangerous endeavors.

About half of the book covers his childhood, growing up on a lake, travels through South America in his early twenties, and trying to balance his life against the expectations of his father. At 35, while living in Rhode Island, he decides to build a sail boat and enter a singlehanded, around-the-world yacht race. I won't give away the result of the race, though it's easy to find with a quick internet search. He was so in love with singlehanded sailing, by the time he died at age 42 he was one of only five people to have completed three solo circumnavigations.

I recommend this book to anyone who really loves memoirs or adventure books.

*Please note that we receive affiliate income from any books purchased at Amazon.

If you have reviewed this book, please leave a link to the review in the comments and I will add your review to the main post. All I ask is for you to do the same to mine — thanks! 

Around SF - Alcatraz Island

A couple weeks ago a few friends and I visited Alcatraz Island. I've lived in San Francisco seven years and decided I better go now.

After a very windy boat ride over, we had a great time going through the audio tour and seeing the cells. It's crazy to think about being in prison, with a city right across the bay. "So close, yet so far away."

Since we were on the night tour they also had some extra programs we could check out. I attended one on Al Capone (I was really fascinated with him in middle school) and a few other friends went to one about Alcatraz and Hollywood. I think it would have been more fun to do the night tour during the winter time, when it gets darker earlier.

My favorite part was that they opened the hospital up for us. It's located above the cell area, and is closed during the day. I enjoyed taking photos of the peeling blue paint on the wall, but I will spare you all those photos. An interesting thing about the hospital is how large the cells there were. There was a plaque showing which room was Robert "Birdman of Alcatraz" Stoud's and my guess it was about 3-4 times larger than the cells. His wikipedia page says he spent 11 years confined to the hospital wing, but I imagine that was nicer than the regular cells.

Overall it was super fun to do the tour with friends and I highly recommend going at night. Be sure to get tickets a month or two early since those tickets sell out earlier than the day tickets.

Archipelago: A Novel - Book Review

Book: Archipelago: A Novel

Author: Monique Roffey

Genre: Fiction Travel 

Publisher/Publish Date: Penguin Books / May 28, 2013

Source: ARC courtesy and GoodReads First Reads

Pages: 384

Rating: 4/5

GoodReads  •  Amazon

A father and daughter on the voyage of a lifetime.

After a horrific flash flood that left their life shattered, Gavin takes his daughter, Ocean, and dog, Suzy, and leaves their home in Trinidad, and sets sail on a Caribbean adventure. This book is a mixture of hope, heartbreak, healing, and travel, looking at how people deal with the grief of lost loved ones.

They journey though the local archipelagos, make new friends, sail through the Panama Canal, and visit the Galapagos Islands. They work on coming to terms with the natural world, both the danger and the beauty it contains, and what God's role is in all of it.

Ocean, the six-year-old daughter, is adorable, and it's easy to relate to and want to give a big hug. Gavin is a lost and grieving husband, who is a likable, and a very empathetic character. The author, Roffey, writes a beautiful, heart touching story, that I think most people could find something to relate to.

I loved this book, and shed a couple tears. Good if you are feeling a bit melancholy, and perfect to read on a rainy day under a warm blanket.

my (girls) weekend - Point Reyes

It's always nice to get out of the city, spend some quality time with my friends, and breath in some nature. This last Saturday, three friends and I drove north across the Golden Gate Bridge to the Point Reyes Area. I love how close this area is to SF and all the wonderful things it offers: kayaking, oysters, hiking, a cute little town, ocean views, and a view of a fault line.

Luckily the weather was amazing, and we had an amazing day grabbing brunch, walking on the beach, and eating oysters.

Bolinas, CA

my weekend - sisters edition

Last week I had the pleasure of hosting my two sisters in San Francisco. It was a fun filled 4 days, though somehow, me, the youngest, got worn out the fastest. It was worth it, even if I gained 5 pounds from all the delicious food we eat. The weekend included a day trip up to Sonoma, visits to many coffee shops and restaurants, some walking around the city, and lots of long conversations over food.

I recently got a brand new DSLR camera and had a great time playing with it this weekend. Hope you enjoy the photos.

While up in Sonoma Had a delicious lunch at The Fremont Diner, with chickens running around the picnic area. Aren't my sister's leopard print sunglasses awesome?!

I'm always trying to get good candid shots, and this is one of my favorites. My sister was telling us a funny story about her favorite comedian, Jim Gaffigan, and making us laugh.

I sometimes forget how much graffiti there is in the city. They make the perfect, colorful portrait backdrop and my sisters were willing photo subjects. 

Thanks to my roommate who took a photo of all three of us sisters. (flowers at Mission Cheese)

Miss you sisters!

Book Review: No Shortcuts to the Top by Ed Viesturs

I have a little obsession with books, movies, and TV shows about mountain climbing, and specifically Everest. I have literally watched every documentary on Netflix about the mountain, and wish there was more. When I heard about this book, which is Ed Viesturs retelling of his treks to Mount Everest, as well as the other 13 8000'ers (ie. mountains higher than 8,000 meters), it sounded right up my ally.

One thing I found really interesting about this book, is that it deals with one person's journey from never having set foot on a mountain, to becoming a world class mountain climber. The highs and lows of finding love and losing close friends resonate with all of us, but his ease and success at mountain climbing set him apart physically from most of us. Since climbing mountains that are so high it can cause liquid to build up in your lungs, create avalanches that can kill you in a split second, can be dangerous, it adds up to a lot of danger and excitement. And even though we know the outcome (no surprise, he does reach the summit of the 14 highest peaks), each times he heads up, we the reader, doesn't know if he will be successful.

Book Review: Just Passin' Thru

I do love reading books about outdoor adventures! And since so many people hike the Appalachian Trail, there are many great books available to read.

This is a unique one, not written by a hiker, but a man who owns and runs an outdoor gear store. Which, uniquely, the trail literally goes through. It's only 30 miles from the southern starting point, being a perfect place to help hikers who come through unprepared. He's there ready with advice on packing lighter and better equipment. In exchange for the much needed help, he gets to witness an amazing assortment of characters.

It's amazing how adventures like the Appalachian Trail bring out crazy and unique people. Running a store like this seems like so much fun, never a dull day and a continuos assortment of people to meet and hear stories from (while the get the chance to shower and use a real toilet).

After reading this book I was reading a blog by a AT hiker and he mentioned this store, so it was fun to have a little history of what he was referring to. While I would love to hike part of the trail someday, not the whole thing, it's nice to experience through other people's stories for now.

Ratings: 3.75 out of 5

Wild: From Lost to Found on the PCT: Book Review

This may be the first book I have read that is on the Oprah Book Club list. While that's not why I read it, it definitely deserves the attention. I've read other books by females who have hikes either the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) or the Appalachian Trail alone and there is just something fascinating about the journey to knowing yourself by hiking eleven-hundred plus miles. Competing with nature (including lack of water, animals, rain and snow), as well as your own thoughts and dealing with the people you meet along the trail, makes it impressive how people thrive on the trail.

Cheryl Strayed's story goes back to her youth, as well as her mother's death while in her early 20's, showing how these challenges brought her to hiking the trail. I enjoyed the stories of the fellow hikes she spends some of the time with, the beauty she experiences and funny (only after the fact) stories, such as losing a shoe down a mountain.

I'm in awe of what she accomplished, and while probably not wanting to ever hike the whole trail, on my own, enjoy living vicariously through her. Maybe someday I'll get a chance to hike some of the trail, and feel a little of the "trail magic."

Good for people who like travel/hiking novels as well as those who like feel-good, female novels.

Rating: 4 out of 5