Hurrah for our very successful BATW Awards Presentations on February 20. Updates on our website and ezine, and looking forward to our March 20 program on Branding and Marketing as well as our many exciting programs throughout 2010, with even a spectacular holiday party already scheduled.
– - – - -

Our 3rd biennial BATW Writing, Photography, and Planet Earth Contests and Award Ceremonies went spectacularly well on Saturday, February 20, at Book Passage in Corte Madera. BATW extends our appreciation to Book Passage owners, Katherine, Elaine, and Bill Petrocelli, as well as to their excellent staff, for hosting BATW and helping make this even a success. Book Passage, as most of you know, is one of the top travel book stores in the world, and an international and local community center for writers and readers of all interests, plus host of the internationally known Travel Writers and Photographers Conference each August with faculty who represent the top people in the business.

Our special gratitude to Karen Misuraca, her team of volunteers, and all our judges for making this event once again a smash hit. Member after member raved: “What a great event!”

An enthusiastic crowd packed the event where over 40 winners received recognition and prizes from the approximately 150 top quality writers and photographers who competed for superb prizes.  The Planet Earth Awards attracted submissions from all over.  Cees Nooteboom, who’s from the Netherlands, won the Bronze book prize, is a frequent contender for the Nobel Prize for Literature, and David G. Houser, who won the Gold article/essay prize, is an award-winning photographer and writer from New Mexico. Our own Laurie McAndish King won the Silver article/essay award, and our David Page won the Silver book award.  David’s editorial director, Kermit Hummel (Countryman Press,Vermont), flew in from New England to receive David’s several awards because David himself was away on assignment. http://www.sierrasurvey.com

Some of the winners read excerpts from their stories, including multiple prize winner Bill Fink’s witty pieces http://www.billfinktravels.com, Natalie Galli’s elegantly crafted prose, and Robert Bone’s historic revisiting of Vietnam. http://robertbone.com Pat Arrigoni’s fine website http://www.travelpublishers.com took the gold, as did John Montgomery’s action photo of ziplining in Honduras. http://www.montgomeryphotographic.com.

The Rebecca Bruns Award for outstanding achievement in the field of travel journalism as well as significant contributions to BATW went to Lee Foster. http://www.fostertravel.com No one deserves this honor more.  (A complete listing of winners appears elsewhere in this issue. Winning essays and photographs will be published here over the coming months.)

Updates and Announcements:

The 2010 BATW Directory, which will be distributed to all members, is about to go to press, thanks to Marc Longwood, BATW Board member and graphic designer, http://www.longwoodpro.com and our printer Hal Hammond. www.halprints.com Special thanks to new BATW member Jim Shubin http://www.shubindesign.com and Emma Krasov http://www.artandentertainme.blogspot.com for their editorial assistance.

The website and ezine:

Recently those involved with our website and ezine met: Lee Nelson, Webmaster; April Orcutt, Website editor; Mark Longwood, Graphic Designer, along with Morton Beebe and John Montgomery, both of our Advisory Board, and myself. We discussed many aspects of BATW’s current online presence, especially issues of navigability, design, and interface between Members-Only and Public sections of our website/ezine. Following decisions taken at this meeting, Lee Nelson has proceeded with steps to improve these areas, as well as testing a different provider for our online payments.

Lee along with BATW Treasurer Susan Alcorn have been expending much time and effort on our behalf on updates and research into various payment systems.

We all owe much appreciation, especially to Lee, for volunteering his expertise to benefit all of us. http://www.inetours.com/

New Editorial Board for BATW on line magazine:

Georgia Hesse, founder of the S.F. Examiner Travel Section and internationally recognized travel writer, and Ginny Prior, former BATW Newsletter Editor, syndicated columnist, radio broadcaster, and college professor, have agreed to work with our talented and hard working Web Editor April Orcutt as our official BATW ezine Editorial Board. For the past year plus, Laurie McAndish King and I were April’s ex-officio Editorial Board. All of us in BATW are very fortunate and privileged to have such well respected professional editors and experienced travel writers offer their services to our organization.

Belated thanks to Camille Bounds for once again sending out BATW’s annual cards to our Associate members and event hosts. Each of us volunteering to handle jobs like this contributes to BATW’s continuing success.

In the “It’s all relative” category that many of us are well aware of in our travels:

Recently I received an email from a young woman, now 22 years old, whom I met in 2000, in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, where I was participating in a conference with Afghan women, assisting them in creating a document on the Essential Rights of Afghan Women, parts of which were signed by world leaders and included in the new Afghan Constitution. At the time, Lido was 12 and living with her family. Even though both her parents are now dead, she has managed to get a college degree, is helping support her younger siblings, and wrote to let me know that “Even though the past few years have been difficult, we are now fine and living in Afghanistan.”  Good friend Brad Newsham, author, human rights activist, and BATW member, http://www.bradnewsham.com/ pointed out the irony of her words. These young friends are seeking asylum in another country. Please contact me with any suggestions or contacts you might have to assist them.

Meeting with our ever energetic and creative Program Chair Sandy Sims yesterday for a planning session, Sandy summed up our organization with these words: “How strong we are getting, with new members and old timers, always a great mix for any organization, a growing website/ezine, great professional development programs by both our own members and guest speakers who are helping all of us understand the changing world of publishing.”

Indeed, thanks to all of you for your contributions and participation. See you at what should be a very informative March 20 meeting.

– Diane LeBow
BATW President

BATW BEST 2010 Writing and Photography Awards

Category 1 – Magazine Articles

Judges: Larry Bleiberg and Al Bonowitz

GOLD
Bill Fink
“Magic Realism Realized in Cartegena”
San Francisco Chronicle Magazine

SILVER
Bill Fink
“Travel Tales — Battle for a Bus Seat”
Islands magazine

BRONZE: Lee Foster
“Let’s Go to the Movies: California as a Movie Backdrop”
Rand McNally 2009 California Travel Atlas

Honorable Mention: Diane M.Covington
“Finding Gilbert”
Reader’s Digest

Category 2 – Best Newspaper Article

Judges: Donald George and John Flinn

GOLD: Bill Fink
“Across Russia on the Trans-Siberian Railroad”
San Francisco Chronicle

SILVER: David T. Page
“Both Paradise and Safe Haven”
New York Times

BRONZE: Erin Van Rheenen
“Escape to a Tropical Alcatraz”
Los Angeles Times

Honorable Mention: Hank Mattimore
“The Gentle People, Visiting with the Tarahumara Indians”
Daily Republic

Category 3: Travel-Related Essay/Article in an Anthology

Judges: Sean O’Reilly and Bob Jenkins

GOLD: TIE
Natalie Galli
“Risen”, The Best Women’s Travel Writing 2009, Travelers’ Tales
AND
David Laws
“The Setting for Stories”, Steinbeck Review, Spring 2009, Wiley-Blackwell

SILVER: TIE
Ken Matusow
“The Long Red Road”, The Best Travel Writing 2009, Travelers’ Tales
AND
April Orcutt
“On the Lam on the Long Road to Lhasa”, Flightless: Incredible Journeys Without Leaving the Ground, Lonely Planet

BRONZE: Ken Matusow
“Grandpere”, Dreams and Inward Journeys, Longman

Honorable Mention:
Laurie McAndish King
“Big Cats”, The Best Womens’ Travel Writing 2009 and
“Sheela na Gig”, Venturing in Ireland: Quest for the Modern Celtic Soul, Travelers’ Tales

Category 4 – Best Text/Photo Combo articles

Judges: Donald George end John Flinn

GOLD: Ginger Dingus
“Riverboat Rambler”
New York Daily News

SILVER: Lee Foster
“San Luis Obispo, a Wine Lover’s Delight”
Distinctly Northwest magazine

BRONZE: Lee Daley
“Pozos, Artists Breathe New Life in to Old Mining Town”
Epicurean Traveler

Honorable Mention: Diane M. Covington
“Voila, Black Gold, on the Trial of Truffles in the Dordogne Region of France”
Ventana magazine

Category 5 – Internet Travel Article

Judges: Jim Benning and Nelson Alcantara

GOLD: Robert W. Bone
“Vietnam, 40 Years Later”, JPGMag.com

SILVER: Renata Polt
“Whistler, Before the Olympics”, culturevulture.net

BRONZE: Diane LeBow
“A Visit to Palau”, creators.com

Category 6 – Travel Guide Books

Judges: Ken Smith and Georgia Hesse

GOLD: David T. Page
Yosemite & Southern Sierra Nevada Travel Guide, Countryman Press

SILVER: Karen Misuraca
Backroads of the California Coast, Voyageur Press

BRONZE: Robert Stone
Day Hikes around Napa Valley, Day Hike Books

Category 8 – Writers’ Web sites

Judges: Jim Benning and Sean O’Reilly

GOLD: Patricia Arrigoni
www.travelpublishers.com

SILVER: David Page
www.sierrasurvey.com

BRONZE: Stephanie Levin
www.steffelevin.com

Honorable Mention: Lee Foster
www.LeeFoster.com

Honorable Mention: Carole Terwilliger Meyers
www.caroletmeyers.com

Honorable Mention: Diane Covington
www.dianecovington.com

Photography Winners

Category 9—Newspaper or Magazine Travel Photograph

Judges: Robert Holmes and Glen Steiner

GOLD
Zip Line, Honduras Island Hopping
John Montgomery
News-Herald, Southgate, MI

SILVER
Elephant Butte, Monument Valley
Janet and Stuart Wilson
RV Journal Magazine

BRONZE
Man on Log at Rialto Beach, Washington
Lee Foster
AARP The Magazine

Category 10—Internet Travel Photograph

GOLD
Irrawaddy Life
Laurie Weed
Verge Magazine

SILVER
Tienda Talk
Lee Daley
Epicurean Traveler

BRONZE
Kenya Thorn Tree
Lee Foster
National Geographic Traveler Magazine

Planet Earth 2010

“Travel writing that helps to sustain or enhance the unique and valuable character of a place — its environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage, and/or the well-being of its residents.”

Best Travel Article or Essay for Planet Earth

Judges: Louis D’Amore and Bruce Anderson

GOLD
“Global Warming’s Poster Child”, Houston Chronicle
David G. Houser

SILVER
“Big Cats, No Guns”
Best Women’s Travel Writing 2009, Travelers’ Tales
Laurie McAndish King

BRONZE
“Icemen Cometh”, Discover magazine
Douglas Fox

Best Travel Book for Planet Earth

Judges: Dr. Gail Lash and Brad Newsham

GOLD
Sacred Places North America: 108 Destinations
CCC Publishing
Brad Olsen

SILVER
Yosemite & The Southern Sierra Nevada: A Complete Guide, Including Sequoia & Kings Canyon, Death Valley & Mammoth Lakes
Countryman Press
David T. Page

BRONZE
Nomad’s Hotel: Travels in Time and Space
Mariner Books
Cees Nooteboom

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See all the winning photographs under “Members News” on this website.

Gaia Hotel and Spa in Napa hosts our April 17 meeting, which will be a panel of experts discussing the power of travel writers to influence travelers and tourists in becoming aware of cultures and making responsible choices for destinations, lodgings, activities and more.

More information to come.

– Sandy Sims
BATW Programs & Events Chair

Gaia Hotel and Spa in Napa hosts our April 17 meeting, which will be a panel of experts discussing the power of travel writers to influence travelers and tourists in becoming aware of cultures and making responsible choices for destinations, lodgings, activities and more.

More information to come.

– Sandy Sims
BATW Programs & Events Chair

April Orcutt
BATW Website Editor
Bay Area Travel Writers
webeditor@batw.org
webeditor.batw@gmail.com

March 20 at 10 a.m.

Books Inc. at Opera Plaza in San Francisco

Marketing is essential for any writer in this day and age; but even more so for travel writers. Even if you don’t have a book or product to sell, you can still use branding to promote your expertise to editors so they will come to you with assignments. Candy Harrington will talk about how to establish yourself as an expert and then promote yourself in print, on the web and even on radio. Learn the essential steps of finding your niche, building your platform and establishing your brand, and how this can help you beef up your bottom line. Candy says she did it and so can we.

Known as the guru of accessible travel, Candy Harrington has covered this niche exclusively for the past 15 years. She’s the founding editor of Emerging Horizons and the author of several accessible travel titles, including the classic, Barrier Free Travel: A Nuts and Bolts Guide for Wheelers and Slow Walkers. Candy’s work can also be found in disability-related magazines, mainstream publications and websites. Tape measure in hand, Candy hits the road often, in search of new accessible travel options. She also blogs regularly about accessible travel news, resources and industry updates on her Barrier Free Travels blog.

Location: Books Inc. Opera Plaza in San Francisco

For more information:
Contact: Sandy Sims
(408) 269-8440
sansims@aol.com

Smartphones and the Future of Photo Publishing

Tuesday, April 13, 7 – 9 p.m.
Social hour begins at 6 p.m.

If you thought the personal computer revolution of the 1980s and the Internet revolution of the 1990s were big, well, they were. But a new revolution merging the best features of personal computing, instant anywhere, anytime communication, and carry-everywhere portability promises to dwarf them both.

Smartphones, those amazing handheld devices that offer the Internet in your pocket, are the fastest growing segment in both computing and communications. With yearly unit sales in the hundreds of millions, and total worldwide sales estimated in the billions within a few years, these ubiquitous devices and associated applications and services are the hottest topic in the technology and publishing worlds.

Join us on Tuesday, April 13th, as we explore the exciting opportunities for photographers presented by platforms such as the Apple iPhone, Google Android, Palm webOS, and other emerging environments. You’ll learn how these platforms compare, the state of the market for image and content developers, and how to position yourself to take advantage of this disruptive media shift. You’ll also get insight into what it takes to publish your images and content on these mobile platforms from leading practitioners in the field.

Some in the industry have described the emergence of smartphones as the REAL personal computer revolution and the ultimate new media. Many believe that smartphones present the disruptive opportunity of a generation. But almost everyone agrees that the market is simply too large to ignore.

So join us on Tuesday, April 13th and judge for yourself as we present Smartphones and the Future of Photo Publishing.

Speakers:

Moderator: John Jerney

John is a freelance travel writer and photographer whose writing and images have appeared in publications in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. John is also president of mobilis.net, a Silicon Valley-based online community and social network for mobile application developers (set to launch in early March). For a dozen years, John served as the principal technology columnist for The Daily Yomiuri, the English language edition of the Yomiuri Shimbun, the world’s largest circulation daily newspaper. John serves on the board of ASMP Northern California, and is the current events coordinator for the chapter.

Panelists:

Lee Foster

Lee is a veteran, diversified travel photographer and writer who, in 2009, became one of the first travel photojournalists with an application in the Apple iTunes App Store. Lee’s application, San Francisco Photography Guide, helps users create and collect their own postcard-perfect photos and memories of San Francisco (www.sutromedia.com/apps/sfphotoguide). As a vanguard of the new media, Lee will share his insights and experience on what it takes to publish a photo and travel application on the iPhone, and outline a series of practical steps that you can follow to join this exciting media revolution. Visit www.fostertravel.com to see more of Lee’s work.

Kevin Collins and Tobin Fisher

As founding partners of Sutro Media, Kevin and Tobin are creators of an application software engine that streamlines the publication of photo and travel guide applications for the iPhone. They are also authors of the travel application, San Francisco Exploration Guide. Kevin and Tobin will offer their insights into the smartphone and mobile application revolution, specifically as it relates to photography and publishing. The pair will also describe the vision behind Sutro Media, and explain how they see the future of mobile media developing. For more information, see www.sutromedia.com.

Kim Grant

Kim is a travel guide book author, photographer, print acquisitions editor, and author of her own highly-successful iPhone application, Boston Essentials Guide (www.sutromedia.com/apps/boston-essential). As acquisitions editor for Sutro Media, Kim is ideally positioned to spot emerging trends in the mobile publishing marketplace. If you have a big idea for the small screen, Kim will be on hand to offer feedback and help you channel your efforts to maximize results. You can see Kim’s travel journalism efforts at www.kimgrant.com.

Additional panelists: TBD

Cost:
Free to BATW and ASMP members
Non-members: $10
Students: $5

Venue:
Blue Sky Rental Studios
2325 Third St.
San Francisco, CA 94107
415.626.7232
www.blueskysf.com

Smartphones and the Future of Photo Publishing

Tuesday, April 13, 7 – 9 p.m.
Social hour begins at 6 p.m.

If you thought the personal computer revolution of the 1980s and the Internet revolution of the 1990s were big, well, they were. But a new revolution merging the best features of personal computing, instant anywhere, anytime communication, and carry-everywhere portability promises to dwarf them both.

Smartphones, those amazing handheld devices that offer the Internet in your pocket, are the fastest growing segment in both computing and communications. With yearly unit sales in the hundreds of millions, and total worldwide sales estimated in the billions within a few years, these ubiquitous devices and associated applications and services are the hottest topic in the technology and publishing worlds.

Join us on Tuesday, April 13th, as we explore the exciting opportunities for photographers presented by platforms such as the Apple iPhone, Google Android, Palm webOS, and other emerging environments. You’ll learn how these platforms compare, the state of the market for image and content developers, and how to position yourself to take advantage of this disruptive media shift. You’ll also get insight into what it takes to publish your images and content on these mobile platforms from leading practitioners in the field.

Some in the industry have described the emergence of smartphones as the REAL personal computer revolution and the ultimate new media. Many believe that smartphones present the disruptive opportunity of a generation. But almost everyone agrees that the market is simply too large to ignore.

So join us on Tuesday, April 13th and judge for yourself as we present Smartphones and the Future of Photo Publishing.

Speakers:

Moderator: John Jerney

John is a freelance travel writer and photographer whose writing and images have appeared in publications in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. John is also president of mobilis.net, a Silicon Valley-based online community and social network for mobile application developers (set to launch in early March). For a dozen years, John served as the principal technology columnist for The Daily Yomiuri, the English language edition of the Yomiuri Shimbun, the world’s largest circulation daily newspaper. John serves on the board of ASMP Northern California, and is the current events coordinator for the chapter.

Panelists:

Lee Foster

Lee is a veteran, diversified travel photographer and writer who, in 2009, became one of the first travel photojournalists with an application in the Apple iTunes App Store. Lee’s application, San Francisco Photography Guide, helps users create and collect their own postcard-perfect photos and memories of San Francisco (www.sutromedia.com/apps/sfphotoguide). As a vanguard of the new media, Lee will share his insights and experience on what it takes to publish a photo and travel application on the iPhone, and outline a series of practical steps that you can follow to join this exciting media revolution. Visit www.fostertravel.com to see more of Lee’s work.

Kevin Collins and Tobin Fisher

As founding partners of Sutro Media, Kevin and Tobin are creators of an application software engine that streamlines the publication of photo and travel guide applications for the iPhone. They are also authors of the travel application, San Francisco Exploration Guide. Kevin and Tobin will offer their insights into the smartphone and mobile application revolution, specifically as it relates to photography and publishing. The pair will also describe the vision behind Sutro Media, and explain how they see the future of mobile media developing. For more information, see www.sutromedia.com.

Kim Grant

Kim is a travel guide book author, photographer, print acquisitions editor, and author of her own highly-successful iPhone application, Boston Essentials Guide (www.sutromedia.com/apps/boston-essential). As acquisitions editor for Sutro Media, Kim is ideally positioned to spot emerging trends in the mobile publishing marketplace. If you have a big idea for the small screen, Kim will be on hand to offer feedback and help you channel your efforts to maximize results. You can see Kim’s travel journalism efforts at www.kimgrant.com.

Additional panelists: TBD

Cost:
Free to BATW and ASMP members
Non-members: $10
Students: $5

Venue:
Blue Sky Rental Studios
2325 Third St.
San Francisco, CA 94107
415.626.7232
www.blueskysf.com