20 - North Shore News — Sunday, September 3, 2000 TRAVEL WV writer finds niche as publishing mogul “As in all processes of learning, the inore one discovers, the nuove couscious one is of the qreat amount of material not yet learned.” — Paul Bowles, in his foreword to Victoria Brooks? Literary Trips. John Goodman Travel Editor jgocdman@nsnews.com THE accidental tourist certainly not, but you might get away with calling Victoria Brooks the accidental publisher. The West Vancouver travel writer got into the publishing game two years ago when she began the Webzine GreatestEscapes.com with her husband Guy Brooks. “When it started I did the whole thing myself”, she says, “then it mushroomed. There was so much interest from readers as well as professional writers — it was someplace where they could put their more creative work.” From its humble begin- nings GreatestEscapes.com has grown into a powerhouse of travel writing with several major articles featured each - month. The September issue ° includes stories on San Luis . Obispo, Ontario, South =~ Carolina, learning to fly and the jungles of Malaysia. ‘Guy Brooks handles the business end of the company while Victoria looks after the content. As well as the articles readers can visit the site’s - - online store, send a postcard to a friend or check out hotel and restaurant reviews from the Webzine’s archives. “We're continually looking to grow and change,” says Brooks, _ “We intend to make things more visual and interactive.” ‘With the Webzine estab- lished Brooks and her hus- band decided last year to | “branch out into book publish- ing as well. “I put a call out to (all the travel) societies I belong te and got hundreds © of responses. I remember handle all this. I was inspired by the number of writers who wanted to do something.” The book Literary Trips, the first in a series of volumes, actually initiated as a dream. As she relates in *Dreaming in Tangier” Brocks dreamt of a young man who spoke to her of his passions: travel, music, literature and Morocco. Upon awakening she realized the figure had been Paul Bowles, “Through the Internet I found a fellow who had his address and I contacted Bowles telling him about the story I wanted to write. I got a fax back from him saying ‘Wondertul — I hope you're not going to be disappointed in Tangier.” On his invitation Brooks travelled to Morocco to inter- view Bowles a year before his death. “I found him very ele- gant. Meeting him was one of the most wonderful things that has ever happened to me.” Bowles wrote the for- EISURE. TRAV! -Do you want a CHANGE? word to Literary Trips but died Nov. 17 of last year before seeing the finished book. In “Dreaming of Tangier” Brooks tells the story of the writer in exile but also sets the reader up for the rest of the material to come. Subtitled “Following in the Footsteps of Fame”, the text pairs famous writers with locations associated with them. Among the articles in Vol. 1 we can read about Malcolm Lowry (M.R .Carroll’s “Paradise Lost in Vancouver”, Rohinton Mistry (Margaret Deetholts* “Chasing Ghosts in Bombay”) and Mary Shelley (Mavis Guinard’s “Frankenstein's Mother in Geneva"). There are 23 articles in all separated into sections of the world (for example North America —- East has Tennessee Williams, Margaret Mitchell aud Tom Wolfe, Ayn Rand and Mark Twain). Seetions are introduced with illustrations by artist Alex Ignatius plus photographs accompany each article. The tales engage readers visually and intellectually. The first volume of Literary Trips is already avail- able in Canada and will be published in the U.S. later this month. A review in the New York Times and endorsements from just about everyone who picks up a copy suggests that the Brooks’ publishing empire will keep growing for some time to come. -Do you want to increase your INCOME? -Do you want WEEKENDS & EVENINGS FREE? -Do you want to receive benefits from an active program featuring ATTRACTIVE, EXCITING leisure travel PROMOTIONS? -Do you want to benefit from a group MEDICAL/DENTAL plan? -Do you want to be part of CONGENIAL TEAM working from attractive premises? We are easy to talk to Due to increased business we need more good experienced consultants GREATESTESCAPES.COM’S Victoria Brooks is set to release Literary : Following in the Footsteps of Fame this month in the U.S. It’s already avaliable in Canadian bookstores ($29.95) and is drawing rave reviews from all comers. NEWS photo Mike Wakefield Trips: If you are interested, phone us in strict confidence : Donna Rose (604) 926-4344 or Tom Rose (604) 926-2454 or fax your resume to (604) 926-2497 ‘checking one morning and there were 120 e-mails, the next day 80 — I thought ‘Oh my god, what have I done?’ I’m never going to be able to , "Held at our West Vancouver Office #106-100 Park Royal South (Ground Floor, Black 45. Tower) "026-4344 Take an 8-day Caribbean cruise for the price oi 7! ag Chen blow the savings) oo January 6, 2001 Aboard the ms Westerdam 8 days fom only $1149* x Inclades $237 in port charges! _ : ¢ Ask us about airfare to Florida! STUBBS ISLAND WHALE WATCHING - BOX 2-2, TELEGRAPH COVE, B.C. ; $:800-665-3066 ~