Kilimanjaro Featured in the Foreign Service Journal

mge-kili-cover-front-smallThe prestigious Foreign Service Journal featured my book Kilimanjaro: One Man’s Quest to Go Over the Hill in this year’s “In Their Own Write” compilation of books published by Foreign Service-affiliated authors.

The Foreign Service Journal wrote of Kilimanjaro (p. 36):

Approaching middle age, sick and overweight, Mike Edwards was hardly in shape to face the tallest mountain in Africa. But armed with stubborn perseverance and the desire to defy naysayers, he reaches for the top in his attempt to tackle Kilimanjaro.

The tale covers every aspect of the climb, from preparations that included being dragged through aisles of clothing by his avid shopper (and mountain climber) wife to eating a monotonous vegetarian diet for five days.

Once on the mountain, it doesn’t matter who you are. It’s just you and the mountain. Luckily, Edwards had a kindhearted guide and a well-planned expedition. But planning can only go so far when subjecting yourself and your team to the ruthless elements of Kilimanjaro’s highest altitudes.

This Global E-Book Award nominee is fuel for all aspiring mountain climbers as well as those heading “over the hill.” Climbing “Kili” changed the author’s life and gave him the motivation he needed to leave his diplomatic career and follow his dreams. And with this book he is living them.

Mike Edwards was a Foreign Service officer for 11 years. He left the Service in 2011 to focus on writing and now lives in Thailand with his wife, Jing, a Foreign Service specialist at Embassy Bangkok, and their son. This book is the first of his World Adventurer Series. He also writes mysteries, thrillers and science-fiction fantasies, and has published a volume of short stories, Real Dreams.

kilifull

Readers have called Kilimanjaro “life changing,” “inspirational,” “gripping,” “an epic journey of self-discovery,” and “a peek into someone’s personal travel journal.” It’s a book for anyone who feels over the hill and needs encouragement to make a life change in the face of difficult odds. It’s also for the casual climber, mountaineer, or hiker who is interested climbing one of the world’s tallest mountains. Filled with insights and advice for those who are contemplating their own Kilimanjaro climb, this book will put you on the mountain and inspire you to go over it.

Thank you, Foreign Service Journal, for including Kilimanjaro on your 2012 list. I am grateful that my book joined other superb works written by Foreign Service colleagues and alumni. I encourage readers to browse the books featured in “In Their Own Write” and to peruse the pages of the Journal to learn more about the Foreign Service.

Kilimanjaro is available to purchase as an e-book or in print from these booksellers:

U.S. Booksellers

Available to purchase as an e-book for US$3.99:

Amazon.com for Kindle

Apple iTunes for iPad/iPhone

Baker & Taylor for Blio e-reader

Barnes & Noble for Nook

Google Play for Android

Kobo Books for Kobo e-reader

Smashwords for iPad and other e-readers

Available in print for US$9.99:

Amazon.com

Barnes & Noble

Createspace

Diesel Book Store

IndieBound

International Booksellers

Available as an e-book or in print (prices vary by format and local currency):

Amazon.co.uk for Kindle (United Kingdom)

Amazon.fr for Kindle (France)

Amazon.de for Kindle (Germany)

Amazon.co.jp for Kindle (Japan)

Amazon.it for Kindle (Italy)

Amazon.es for Kindle (Spain)

Available as an e-book (prices vary):

Barnes & Noble for Nook (United Kingdom)

Available in print (prices vary):

Amazon.ca for Kindle (Canada)

Visit my website for a complete list of booksellers.

About the Foreign Service Journal

The Foreign Service Journal covers foreign affairs from an insider’s perspective, providing thoughtful articles on international issues, the practice of diplomacy and the U.S. Foreign Service. The Journal is published monthly (July/August issues combined) by the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA). The November issue features its annual “In Their Own Write” compilation, the largest edition yet, with some 90 new books by Foreign Service-affiliated authors. The list spans almost every conceivable literary genre: from history and foreign policy to memoirs and biographies, and from novels and short stories to mysteries and how-to books.

About the American Foreign Service Association

Established in 1924, AFSA is the professional association of the United States Foreign Service. With close to 16,000 dues-paying members, AFSA represents over 28,000 active and retired Foreign Service employees of the Department of State, Agency for International Development (AID), Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), Foreign Commercial Service (FCS), and International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB).

buythumbM.G. Edwards is a writer of books and stories in the mystery, thriller and science fiction-fantasy genres. He also writes travel adventures. He is author of Kilimanjaro: One Man’s Quest to Go Over the Hill, a non-fiction account of his attempt to summit Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain, a collection of short stories called Real Dreams: Thirty Years of Short Stories and Alexander the Salamander, a children’s story set in the Amazon. His books are available to purchase as an e-book and in print from Amazon.com and other booksellers. He lives in Bangkok, Thailand with his wife Jing and son Alex.

For more books or stories by M.G. Edwards, visit his web site at www.mgedwards.com or his blog, World Adventurers. Contact him at me@mgedwards.com, on Facebook, on Google+, or @m_g_edwards on Twitter.

© 2012 Brilliance Press. All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted without the written consent of the author.

Thoughts & Sayings (October 2012)

Here are some thoughts and sayings I posted on Twitter and/or Facebook in September. To my knowledge, I made these up (for better or for worse). Sit back, relax, and enjoy the write!

peddlingEncouraging Words

1. Keep on peddling, but don’t oversell.

2. I may bite my tongue if I say something tongue in cheek.

3. I have champagne tastes but a beer budget and had to trade my flute for a mug.

4. If technology were a pet, I would send it to obedience training.

5. After two failed attempts, I’m back to fail again.

junkTwisted Words

6. One person’s junk is another’s Chinese vessel.

In Its Own Write

7. I’ve turned a page and am headed in the write direction.

Holidays & Events

8. On Labor Day, America rests while the rest of the world labors.

9. Today at the political party convention, the candidate will deliver this month’s speech of their life.

barkRandom Musings

10. Overheard at a linguistic convention: “I speak Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish.” “Yes, but what about Finnish?”

11. I flew to the other side of the world to get away from jetlag, but it followed me.

12. My bark is worse than my bite, but I do bite.

13. Disruptive technology: The day Twitter shakes up the 140-character limit by varying it.

14. When I moved to the Southern Hemisphere, my world turned upside down.

globe

Click here to read the previous batch of Thoughts and Sayings.

Images courtesy of Microsoft.

alexthumbM.G. Edwards is a writer of books and stories in the mystery, thriller and science fiction-fantasy genres. He also writes travel adventures. He is author of Kilimanjaro: One Man’s Quest to Go Over the Hill, a non-fiction account of his attempt to summit Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain, a collection of short stories called Real Dreams: Thirty Years of Short Stories and Alexander the Salamander, a children’s story set in the Amazon. His books are available to purchase as an e-book and in print from Amazon.com and other booksellers. He lives in Bangkok, Thailand with his wife Jing and son Alex.

For more books or stories by M.G. Edwards, visit his web site at www.mgedwards.com or his blog, World Adventurers. Contact him at me@mgedwards.com, on Facebook, on Google+, or @m_g_edwards on Twitter.

© 2012 Brilliance Press. All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted without the written consent of the author.

Kilimanjaro Book Wins Honorable Mention

My book, Kilimanjaro: One Man’s Quest to Go Over the Hill, has been awarded Honorable Mention by the 2012 Global Ebook Award in the Sports/Fitness/Recreation Non-Fiction category.

Kilimanjaro is a memoir that chronicles my attempt to summit Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa. At forty years old and on the verge of a midlife crisis, I tried to change my life by climbing a mountain. This is my true story of facing Kilimanjaro and other challenges at middle age.

Readers have called Kilimanjaro “life changing,” “inspirational,” “an epic journey of self-discovery,” and “a peek into someone’s personal travel journal.” It’s a book for anyone who feels over the hill and needs encouragement to make a life change in the face of difficult odds. It’s also for the casual climber, mountaineer, or hiker who is interested climbing one of the world’s tallest mountains. Filled with insights and advice for those who are contemplating their own Kilimanjaro climb, my book will put you on the mountain and inspire you to go over it.

Ebook Booksellers

Kilimanjaro is available to purchase as an ebook for $3.99 at these booksellers:

mge-kili-cover-front-midAmazon.com for Kindle (United States)

Amazon.co.uk for Kindle (United Kingdom)

Amazon.fr for Kindle (France)

Amazon.de for Kindle (Germany)

Amazon.it for Kindle (Italy)

Amazon.es for Kindle (Spain)

Barnes & Noble for Nook

Smashwords for iPad and other e-readers

Apple iTunes for iPad/iPhone

Goodreads for iPad and other e-readers

Kobo Books for Kobo e-reader

The Wordshop for iPad and other e-readers

 

Print Booksellers

Kilimanjaro is available to buy in print for $9.99 from these booksellers:

Amazon.com

Barnes & Noble

Createspace

Diesel Book Store

Global Ebook Awards

The Global Ebook Awards honor and bring attention to ebook publishing. In its second year, the Awards were given in 101 specific categories and open to all publishers. Each winner was chosen by category rather than based on size or region. In 2012, almost 1,000 submissions were judged by a panel of more than 250 experts in the categories and genres of the books nominated. For more information, visit http://globalebookawards.com.

buythumbM.G. Edwards is a writer of books and stories in the mystery, thriller and science fiction-fantasy genres. He also writes travel adventures. He is author of Kilimanjaro: One Man’s Quest to Go Over the Hill, a non-fiction account of his attempt to summit Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain and a collection of short stories called Real Dreams: Thirty Years of Short Stories. His books are available as an e-book and in print on Amazon.com and other booksellers. He lives in Bangkok, Thailand with his wife Jing and son Alex.

For more books or stories by M.G. Edwards, visit his web site at www.mgedwards.com or his blog, World Adventurers. Contact him at me@mgedwards.com, on Facebook, on Google+, or @m_g_edwards on Twitter.

© 2012 Brilliance Press. All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted without the written consent of the author.