Another year of Travels in a Blue Chair

It is hard to believe that another year of "Travels in a Blue Chair (the book bloggiary)" is almost finished!

More people have become aware of it and many new libraries have acquired the book. I have participated in numerous book readings and events.

TIBC is now available to the blind, via 14 hours of cassette recording as a talking book! I am so proud of that.

Who knows what 2011 will bring?

Talking book format !! DB/RC 67926

Hurray! "Travels in a Blue Chair" is now a talking book, for the blind, available from the US Library of Congress ... who would've thought?...over 14 hours of entertainment!

Many thanks to Guy Williams who read my book for over 14 hours!! Also, thanks to Scott Rains who helped get my book into talking book format.

Travels in a Blue Chair: Alaska to Zambia, Ushuaia to Uluru
a Series of Short Stories
DB/RC 67926
14 hours 9 minutes

by Walt Balenovich
read by Guy Williams

Balenovich, who had polio in childhood, recounts adventures in his blue
wheelchair—a device he believes does not confine him, but gives him the
freedom to travel and meet new friends. Describes exploring Australia’s
Great Barrier Reef, celebrating Chinese New Year in Thailand, and
breaking a knee in Zambia. 2007.
DB/RC 67926

Big Guy's Little Coffee Shop - Literary Cafe Fri, Nov 19 7pm

I have been confirmed to recite from "Travels in a Blue Chair" at the 5th Literary Cafe presented by the Theatre of Change, which will be held at the Big Guy's Little Coffee Shop.

It will be on Friday Nov 19th at 7 pm.

The cafe is located in New Toronto, in the city's west end, at 2861 Lake Shore Blvd W (between Fourth and Fifth streets on the south side).

I appeared at the first Literary Cafe and really enjoyed it....so if you are looking for something to do on a Friday night, come early, as the cafe is quite an intimate location.

I will be reciting one of the funniest experiences I ever had travelling alone....trying to find a wheelchair friendly washroom behind the old iron curtain, in Budapest Hungary.

I we are lucky the hilarious "Blackberry Poet" will even be on hand too!

Creating an ad on Facebook

I decided to try my hand at creating an ad on Facebook. The ad system is targeted to different demographic groups chosen when making the ad.

I chose books, adventurers, disability and those people over 30 yrs of age.

I am hoping this could help spread the word about "Travels in a Blue Chair" to a whole new group of readers!

We'll see how it goes.

Disability Studies programs at universities.

Whilst visiting a great friend of mine, named Jennifer, out on the west coast recently, I found out that her book on film making techniques has really taken off.

It turned out that a key individual in Jennifer's field has sought her out to include some passages in their new book. It proved a boost to the circulation of Jennifer's book!!

We discussed trying to find out who might be a key individual in the field of Disability Studies and see if they could see the value of "Travels in a Blue Chair" to those students in this new field of study.

What a great idea, and so innovative! I am planning on following up to see if this is a possibility. You never know who the next great idea is going to come from!

Oh, the Places You Can Go! Stephen Hawking cover

The fall issue of Abilities magazine is out and my article, entitled "Oh, the Places You Can Go!" is in the travel section on page 21. At the end there is a footnote about my book "Travels in a Blue Chair: Alaska to Zambia, Ushuaia to Uluru".

The layout is great and the cover of this issue includes a story about the great disabled scientist Stephen Hawking.

I really hope that all who read the article are inspired to get out and travel on their own or with a friend. Even if you are in a wheelchair, the world of travel awaits!

Again, many thanks to Jennifer at all the gang over at the magazine!

Shop the Shore in Long Branch

I will be out signing copies of "Travels in a Blue Chair" this Saturday out in Long Branch, along Lake Shore Blvd. Long Branch is the stretch of road between Kipling Avenue and Forty Second Street.

I hope to see you there!

Abilities Magazine article out shortly.

I have been advised that the new, fall edition of Abilities magazine will be out in the coming weeks. Apparently the article and layout look fantastic!

I am really hoping that this article will reach out to a new group of disabled and their families to encourage them to read "Travels in a Blue Chair" and help get them motivated to start up some travels of their own!

Thanks to Jennifer and all the gang over at Abilities!!

A visit to Europe !

I had the great chance to visit some wonderful friends, many from my book. In England, I visited Esther, Luke and their new baby!

We had the chance to attend lots of birthday parties and go to the zoo! I also visited London and Windsor Castle!

A week later, I went to northern Italy to visit Elisa, Stefano and their child. I met the couple backpacking through Chile, and they had invited me over to visit. It was very hot, but we escaped to the mountains! I also had a chance to visit the Ferrari museum and manufacturing facility.

Later I went to Roma for a brief time to see some of the ancient sites!

Many thanks to all my wonderful new friends from overseas for letting me be part of their lives!

Article submitted for the autumn issue.

I have finished my article for Abilities magazine, and submitted it to their editor Jennifer. I am glad to have had a chance to do some writing again and looking forward to seeing it come out later in the year.

Hopefully the article will inspire many disabled or their friend and families to get out and try some travel of their own. Let the new adventures begin!