Secret Cape Cod and The Islands: A Guide to the Weird. Wonderful and Obscure by Linda Humphrey and BATW member Maria Lenhart has just been published by Reedy Press. “I just received my author copies and it looks great, with a beautiful design and lots of color photos. I’m biased, but I think it’s a good read with lots of intriguing stories and tidbits about local folks like Tennessee Williams, Kurt Vonnegut, Mister Rogers and astronomer Maria Mitchell,” says Maria. It can be ordered from Reedypress.com and will soon be available on Amazon and at bookstores.

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Cuisine Noir featured Elaine Lee and her just released book, “Go Girl 2” in the February 1st edition of their magazine. Travel writer, Kalin Thomas and photographer/editor/BATW member Sheree Williams teamed up to do a remarkable job chronicling Elaine’s literary and travel journeys. “It is so wonderful to witness BATW members uplift and support each other and their endeavors,” says Elaine. Read about it here: https://www.cuisinenoirmag.com/elaine-lee-black-travel-go-girl-2/

Excerpts from an interview with Elaine also appeared in the Wall Street Journal’s  “off duty” section of the newspaper on 1/25/24. Read it here:   https://archive.is/P1KqM

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Long-time Durban-born BATW member, Wanda Hennig, who lived in the SF Bay Area for more than 20 years (and regularly threatens to return), writes: “Thanks to fellow BATW member (and friend), Carol Canter, for forwarding me a request she came across, posted last year by Catharine Hamm, who was looking for an article on Durban for Silversea, the luxury cruise liner company she commissions for. I sent a quickie 200-word pitch, which was accepted. The article was published in January (2024) at the start of cruise season. Catharine was lovely to write for. In turn, I’ve been overwhelmed by the positive response to the story from Durbanites, both those living here (in Durbs) and many dotted around the world,” says Wanda. Read it here: https://discover.silversea.com/destinations/africa-indian-ocean/our-insiders-guide-south-africas-durban/

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April Orcutt‘s story “California Cheese Trail Is the Ultimate Road Trip for Foodies” was published in Escape in Australia. The story includes two past BATW event locations: the California Cheese Trail and Jack London State Historic Park.

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Lisa Alpine was recently interviewed in this ATLAS OBSCURA PODCAST about her wacky and mysterious trip to Damanhur in northern Italy, where a mysterious religious community founded by an insurance agent–turned–spiritual leader spent 15 years constructing an underground temple. Damanhur is covered in intricate paintings, mosaics, trippy colors, and images inspired by Roman, Greek and Egyptian mythology. You may read the entire intriguing story “Sleeping on Sekhmet” in Wild Life: Travel Adventures of a Worldly Woman

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Hawai’i member John Penisten has updated his travel blog, Hawai’i TraveLog, https://medium.com/hawaii-travelog, with a couple of new photo essays. Finding Winter Fun in Japan’s Far North is all about experiencing Hokkaido’s snow and ice festivals held in various communities of the northern island. And Through the Lens: China’s Back Roads, Byways and Alleys provides quick glimpses of everyday life and people going about their business from Beijing to Shanghai.

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Ginny Prior’s cover story on Maui was published in February in Diablo Magazine. Ginny returned to the island to understand how the Lahaina fire spurred a greater interest in celebrating and sharing island culture with visitors. BATW member Melanie Haiken wrote the Oahu piece for this special Diablo island issue. Read it here: https://www.diablomag.com/travel-places/romantic-hawaii/article_17d34e80-bfc8-11ee-8575-db4c29388183.html