Newsletter March: Successful Writing & Publishing

Hello Friends,

Happy March!  Spring Break is here and everyone is ready to get outside and enjoy the sunshine – and what’s better than listening to an audiobook and enjoying the story while you are walking or hiking? 

NEWSLETTER CONTENT:

FELLOWSHIPS & GRANTS

FREELANCE OFFERS

WRITING CONTESTS

AUDIOBOOKS

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- FELLOWSHIPS & GRANTS

Greater Yellowstone Creative Writing and Journalism Fellowship

Seeking creative writers (poetry, fiction, nonfiction), or those in the field of journalism (writer, photojournalist, videographer, documentary filmmaker, online or print media) who demonstrate serious inquiry and dedication to the Greater Yellowstone region through their work. Fellowship: $3,500.  Deadline: March 15

https://county10.com/applications-open-for-the-2022-pattie-layser-greater-yellowstone-creative-writing-and-journalism-fellowship/

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Lift – Early Career Support for Native Artists & Writers

One-year awards of $10,000. US-Artist awardees will participate in training facilitated by NACF and its partner organizations that are designed to provide education around project management, small business development, career advancement, and artistic development. Applicants will be asked to provide documentation of their Native citizenship or ancestry. Must be an individual practicing artist working in the disciplines of dance/choreography, fiction/poetry writing, film/video, multi-disciplinary arts, music, performance art, theater, and screenplay writing, traditional arts or 2D + 3D visual arts. Deadline March 16 

https://www.nativeartsandcultures.org/lift-eligibility

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- FREELANCE OFFERS

New writers are needed:  Not every prospect can afford to pay a seasoned copywriter $125 an hour, and not every magazine can pay $1 a word or more for articles. There are smaller clients everywhere, in every town and city in the world, and they need more affordable writers.  Nonprofits, associations, and organizations need you, too.  Do a few of these lower-priced gigs, and you’ll be ready to move up and earn more.

Never think that there is no place for newbie writers in the freelance ecosystem.  Writers retire and move on to other things, too.  Fresh blood is always needed.  Stop thinking you’re bugging prospects when you pitch them. They need YOU!  Read more:

https://makealivingwriting.com/7-inspiring-thoughts-to-cure-your-newbie-writer-jitters/

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What Writers Can Deduct from Taxes. 

Don’t wait until the last minute.   

https://lnkd.in/ghvPApF

Boston Globe

The Boston Globe is the leading weekly newspaper in New England, with news, sports, lifestyle features, and arts and entertainment news. The Boston Sunday Globe, offering an engaging blend of narrative journalism, opinion, lifestyle, travel, recipes, and advice. Please send pitches, story ideas, and recommendations for your favorite New England writers. The magazine usually pays $1 per assigned word for features. Pitch Annalisa Quinn, Editor, at annalisa.quinn@globe.com

https://www.bostonglobe.com/magazine/.

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Hakai Magazine 

The editorially independent, web publication examines the ties between the ocean, land, and human societies through long- and short-form journalism, illustration, photography, and video. Pitches can come from a variety of perspectives—archaeology, ecology, biology, geology, oceanography, anthropology, environment, business, technology, policy, engineering, history, and more—but they must pertain to marine coastal environments in some way. Payment in Canadian dollars is made upon acceptance of the final draft. We have a modest travel budget and all expenses must be approved in advance. Pays $.85 to $1.25 per word (Canadian).  

https://hakaimagazine.com/submission-guidelines/

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Fodors Travel

Pitch stories beyond traditional travel features.  Keep it fresh, keep it timely—emerging trends and news; ever-changing pandemic protocol and expert, up-to-date advice and recommendations. Make it entertaining—tell us a story we’re dying to reshare (bonus if you can make it a listicle). Rates start at $250-$300 depending on the experience and scope of the piece. Pitch Eva Morreale, Assignments Editor, at pitches@fodors.com.

https://www.fodors.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Fodors-Pitching-Guidelines-2022-1.pdf

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Newsweek

The standard rate Newsweek pays is $200/piece. 1200 is the word limit, while 600-800 is ideal. Newsweek is a news magazine that provides the latest news, in-depth analysis and ideas about international issues, technology, business, culture, and politics. Pitch Ramsen Shamon, Deputy Opinion Editor at r.shamon@newsweek.com

https://www.newsweek.com

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Mountain Gazette 

Twice a year, stories, essays, poetry, photography, art, comics, are published. They welcome new writers and photographers as well as veterans of the game. Pays $500-$800 for shorter stories, $1500-$5,000 for features. Through social media, podcasts, email, and, yes, print, Mountain Gazette aims to deliver tales straight from the hearts of mountain town people to your inbox, feed, and mailbox. 

https://mountaingazette.com/pages/submissions

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BBC National Short Story Award

Restrictions: Open to UK residents or nationals, aged 18 or over, who have a history of publication in creative writing. Genre: Short fiction. Prize: £15,000 to the winner, £3,000 for the runner-up and £500 for three further shortlisted writers. Deadline: March 21

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/XQfYy97KvBBdJpFdGxZlq7/2022-bbc-short-story-awards-open-for-entries

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- WRITING CONTESTS

George W. Hunt Prize

The George W. Hunt, S.J., Prize for Excellence in Journalism, Arts & Letters. Genre: The 2022 prize is open to: Cultural or Historical Critic. “Writers of books, articles or essays intended for a thoughtful, general audience are invited to submit material in the following categories: biography, memoir, general history, cultural analysis and criticism (aesthetics, art, drama, and film, education), political and social criticism, philosophical and theological reflections. Books, articles, and essays written principally for academic audiences or specialists will not be considered. Nominees must supply one or more book excerpt(s), article(s), or essay(s) not to exceed 10,000 words in total. The Nomination Committee may request further excerpts or complete works.” Prize: $20,000.00. Deadline: March 31.  https://www.americamagazine.org/huntprize

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Nelligan Prize

The winner receives a $2,500 honorarium and the story is published in the fall/winter issue of Colorado Review. Stories must be 10-50 pages. All stories are considered for publication.  $15 Entry Fee. Deadline March 14

https://coloradoreview.colostate.edu/nelligan-prize/

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Hudson Prize

The Hudson Prize is for an unpublished collection of poems or short stories.  The prize is open to new, emerging, and established writers. The winner of this contest will receive book publication, a $1,000 cash award, and ten copies of the book.  Prizes awarded on publication.  Manuscripts should be 45-95 pages in length (poetry) or 120-280 pages in length (fiction), not including front and back matter (table of contents, title page, etc.).  $27 Entry Fee. Deadline March 31

https://www.blacklawrence.com/submissions-and-contests/the-hudson-prize/

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Alpine Fellowship Writing Prize

The winner will receive a £10,000 cash prize. A £3,000 cash prize will go to the second place and £2,000 to the third-place runner up. The winner and two runners-up are invited to attend the symposium. Awarded for the best piece of writing on the theme of the Alpine Fellowship 2022 – Freedom. Open to all nationalities and to anyone aged 18 and above. All genres permitted. A maximum of 2,500 words per entry. Limited to one entry per person.  Deadline April 1

https://alpinefellowship.com/writing-prize
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Chicken Soup

Stories and poems for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa & New Year’s. We want holiday stories that share your traditions and memories of normal times — pre-pandemic. We want your holiday stories that share how your traditions and celebrations changed because of the pandemic. All stories and poems need to be true — we do not publish fiction. Stories should be no longer than 1,200 words. Payment is $200 and ten copies. Deadline May 1.   http://www.chickensoup.com 

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Bristol Short Story Prize

An annual international writing competition open to all international writers – published and unpublished,  Twenty stories will be shortlisted and published in Bristol Short Story Prize Anthology Volume 15. The first prize is £1,000, the second prize is £500, the third prize is £250. Seventeen further prizes of £100 will be presented to the remaining shortlisted writers. £9 Entry Fee. Deadline May 4.   https://www.bristolprize.co.uk/

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Blue Lynx Prize for Poetry

The annual Blue Lynx Prize for Poetry awards $2,000 plus publication for a full-length poetry collection. The prize is awarded for an unpublished, full-length volume of poems by a U.S. author, which includes foreign nationals living and writing in the U.S. and U.S. citizens living abroad.  $28 Entry Fee. Deadline May 16

https://lynxhousepress.submittable.com/submit       

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Bridport Short Story Prize

First prize: £5,000. Second prize: £1,000. Third prize: £500.  All the winning and highly commended pieces are entered into the Sunday Times Audible competition, top prize £30,000. UK-based writers are entered into the BBC short story competition. That’s not all, literary agent A.M. Heath reads all the shortlist and considers representation.  £12 Entry Fee. Deadline May 31  https://bridportprize.org.uk/the-competition/short-story/

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Are your own titles already in audio format?
Don’t miss out on the future of books!

“Audiobooks for Success”, a valuable guidebook for authors, audiobook publishers, narrators, voice-over artists, and audiobook listeners. Learn how to create, produce, publish, and market your audiobooks.

https://books2read.com/u/bPRRyJ

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07W81MN2Z

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Have a wonderful springtime, enjoy (freelance) writing and reading, and maybe traveling.  Good luck when participating in contests!

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FURIOUS AT LINKEDIN - OPEN LETTER

 After receiving dozens of messages and even emails like this below, I am demanding @LinkedIn to safeguard female members from this type of approach. Here is what I had to write to LinkedIn:

Hello, I am furious about these types of emails or messages I receive - and I want you to STOP IMMEDIATELY TO GIVE OR SELL MY EMAIL ADDRESS TO ANYONE !!!

See a sample of one of the emails I receive below.  Should this not stop I will report LinkedIn to the authorities and also to any and all media outlets !!!

I reported this kind of behavior of some male members already, and there were posts of other female members, complaining about this issue.  Nothing happens so far on LinkedIn's site...

As LinkedIn is responsible for the safety of its members - TAKE ACTION !!!
I am sure, these people are sending emails like this to many other female members.

Best regards,  Doris 

David Campbell <dacampbell0811@gmail.com>

Wed, Feb 9, 4:18 PM (3 days ago)

to me

Hello there, Thanks for accepting my request on LinkedIn. I was actually searching for an acquaintance when I came across your profile picture on LinkedIn. You have such an interesting profile picture on Linkedin and it caught my attention.I must confess you are pretty and this is me being honest and not just mere flattery. I hope no offence is taken, I understand Linkedin is a business networking and not a dating website. It will be nice to get to know each other and perhaps, become friends if only you are single and interested in communicating more and sharing more about me with you. I do believe everything is possible if we put our mind and heart together just like I believe that good things can be found in the least places. I will wait for your response.

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Successful Publishing - Newsletter February 2022

 

Hello Friends,

how was your first month of the year? An inspiring, successful, and happy January?

No matter if you are buried in snow, or already seeing spring flowers, you might be busy writing your next novel.  But what comes when you are finished?  Here are some tips on how you can promote it to readers - without spending any money:

- GET a FREE UNIVERSAL BOOK LINK

- CREATE IMPRESSIVE VIDEOS

- FINALLY… AFTER ALMOST 25 YEARS

- FREELANCE WRITING

- WRITING CONTESTS & AWARDS

- RESIDENCY, GRANTS, FELLOWSHIPS

- BOOK REVIEWERS

GET a FREE UNIVERSAL BOOK LINK

for example: https://www.books2read.com/u/mZ5gdp

With Books2Read Universal Links, authors can share one easy link for a new book, and readers worldwide are able to find it at their preferred store. 

Even if you don’t distribute via Draft2Digital, you can use their FREE universal book linker: 

https://www.Books2read.com. It links your books to Amazon, Apple iBooks, Kobo, B&N Nook, Google Play, ScribD, 24Symbols, Thalia, Inktera, Smashwords, Baja LIbros, Playster, Blio, Bookmate, Browns Books for Students, Casa del Libro, Family Christian, Hive, Buch.de, BOL.de, DriveThruFiction, Indigo, Angus & Robertson, Bücher.de, FNAC, Hugendubel, Libris, Livraria Cultura, Mondadori, Rakuten, WHSmith, BOL.com, Eason, eBook.de, Gandhi.mx, LaFeltrinelli, Overdrive etc.

CREATE IMPRESSIVE VIDEOS

The Web – and the whole world – has gone video - and book trailers. And so are you! Online video is a huge phenomenon and an extraordinary channel of content marketing possibilities, perfect for reaching visitors, clients or readers. Where to List Your Video:

Social Media sharing sites like YouTube, AOL Video, and Yahoo Video allow users to upload videos directly. Did you upload your video/book trailer already to: Amazon, Vimeo, Patreon, Twitter, Goodreads, etc.? 

Excerpt From: ‘111 Tips to Create Impressive Videos’ where you will find all the direct links to these websites, plus insider tips and advice on how to monetize your videos.

https://www.books2read.com/u/3GYnpa

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BYDH41S/

FINALLY… AFTER ALMOST 25 YEARS: 

AMAZON improves book descriptions. Who would have thought they will ever get around to do something for their suppliers (aka authors)? Here are the ‘breaking news’…

Bring your book descriptions to the next level

Amazon's new text editor provides options for formatting your book description and previewing it before publishing.

You can now bold, italicize, underline, create numbered and bulleted lists, and add heading styles to make your book description even more compelling for readers.  The new editor can be found on the book details page in your title setup.

A+ Content lets you add images, text, and tables to your detail page to help you:

Drive conversions. Readers have all they need in one place to make a buying decision.

Increase sales. Improve performance of Ads, Deals, and promotions with more visually engaging detail pages.

Build a customer base. Encourage repeat purchases by sharing more about you and your books.

Upgrade your detail pages with a new book description or A+ Content!

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FREELANCE WRITING

Texas Monthly

It’s a website and print magazine and home to original, deeply reported stories that illuminate every aspect of Texas life. Favorite topics include Texas politics and policy, business and entrepreneurship, the environment, energy, criminal justice, immigration, education, and race. They also include travel; fishing, hunting, and other outdoor activities; food and drink; and arts and culture. We value great storytelling, humor, vivid characters, context, and perspective. Pays 50 cents/word for web and $1/word for print. 

https://www.texasmonthly.com/about/story-submissions/

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Chicken Soup for the Soul

Holiday Memories and Traditions:  The rituals of the holiday season give a rhythm to the years and create a foundation for our lives, as we gather with family, with our communities at church, at school, to share the special spirit of the season, brightening those long winter days. Please share your special stories about the holiday season with us. Limit 1,200 words. Pays $200 and 10 copies. Deadline May 30.  https://www.chickensoup.com/story-submissions/story-guidelines

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Down East

Everything they publish is directly related to the state of Maine — its culture, history, personalities, destinations, current events, and more.  Submissions can be sent to editorial@downeast.com or to our individual editors.  They prefer to receive pitches and submissions by email. Payment is between $.60/word and $.75/word, or $400 for ‘My Maine’ essays.  https://downeast.com/guidelines/

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Capital B

Capital B combines national investigative reporting, local civic journalism, and community engagement to deliver the news and information Black people need right now. Starting in Atlanta, Capital B will open newsrooms in Black communities across the country. Starting rate for the standard enterprise story is $450—higher for experienced reporters or longer features.  https://www.capitalbnews.org/

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Cosmopolitan

Looking for personal essays, reported pieces, and cultural criticism for the opinion section. Rates $250-$350 and can scale up depending on the scope and requirements of each piece. Ideal word count typically ranges between 600-900 words. Send an email to patrice.peck@hearst.com. In the subject line, write PITCH: [A Possible Headline For Your Piece]. Write two to three lines about you and your writing and include links to your portfolio and/or writing clips, your most recent and your best.  https://www.cosmopolitan.com/

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Bookfox 

seeking freelance writers to help fiction authors. You will write blog posts with advice about the writing life or craft of writing.  Payment is $200 – $400 per post, depending on length and research.  Posts range from 2,000 words to 4,000 words. 

https://thejohnfox.com/write-for-bookfox/

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WRITING CONTESTS & AWARDS

RBC Bronwen Wallace Award for Emerging Writers

Candidates must be: A Canadian citizen or permanent resident; Under the age of 35; Unpublished in book form and without a book contract. Genre: Poetry and fiction. Prizes: Up to C$10,000.  Deadline: Feb 14

https://www.writerstrust.com/awards/rbc-bronwen-wallace-award-for-emerging-writers/

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CAAPP Book Prize

Open to writers of African descent. Genre: First or second book by a writer of African descent and is open to the full range of writers embodying African and African diasporic experience. The book can be of any genre that is, or intersects with, poetry, including poetry, hybrid work, speculative prose, and/or translation. Prize: $3000 and publication. Deadline: Feb 15

https://www.autumnhouse.org/submissions/caapp-book-prize/

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Governor General's Literary Awards

Books must have been written or translated by Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada. They do not need to be residing in Canada. Genre: The Governor General’s Literary Awards are given annually to the best English-language and the best French-language book in each of the seven categories of Fiction, Literary Non-fiction, Poetry, Drama, Young People’s Literature (Text), Young People’s Literature (Illustrated Books) and Translation (from French to English). 

Prize: $25,000. Deadline: February 15, 2022.

https://canadacouncil.ca/funding/prizes/governor-generals-literary-awards/guidelines-governor-generals-literary-awards

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RESIDENCY, GRANTS, FELLOWSHIPS

Alabama State Council on the Arts

Fellowships recognize Alabama’s artists and arts educators and provide support for the creative growth of an individual’s career. These $5,000 grants are awarded based on evaluation of work samples from the past five years that are submitted with the application. Applicants are required to have been a resident of Alabama for two years and remain a resident of the state for the duration of the fiscal year for which they are a grantee.

Deadline March 1

https://arts.alabama.gov/PDF/Guidelines/ASCA_GrantGuidelines_FY2023.pdf

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Jack Kerouac Residency - Florida

The Kerouac Project provides four residencies a year to writers of any stripe or age, living anywhere in the world. Each residency consists of approximately a three-month stay in the cottage where Jack Kerouac wrote his novel Dharma Bums. Utilities and a food stipend of $1,000 are included. 

https://www.kerouacproject.org/submissions/

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Here is a video to motivate your pleasure in writing by Jack Canfield, founder of the “Chicken Soup” series.  http://www.bestsellerblueprint.com/how-to-write-a-book/

Another great book to get ideas “How to Make More Money with Writing’’ might inspire you too: 

The Art of Making a Living Full-time Writing - An Essential Guide for More Income as Freelancer
https://books2read.com/u/bWZMjz

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1988664187

BOOK REVIEWERS

How do you do find the book reviewers to help you get the word out? Well, we’ve got some suggestions for you:

1. Do your research

Only contact reviewers who are interested in reviewing the type of books you have written. 

2. Read their review policy

Do they only want e-books or printed books? What genres are they currently interested in reading? Are they currently accepting new books for review? Check out their rules, and follow them.

3. Write a personalized email to the potential reviewer

No one likes to get a form letter or spam. Use a salutation, and their name – not just “Hi” or “Dear reviewer,” but rather, “Dear Jane Smith” or at least “Dear Jane.” If there’s no personal name listed, use their username. 

Read more:
https://www.emptymirrorbooks.com/publishing/10-ways-to-find-reviewers-for-your-self-published-book

Have a wonderful February and enjoy writing and making plans for new books. “Although February is short, it is filled with growing sun, lots of love, and sweet surprises”. Enjoy the many holidays this month: Groundhog Day, Super Bowl, Rosa Parks Day, Chinese New Year, Lincoln's Birthday, Valentine's Day, Presidents' Day.

Don’t forget to visit my Author Page here:

https://books2read.com/ap/n4EYY8/Doris-Maria-Heilmann

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Finally, Amazon Improves Book Descriptions

 

FINALLY… AFTER ALMOST 25 YEARS: 

AMAZON improves book descriptions. Who would have thought they will ever get around to do something for their suppliers (aka authors)? Here is the ‘breaking news’…

Bring your book descriptions to the next level:  Amazon's new text editor provides options for formatting your book description and previewing it before publishing.

You can now bold, italicize, underline, create numbered and bulleted lists, and add heading styles to make your book description even more compelling for readers.  The new editor can be found on the book details page in your title setup.

A+ Content lets you add images, text, and tables to your detail page to help you to drive conversions. Readers have all they need in one place to make a buying decision. Increase sales. Improve performance of ads, deals, and promotions with more visually engaging detail pages.

Build a customer base. Encourage repeat purchases by sharing more about you and your books.

Upgrade your detail pages with a new book description or A+ Content!  Yes, authors have to sit down and rewrite their book descriptions for all their books on Amazon. 

It's about time that Amazon got their act together and offers a professional code! What they offered in the last decades was sub-standard from the '80s or even older.

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Hedy Lamarr - so Much More Than a Beautiful Actress

 

Do you use GPS, Bluetooth, WiFi? Its basic technology was invented by a woman who died 22 years ago:  Hedy Lamarr was an Austrian-American actress and inventor who pioneered the technology that would one day form the basis for today’s WiFi, GPS, and Bluetooth communication systems.  As a natural beauty seen widely on the big screen in films like Samson and Delilah and White Cargo, society has long ignored her inventive genius.  

Lamarr was originally Hedwig Eva Kiesler, born in Vienna, Austria on November 9th, 1914 into a well-to-do Jewish family.  An only child, Lamarr received a great deal of attention from her father, a bank director and curious man, who inspired her to look at the world with open eyes.  He would often take her for long walks where he would discuss the inner workings of different machines, like the printing press or streetcars.  These conversations guided Lamarr’s thinking and at only 5 years of age, she could be found taking apart and reassembling her music box to understand how the machine operated.  Meanwhile, Lamarr’s mother was a concert pianist and introduced her to the arts, placing her in both ballet and piano lessons from a young age. 

Learn about her inventions, for example, new wings for Howard Hughes' airplane.  Lamarr was indeed a genius as the gears in her inventive mind continued to turn. She once said, “Improving things comes naturally to me.”

Lamarr once insisted, “Any girl can be glamorous; all you have to do is stand still and look stupid.”  That she herself was anything but stupid was unequivocally proved during World War II when, in collaboration with the avant-garde composer George Antheil, she invented an electronic device that minimized the jamming of radio signals.  Though it was never used in wartime, this device is a component of present-day satellite and cellular phone technology.

Read the whole story here:  https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/hedy-lamarr

or here:

http://hedylamarr.com/about/biography/

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A Newcomer's Baja California Sur Impressions

Flora & Fauna
Arriving in the Baja California Sur (for the first time) in November, I was amazed by the number of yellow-blooming Palo de Arco, that bordered the country roads.  Such a fantastic, cheery shrub!  I collected lots of seeds, planting them all the way around the fence of the Tango Azul Resort.  Palo de Arco has been a staple in Mexican folk medicine for centuries and adopted for landscaping throughout Mexico, as well.  It thrives even in the hottest, sunniest locations in this arid climate.  Artisans in the Baja build wonderful fences and even walls from the sticks of Palo de Arco.

However, besides these attractive shrubs, I found dozens and dozens of other interesting plants, from low-growing sedums to majestic Neem or Palo Verde trees.  About 6,000 plants can be found in the Baja. Hundreds of them are endemic, growing only in this part of the world. 
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Sand, Sand, and more Sand
In Austria, or in Canada, I am always afraid to get stuck in the snow in Winter, having to call a truck to pull me out.  Here in Mexico, I am worried to be stuck in the sand when driving in the countryside.  But not only there, sometimes my tires don't find a hold on some parking spots away from the main roads.  One day I even heard the sand scratching at the underside of my car and feared every moment to be stranded far away from any civilization.  But thank goodness this hair-raising experience ended well.  A truck or a 4-wheel vehicle is your best bet here or an ATV.

In Baja California Sur, sand reigns from the waves of the Sea of Cortez up the hill to the mountain cliffs.  Next time, I will purchase a pair of cowboy boots. They seem to be the best outfit for sandy soils.  Texas or Mexican cowboys know why they wear them!

Cows and Goats
The melodic ringing of cowbells is something I grew up with - but hearing them in the Southern part of Baja California was surprising.  It felt like home in the European Alpes.  The ranches in the Baja are often so large that farmers cannot afford to fence the animals in and maintain the fences.  So cows and goats are often not confined to the ranches that are tucked into the hills but sometimes even are grazing in towns.  And crossing country roads without regard to the traffic around them! 

This is where it becomes dangerous. In Europe when a driver is flashing its light to the upcoming traffic, they warn you about speeding radar installations, but here in the Baja, they warn you of cows on or next to the road that could cross any moment.  Flashing the headlights might have saved already a lot of serious accidents.  There are lots of warning signs for cows on the road and drivers should take them seriously and adjust the speeds accordingly. 
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Cowboys 
I was surprised to see Mexican males often wearing the same outfit as I knew it from Western movies.  But it makes sense!  The cowboy hat shields from the sun, and the boots are the best footwear in this sandy environment. 

My friend Marcela calls those who speed in 30km-zones or generally are speeding and passing without regard to the oncoming traffic or guys who are kind of reckless also cowboys.  One needs to monitor carefully other drivers, as they may act erratically and some even drive without lights at night...  Better not to have an accident here.  Also there are lots of exclusions in the Mexican car insurance. 

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Water & Hot Spring
In rural areas of the Baja, municipal water and sewer services are not so common as we know them from city life.  Most houses have water tanks on the roof that are filled by water tank trucks.  Taking a shower, flushing the toilet, or watering the plants is fine with this water.  However, for drinking and cooking, using bottled water is the safest way.

Amazing that despite the arid climate and the lack of rain, there are quite a few springs - actually hot springs - just a ten-minute drive from La Ventana. Digging into the sand causes warm or even hot water that stems from former volcano activity.  Visiters built round pools in the past, using rocks, so "bath tubes" are ready to use them for free. 

Other hot springs, for example around Santiago (a 90-minute drive from La Ventana), lay on private ranch ground.   The owners charge between 150 and 300 Mexican pesos entrance fees - which is certainly not much, as they provide picnic areas, washrooms, and parking spaces, etc. 

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El Norte & Endless Beaches
La Ventana is ranked in the Top10 places in the world for kiteboarding and is famous for strong, consistent wind from November to April.  But not only kite-boarders are happy here, but surfers, stand-up paddlers, kayakers, and swimmers are also frequenting the beaches in town.  Just two miles out the sand is even more appealing, and guests have the next 10 - 15 kilometers for themselves.  A long walk, a mountain bike ride, or an ATV trip will bring you to unspoiled beaches - where the desert meets the sea.

Inexpensive Services
Marcela, the owner of the Tango Azul Resort, introduced me to Isabel, a laundry lady, and to her son, who offers car detailing.  After I received an offer from a detailing company in Ottawa three months earlier of 115 Canadian dollars, I could not believe what I was charged here for the same work: 150 Mexican pesos! Less than 10 dollars. I certainly gave him a tip. It looked brand new, as it had just come out of the shop.  I was so happy about my clean and shiny car.

The same surprise came up when I had to visit a dentist in La Paz.  One of the hotel guests told me about the "Dentista", a wonderful caring and gentle lady.  She did such a great job that I let her do more dental work.  All she charged me was only a third of what I would have paid in Canada, let alone the US.

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