Years prior, O’Hare had travelled to the island of Malta. She recalled an inlet surrounded by three cities, harbours with fishing boats and old limestone fortress walls. At that time, she thought it would one day be the perfect setting for a book.

The title brings the reader in, but it is an unexpected and wondrous adventure. The journey is done by hiking and visiting unchartered areas, and the reader goes right along with the author.

Not all travel guides are created equal, and I love the approach this week’s travel writer, Nancy O’Hare, has taken with her books. They’re not a dry collection of facts and figures to help travelers explore off-the-beaten path locations. Instead, she weaves the information through travel narratives so readers are transported to the destinations Nancy is excited to share with them.

The first draft of my travel guide was strictly informational, but during the second draft I added travel narratives to make it inspirational too. I think this content balance is the best formula for travel guides, and it’s up to the author how much of each ingredient they include. ~~ Jay Artale of Birds of a Feather Press