AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT: Marianne C. Bohr

Marianne C. Bohr, freelance writer and travel blogger, married her high school sweetheart and travel partner. Four of her travel essays received Solas Awards by travel publisher, Travelers’ Tales, honoring excellence in travel writing. Her first book, Gap Year Girl: A Baby Boomer Adventure Across 21 Countries, was published by She Writes Press. Gap Year Girl was named a finalist in both the IndieFab Book of the Year Awards, and the Next Generation Indie Book Awards. Kirkus Reviews said about her book, “Bohr shines…providing glimpses of herself as a whole person, not simply a traveler. Gap Year Girl is an excellent choice…a travelogue filled with historic places, but its personal stories provide its highlights.” 

The author's second book, The Twenty: One Woman’s Trek Across Corsica on the GR20 Trail, was published in June 2023. Paddy Dillon, author of Cicerone's The GR20 Corsica: Complete Guide to the High-Level Route writes: "You need to be strong, fit and agile in order to complete the GR20. It comes as no surprise to discover that most trekkers are young adults in tip-top condition. Marianne reminds us that age is no barrier to trekking the GR20, provided that careful planning is followed by careful foot placement. Her determination along the trail is inspiring."

With her husband and their two grown children, she follows her own advice and travels at every opportunity. Marianne lives in Park City, UT, where after decades in publishing, and then many years teaching middle school French, she skis, hikes, and writes.

Q: You wrote a book about the difficult GR20 hiking trail. Please tell us more about it.
Answer: Yes, my second book is called The Twenty: The Highs and Lows of Hiking Across Corsica on Europe’s Toughest Footpath. It was published in June 2023. My husband and I were about to turn sixty and we wanted to challenge what it meant to grow old. The book is part travelogue and part memoir about our journey across a rugged island of stunning beauty little known outside Europe. Very few Americans even know that Corsica is part of France. It’s a narrative about hiking, about aging, about accepting the finite journey of life, and about the intimate friendship of a long-term marriage that is tested in unexpected ways. I tried to use the GR20 as a crucible for exploring what it means to be an aging woman in a youth-focused culture. I’m a physically fit person but the limitations of age sometimes get the best of me

Q: Can you tell us about your journey as a writer? What inspired you to start writing?
Answer: I didn't start writing until I was 54 and it's become my later-in-life companion. My husband and I took a gap year in 2011—we sold the house, the car, and most of our things—and I wanted to capture the adventure in writing. My first book, Gap Year Girl: A Baby Boomer Adventure Across 21 Countries, is the result. I found that I loved to write stories, especially about travel (my muse), and I now have two books and many essays under my belt. My second book, The Twenty: One Woman’s Trek Across Corsica on the GR20 Trail, was recently published. It tells the story of hiking Europe’s toughest long-distance trail with my husband to celebrate our 60th birthdays. Writing these two books allowed me to relive the joy and discoveries of our journeys.

Q: Do you have an interesting writing quirk?
Answer: In my writing, setting is extremely important, so I suppose how I set up for my writing day is my little quirk. My rescue dog, Snap, is always on the overstuffed chair next to my desk with me and I always start by lighting a candle. My pup gives me a sense of warmth and security, and if the candle on my desk is lit, it tells my imagination to get to work.

Q: Where do you get ideas for your books?
Answer: Because my first two books are memoirs, the ideas come from my life, and they’re always about traveling and adventure. I try to encourage readers to get out of their comfort zones. Children love adventure and adults should too. It keeps us young! The people in my books generally become better, more interesting people after their journeys. I’m an avid hiker and always need another big hike on the horizon, so this June, my husband and I are doing the 200-mile Coast-to-Coast hike across northern England from the Irish Sea to the North Sea. And of course, our dog will be coming with us and I’m sure I’ll write about it.

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Visit Marianne on her website: 
www.mariannebohr.com
Join Marianne on Faceboook: 
www.facebook.com/MarianneCBohr
Follow Marianne on Instagram: 
www.instagram.com/mariannecbohr
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LINK for BOOK:
https://www.amazon.com/Twenty-Womans-Across-Corsica-Trail/dp/1647424321