Interview With Traveling Mama Nancy Brown

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Nancy Brown
Nancy Brown

Our travel writer and blogger friend Nancy Brown is with us today as our featured Traveling Mama. Nancy lives on the West Coast with her family and writes the “What a Trip” travel column for the Contra Costa Times Lamorinda Sun and she is a Travel Editor at Uptake.

Thank you for taking the time to be with us today, Nancy. Let’s hear all about you…

1. Every writer specializes in something - what is your forte?

I’m lucky to live in Northern California, and as such, I travel to Carmel, Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino and San Francisco on a regular basis. I specialize in writing about my own backyard. My “What a Trip” newspaper column is focused on high-end, adventure and luxury travel.

2. How did you get started writing?

Looking back on my childhood journals, it seems I’ve always enjoyed sharing my adventures. I was co-editor of my high school newspaper and my first internship was at our local Contra Costa Times newspaper. A degree in Journalism from the University of Oregon seemed the logical next step. After many years in the PR field, I hopped the media fence to become a travel writer.

3. How old are your kids and how often do you travel with them?

The Brown Family
The Brown Family

Evan is 13 and Kendall is 16. We always take a trip during Spring break and one or two trips in the summer. It’s more difficult to travel as a family with teenagers due to sports and summer job commitments.

4. How do you find traveling with teenagers different than when they were little?

When the kids were little my husband and I selected our travel destinations. Now they want to have a say in the location and they both want to bring a friend along. As my husband is from Oregon, we’ve been taking the kids to Sunriver, Oregon every summer. We rent a house, bring the dog, bikes and friends. We look like the Clampett clan from the Beverly Hillbillies.

In our house, travel with teens means travel without mom or dad. This summer, our daughter was fortunate to travel to the Galapagos Islands with her high school biology class. She paid her share of the trip from her lifeguarding job. They also go on mission trips with our church.

Nancy
Nancy

5. What is your biggest challenge in being a travel writer?

For me, the challenge is balancing family life with work. While the kids are more independent, they still look to me to keep the house running. Everyone seems to miss family meals when I’m traveling a week or 10 days. Another challenge is from a financial perspective. Most travel writers will tell you, “don’t quit your day job” and it’s true. The travel writing business is a tough way to make a living. Fortunately, I have a supportive husband and I work in the public relations food and wine industry, as well. I feel very fortunate that I’m able to combine my writing career with my passion for travel.

Thanks for the interview. I look forward to meeting all of the Traveling Mamas.

We look forward to meeting you in person, too. Happy Travels!

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November 11, 2008 | Filed Under Mama Interviews, The Cookie Jar 

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13 Responses to “Interview With Traveling Mama Nancy Brown”

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  1. Galapagos-Islands » Interview With Traveling Mama: Nancy Brown says:
    November 11, 2008 at

    [...] Interview With Traveling Mama: Nancy BrownIn our house, travel with teens means travel without mom or dad. This summer, our daughter was fortunate to travel to the Galapagos Islands with her high school biology class. She paid her share of the trip fromher lifeguarding job. … [...]

  2. San-Francisco » Sunday Conversation: Mike Singletary says:
    November 11, 2008 at

    [...] Interview With Traveling Mama: Nancy BrownI’m lucky to live in Northern California, and as such, I travel to Carmel, Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino and San Francisco on a regular basis. I specialize in writing about my own backyard. My “What a Trip” newspaper column is focused on … [...]

  3. Allyn Evans says:
    November 11, 2008 at

    The travel writer jobs sounds exciting. I have the travel bug lately! This makes me hunger for it more. :)
    http://www.allynevans.blogspot.com

  4. Carolyn Howard-Johnson says:
    November 11, 2008 at

    Your column brings back such memories. Like Nancy, we used to travel by car with our kids all the time. Then the grandkids. Only yesterday my husband found a picture of him on a cruise with our grandson who is now in Iraq. Such memories!

    Best,
    Carolyn Howard-Johnson
    Author of the award-winning Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered
    Blogging at http://www.sharingwithwriters.blogspot.com

  5. marina says:
    November 11, 2008 at

    great interview. I enjoy all of your interviews. It does make you wonder if travel writing is really a great career. i think it’s great as a side gig, however, full on might be really tough on the family.
    MuchaCostaRica

  6. Prill Boyle says:
    November 11, 2008 at

    Your postings always bring back such memories. I remember well those “take a friend along for each child” days followed by the “teens traveling alone with school groups” period. Now, with our kids ranging in age from 25 to 33, my husband and I usually travel alone or with friends. But after 9-11 we broke the bank and rented a villa for 12 in Jamaica. It was the best money we ever spent.

  7. Nancy D. Brown says:
    November 11, 2008 at

    Prill, you’re words give me hope. You mean there is life after teenagers?

    Baby, I’m hanging with you! Jamaica here I come.
    By the way, your book title is intriguing.

    Beth,
    Thanks for including me in your Traveling Mama interview series.

  8. christine says:
    November 11, 2008 at

    How cool… I still wish I could have been on a horse next to you on that beach! My fantasy!

  9. Prill Boyle says:
    November 12, 2008 at

    Nancy, there is definitely hope! BTW, I forgot to say the 12 people we took with us to Jamaica were our children and their significant others. Best trip ever. Best use of our money. I’m so glad we spent a bit of our cash rather than saving every cent of it for retirement–especially now with the financial markets sliding into oblivion.

  10. Galapagos-Islands » On the path of Sir Charles Darwin... says:
    November 20, 2008 at

    [...] Interview With Traveling Mama Nancy Brown | Traveling MamasInterview With Traveling Mama: Nancy BrownIn our house, travel with teens means travel without mom or dad. This summer, our daughter was fortunate to travel to the Galapagos Islands with her high school biology class. … [...]

  11. Galapagos-Islands » Giant Galapagos Tortoise may not be a papa after all says:
    November 26, 2008 at

    [...] Interview With Traveling Mama: Nancy BrownIn our house, travel with teens means travel without mom or dad. This summer, our daughter was fortunate to travel to the Galapagos Islands with her high school biology class. She paid her share of the trip fromher lifeguarding job. … [...]

  12. Galapagos-Islands » Luxury Adventure Travel to Machu Picchu and the Galapagos Islands says:
    November 26, 2008 at

    [...] Interview With Traveling Mama: Nancy BrownIn our house, travel with teens means travel without mom or dad. This summer, our daughter was fortunate to travel to the Galapagos Islands with her high school biology class. She paid her share of the trip fromher lifeguarding job. … [...]

  13. Susan says:
    November 28, 2008 at

    Nice interview! I’m a family travel writer and it’s always refreshing to read about other writer’s experiences on the road.

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