Discussion: Thursday, October, 26 2019, 2 to 4 pm, 207 SW Broadway., Suite 300 in Portland, OR. Leading the workshop will be Peter Chilson and Joanne B. Mulcahy, authors of Writing Abroad: A Guide for Writers. Contact: Tim DuRoche at [email protected]

Synopsis: “Tell me all about your trip!” It’s a request that follows travelers as they head out into the world, and one of the first things they hear when they return. When we leave our homes to explore the wider world, we feel compelled to capture the experiences and bring the story home. But for those who don’t think of themselves as writers, putting experiences into words can be more stressful than inspirational. Writing Abroad: A Guide for Travelers is meant for travelers of all backgrounds and writing levels: a student embarking on overseas study; a retiree realizing a dream of seeing China; a Peace Corps worker in Kenya. All can benefit from documenting their adventures, whether on paper or online. Through practical advice and adaptable exercises, this guide will help travelers hone their observational skills, conduct research and interviews, choose an appropriate literary form, and incorporate photos and videos into their writing. Writing about travel is more than just safeguarding memories—it can transform experiences and tease out new realizations. With Writing Abroad, travelers will be able to deepen their understanding of other cultures and write about that new awareness in clear and vivid prose.

Discussion: Thursday, November 8, 2018, 6:30-8:00 pm. Location at the home of Mimi Sanders, 318 SW Palatine Hill Rd (big yellow church) in Portland, 503-293-6195. Participating in our discussion will be Peter Chilson and Joanne B. Mulcahy, authors of Writing Abroad: A Guide for Writers. This will be a joint gathering of CRPCA’s Book Club and Writers Workshop.

Synopsis: “Tell me all about your trip!” It’s a request that follows travelers as they head out into the world, and one of the first things they hear when they return. When we leave our homes to explore the wider world, we feel compelled to capture the experiences and bring the story home. But for those who don’t think of themselves as writers, putting experiences into words can be more stressful than inspirational. Writing Abroad: A Guide for Travelers is meant for travelers of all backgrounds and writing levels: a student embarking on overseas study; a retiree realizing a dream of seeing China; a Peace Corps worker in Kenya. All can benefit from documenting their adventures, whether on paper or online. Through practical advice and adaptable exercises, this guide will help travelers hone their observational skills, conduct research and interviews, choose an appropriate literary form, and incorporate photos and videos into their writing. Writing about travel is more than just safeguarding memories—it can transform experiences and tease out new realizations. With Writing Abroad, travelers will be able to deepen their understanding of other cultures and write about that new awareness in clear and vivid prose.

Discussion of Lost City, Chilson’s Foreign Policy essay on Timbuktu and the conflict in northern Mali
Tina Brown’s Must-Reads: Modern Warfare : NPR

Journalist Peter Chilson on West Africa’s Borderlands (Dec. 12, 2012)
Chilson discusses his project on the borders of French West Africa, including his time in Mali during a coup d’etat.

Is Happiness a Choice in Hell: Huffington Post Live panel discussion
November 27, 2012

How did you get started traveling?
When I graduated from college in 1984, I desperately wanted to travel. I wanted to go someplace radically different from what I knew. I wanted to push my limits, develop some understanding of the wider world. This desire goes with wanting to be a writer. Maybe I also felt I had something to prove…(Travel Writers: Peter Chilson)

For the Spokesman Review online book club regarding story collection Disturbance-Loving Species: 

Since the days of “Heart of Darkness” author Joseph Conrad, and maybe even before, writers have talked about visitors to the continent “going African.”

It’s hard to say exactly what that means. As with all other all-inclusive descriptions, definitions probably are linked to the individuals they’re applied to.. (Since the days of “Heart of Darkness” author Joseph Conrad, and maybe even before, writers have talked about visitors to the continent “going African.”

It’s hard to say exactly what that means. As with all other all-inclusive descriptions, definitions probably are linked to the individuals they’re applied to… (Peter Chilson – spokesmanreview.com — Online Book Club)

Where were you a Peace Corps Volunteer, Peter?
I was in Niger, West Africa, from 1985 to 1987. I taught English in a district junior high school in the town of Bouza, south central Niger, about 60 miles north of the border with Nigeria… (Talking with Peter Chilson – Peace Corps Writers)