Travels in a Blue Chair: Alaska to Zambia, Ushuaia to Uluru

A disabled adventurer backpacks the world - alone!! This book makes a great holiday gift or corporate prize! See my TV interviews... http://www.youtube.com/user/bluechairwalt








Friday, February 29, 2008

National Film Board (NFB)

I have been in touch with the National Film Board about doing a video project with them. As you can expect, things are just in the exploratory stage. In fact, I am trying to feel my way around and get a sense of how things are done. I have been booked into a "Meet the Producers" event at the beginning of April, so that will be great. In the meantime, I am preparing a "treatment" to outline a possible story idea.....my thoughts run wild!

Thanks to Micol, who is really inspiring me with her positive energy. Micol is going to be in Banff next week for the film festival meetings, and I hope she has a great time.

As February draws to a close, I can report that we have had the most unique visits to the website ever !

http://www.bluechairbook.com

And hey, February is the shortest month (even though today is the extra day) !!

The world must be getting the message. Cheers to the start of March!

Monday, February 25, 2008

Backpacker Europe Magazine article !

The article about "Travels in a Blue Chair", entitled "Access all Areas", in Backpacker Europe Magazine is now out. Claire in Dublin emailed me to let me know that the March issue is now out. The magazine is available in subway stations in London and in backpacker hostels in Ireland and western Europe. This will be great exposure and the magazine also features a blind adventurer. Great stuff!!

Here is the link...

http://www.backpacker-europe.com/magazine/article/?id=620

Thanks Claire!

Thursday, February 21, 2008

Online Magazine Interview.

I was contacted by Julie from the online magazine, Matador Traverse, to help with an article she is writing about disabled travellers. She sent me a list of questions, which I answered, and asked for some pictures.

As I understand it, the article is not about me, I am just one of the disabled travellers she has contacted and I will be part of a composite story. I am looking forward to reading the piece.

Thanks for your interest Julie! The word spreads!

I was also mentioned in my hometown of Welland, at the town council meeting. Someone who works with my brother was making a presentation there and brought up my book to the mayor and members of council. Great stuff!

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Article in the Sun newspaper today !

I was happy to find out that today's edition of the Sun finally published the article about "Travels in a Blue Chair" today. The interview was conducted last Wednesday...so I was wondering if I had been lost in their computer system?

Here is a link to the article...

http://www.torontosun.com/News/Canada/2008/02/19/4858341-sun.html

Many thanks to Sharon at the Sun for the story!

Sunday, February 17, 2008

1000+ Video views on YouTube !!!

We are starting to get the word out on the internet about "Travels in a Blue Chair". Since launching videos on YouTube, the interviews and promos have been watched over 1000 times!

Many thanks to Geoff and Tim at Web Communications in Ajax...if you need help in anything web or business related, they are your guys!

http://webcommunications.ca

Also many thanks to my friends Sue and Frank in Oakville, for their help with the promo vid.

Friday, February 15, 2008

Interview with the Sun newspaper.

I received a call from Sharon at the Sun who wanted to conduct an interview with me about "Travels in a Blue Chair"!! We talked for about 20 minutes and then Sharon asked if I would be OK with a photographer dropping by to take some shots for the article.

The photographer came by about 2 hours later and took a zillion shots of me next to my map of the world with pins in all the places I have been backpacking to over the years. She also took a bunch of photos of the book for the article insert.

Two days later and the article has yet to appear in print? Here's hoping we get into one of the weekend editions of the newspaper and on their website.

Thanks Sharon!!

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Backpacker Magazine - Dublin to Amsterdam

I received an email from Claire, the editor of Backpacker Magazine in Dublin, Ireland. Claire asked if I would be interested in answering an e-interview for next month's issue. She sent me a list of questions, which I answered and I also sent along a few pictures from my travels. Claire had found out about me just by surfing the web.

The free issue will be out in a few weeks, so by the end of the month, commuters in Tube Stations all over London and England, and in backpackers hostels from Ireland to Holland will able to find out a bit more about my adventures!

Thanks Claire, for the interview and all your interest!

Monday, February 11, 2008

Yay, we're 284,372nd !!!

I have linked the two TV interviews on my website, so you can navigate directly to them on YouTube (again, thanks Geoff and Tim). The reaction to the CTV interview has been great so far, and hopefully the message is getting through to the world about the existence of "Travels in a Blue Chair"...

http://www.bluechairbook.com/

...for more info on the book and 3 stories from it to read.

Amazon.com has ranked the book 284,372 on their bestseller list...hey, it's no Harry Potter, but last month we were ranked over 1,500,000.

Some modest improvement anyway! ;-)

Wednesday, February 6, 2008

Canada AM interview with Marci !!

Got up early again for the CTV interview as a snowstorm hit Toronto! Luckily Katie, from Canada AM had asked if I wanted a car to pick me up, so I took that offer. I arrived at 7 am. for the 8.40 am. interview and was escorted around the back, down a steep ramp and thru the warehouse until we got to the studio "green room".

I met Katie and all the staff, including a cute married couple from Pickering, she is really thin but is 8 months pregnant! They both work together there, awwwwww!

The interview went well and Marci was quite nice and spoke highly of the book. Katie put a story from my book on the CTV website and a link to my website. Here is the link...you can see the interview using the video link on the right side of the story...

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080206/balenovich_excerpt_AM_080206/20080206?hub=CanadaAM

Thanks to Katie and all the gang at CTV Canada AM for a great experience!