Now that we've retired, my husband and I travel as much as we can -- to Europe, South America, Denmark. And yet, we'd never taken a river cruise. Until we discovered by chance, that there were river cruises along the
mighty Mississippi.
We'd never taken a European river cruise because they seemed too expensive, and their itineraries included daily hikes that took hours and required more stamina than we thought we could muster.
But a river cruise within the USA that included hop-on hop-off bus tours at each stop sounded too good to be true. And we signed up for a Christmas Markets cruise in mid-December.
From our first night in New Orleans with dozens of Santas roaming the streets, and a fabulous jazz concert at Preservation Hall, we knew this would be a trip worth writing about.
We've written other travel memoirs. But this one was different because it's based at home, in the USA. We learned so much interesting history and visited so many places along the river that we just knew this trip would make a great American travel memoir.
And the paddle boat itself was an experience well worth sharing, with it's picturesque theater, historic furnishings, and steam calliope. It was like traveling back in time on a vessel exuding the glories of a bygone era.
After writing the manuscript, running it past a few beta readers, and having it lightly edited, I researched online for reputable publishers who would work with indie authors. I read more than one positive newspaper article about Gatekeeper Press. And then I went to the Alliance of Indie Authors to see what they had to say about Gatekeeper Press, and they recommended the publisher. I contacted Gatekeeper Press, hired the firm to do a full edit of the manuscript, design the cover and inside, format it for paperback and ebook publication, and publish and distribute the paperback edition. I published the ebook through Amazon's KDP program.
Cruising the Mississippi launched in October 2018 and has sold to readers all over the world. We've received emails from readers as far away as South Africa, telling us they registered for a Mississippi River cruise after reading our book. That's the kind of mail we love to get.
About the Book
If you love travel, beauty, history, fabulous food, and genuine old-fashioned fun, you’ll love this amazing paddle wheel adventure along the mighty Mississippi River.
From a vibrant New Orleans’ Jazz concert at famous Preservation Hall, to the largest plantation mansion on the Mississippi (Nottoway Plantation), to eye-opening Civil War battlegrounds, this lively travel memoir brings American history and Southern culture to life.
The paddlewheeler itself is an enchanting antebellum masterpiece. Period furnishings. Tiffany lamps. An authentic steam calliope. And a huge front porch with comfy rocking chairs where you can relax and enjoy the natural wonder of America’s greatest waterway.
Riverside cities offer their own unique attractions, steeped in history and plantation grandeur.
In this warm and personal travel memoir you’ll learn things about America you never knew before.
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Amazon → https://amzn.to/38UATK0
About the Authors
Al and Sunny Lockwood have traveled by foot, car, rail, air and cruise ship. They’ve camped in national parks, hiked mountain trails, photographed springtime flowers in Death Valley and wintry surf along the rugged beaches of Northern California.
They’ve watched July 4th fireworks over Lake Tahoe, explored New Mexico’s Taos Pueblo and ridden the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad through forests ablaze with autumn colors.
They’ve ridden the amazing Falkirk Wheel in Scotland, the Flam Railway in Norway and Ushuaia’s train at the end of the world.
They’ve photographed Gibraltare’s Barbary apes and Gentoo Penguins frolicking in the surf on Falkland Island beaches.
From North Carolina’s Outer Banks to New Orleans’ Bourbon Street and Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry, Al and Sunny love to wander and wonder and enjoy.
Everywhere they go, they capture unforgettable moments with their cameras and notebooks, moments to share with their readers. Their work has been published in magazines and newspapers. It has been recognized with awards from the National Federation of Press Women, the California Newspaper Publishers Association, the Wishing Shelf Book Awards, Seven Sisters Book Awards, and The Independent Author Network Book Awards.
“We write to encourage others to travel, to take a break from their ordinary routine and discover the many rewards of traveling with your eyes wide open,” Sunny said. “Go somewhere new, even if it’s only in the next county. And have fun exploring the sites, the sounds and flavors of the place. You’ll be amazed at how much fun you’ll have.”
Al added, “We also write to share the wonder of our own travels. To help you feel what it’s like to be on a cruise ship, or wandering the back alleys of Venice, Italy. We hope our books give readers a real sense of our travel adventures.”
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