UPDATE: My REVIEW
I was given a copy of the audio book from Warren in exchange for an impartial review. Below is my review. Overall, I would recommend the read. I usually do not enjoy audio books read by the author but this one was definitely an exception. Being more travel journal than multi-character work of fiction, the author's voice is perfect and his recording is spot on without issues.
With no further adieu:
I worked many years doing intakes for a counseling center. People who wanted to live alone, liked dogs more than people, believed in government conspiracies, etc... we’re often set off based on their refusal to conform to the society’s norms. I always wondered about their stories. Warren Makes some bold claims like the “cootie virus” isn’t real and has very definitive views of hospitality, women, European men, restaurant etiquette, and pot. But Warren never asks you to accept his worldview nor do you have to share it to enjoy the read. It reads like a good personal journal enhanced by the fact that the author is also the narrator. I’ve traveled, often on a budget, but there is a great gap between that and being homeless in a foreign country. The details to finding food, petting teddy ruxom, counting protein, protecting electronic gear, and dealing with language barriers bring the story to life. On the down side, and a problem I see with a lot of memoirs whether life bios or just a short time period like this, the author’s narrative sometime seems aimless. There are times when it is hard to see where the story is going (though he lays it out pretty clearly in chap 31). Although maybe that is the point - maybe the journey matters more than the designation and this was a good journey to follow. “Welcome to Europe. The land without men.” Oh, and energy vampires.
THE ORIGINAL BLOG POST:
Today, we have an opportunity to talk to Patrick Warren. Patrick has written the book, “Just Go Man: Hiking and Wild Camping in a Foreign Land During the Worldwide 'Pandemic'”. What interested me about the book was how it came to be.
First, let me thank you for joining me. I appreciate you giving me your links and I want to share those with our readers.
Author: Patrick Warren
Websites: youtube.com/truegritproductions and guardianangelbooks.com
Buy link: https://amzn.to/35UCu07
Book title: Just Go Man: Hiking and Wild Camping in a Foreign Land During the Worldwide “Pandemic”
genre: non-fiction travel/adventure
Can you tell us a little about yourself and what led you to start writing?
I started writing non-fiction recently during my world travels. With everything going on in the world right now, it seemed like the right time to start recording my observations and sharing my experience with others using the written word.
Do you write full-time or around another job? How do you schedule your time to write?
I don't write full-time but it's definitely an essential part of my job as an online entrepreneur. I tend to write blogs and sales copy for various websites that I run. While that might seem unimportant to the casual observer, writing sales copy teaches you how to concentrate on making everything- every word- matter to the reader.
For the book I would sit down and write 1500 – 2000 words in a session, which usually took me about an hour. I really liked writing directly after I finished hiking for a few hours. With all the blood pumping, your brain spits out more ideas than you know what to do with.
Where do you get your inspiration, information, and ideas for books?
My inspiration comes from the thought that maybe sharing insight or the details of one of my daily experiences might positively affect a single soul out there. My YouTube channel has taught me that even the smallest thing can have an impact on someone else's life. As someone who watches videos myself from content creators around the web and rarely tunes into mainstream news or typical television, I know it's true for me from a viewer standpoint as well.
For me, writing is all about hooking your audience with curiosity, making a promise, then delivering value and making good on your promise. Having respect for your audience's time, their attention and potential interests keeps you grounded and focused on the point you want to make as you tell your story. It guides you and keeps you honest.
I drew upon “The Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salinger and “Roughing It” by Mark Twain for the format and style of my book specifically. I appreciate how these books impart a slight feeling of dread as you tag along with the writer during their journey. The minor and seemingly mundane details really add to the feeling that you're there with them, which I think is essential for making what you write come to life. People can relate a little bit to suffering and vulnerability, but not too much of it, and it often helps if you smooth it out with some humor.
"I chose to go to Croatia because they were one of the few countries allowing in Americans and it was a short train ride from Germany and Austria where I was in August of 2020."
Please tell us about your current release.
I chose to go to Croatia because they were one of the few countries allowing in Americans and it was a short train ride from Germany and Austria where I was in August of 2020. In addition to this, my income post-pandemic from my online business decreased dramatically during 2020, so I wanted to experiment with living in a tent to save some money while hiking down the coast.
Free exercise hiking through a country. Wild camping (hopefully I won't get caught). And buckets of sweaty hot sunshine with free baths in the Adriatic Sea.
Book Excerpt
“Hiking along the Croatian coast is like walking through a cemetery with a breathtaking view. I've walked by more roadside memorials and tombstones for the departed than in any other country in the world or scenic coastal drive, and I've spent a fair share of time driving along Highway One in California, as well as some winding roads in the mountains near San Diego.
I'm assuming most, if not all, of the memorials are for people who died in car or motorcycle crashes. Whose fault? I don't speak Croatian, but I'm sure it's probably not written on their grave. That would just be tacky, I suppose. After you've seen about 15 – 20 of these makeshift grave sites, you kind of become desensitized to them.
Some of them even have pictures of the deceased on them- one even had a picture of a dude and a separate picture of his motorcycle, which as they say, is worth a thousand words. On one memorial, let's call it a mass grave since it was for 2 people, they put up the photos of the guys who died and the pictures were maybe just a little too telling. They kinda looked like scumbags, maybe not school shooter or terrorist level, but they definitely had the look of dudes with attitudes, and not good ones either.
Sometimes the roadside memorials have fresh flowers and candles, or maybe they're plastic, battery-operated fake candles, and I've checked the date of death just to see how long people are still honoring the memory of the lost. I've seen it go as high as 15 years into the past.”
Who are your favorite authors?
Shakespeare, Orwell, Dickens, Twain
Now, I noticed you have gotten several reviews, including one who apparently felt offended at your book?
If you're not making somebody angry, then you're probably just a pussy.
One more time, where can someone go to purchase your book?
On Amazon, the book can be purchased through this link:
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