Cynthia Clampitt is a freelance writer specializing in history, food, culture, and travel. She is the author of the book Waltzing Australia.

What do you do?

I write for magazines, newspapers, textbook publishers, reference works, and online sites.

Tell us about your new book.

When I decided to leave the corporate world, to start a new career as a writer, I needed to go somewhere far away, both to shake myself free of the corporate mindset and to test the limits of what I could do. Australia seemed the ideal choice. My book, Waltzing Australia, follows me on my six-month, 20,000-mile trek around and across the wonderful, surprising land Down Under. Waltzing Australia is a journal that recounts the joy and adventure of that trip (from cruising among the crocodiles and crossing the mountains on horseback to prowling great museums and visiting penguin colonies), as well as the outcome. It is a story of personal discovery, but more than that, it is about Australia: the history, legends and art, both European and Aboriginal; the beauty, the challenge, the people, the land.

Why did you write it?

I wrote it both to share with readers the wonders of Australia and to show people that dreams can come true, if you pay the price.

What makes you an expert in your field?

It might seem that the only necessary qualification for writing Waltzing Australia is going to Australia. However, because the story opens with the words, “Sometimes things work out,” I think that the working out is just as much a qualification as having taken the trip. Australia is the topic, but following one’s dreams is the heart of the narrative. I have gone far beyond what I had dreamed at the beginning of the trip. Today, I not only make my living through my writing, but I also travel a great deal—the adventure continues.

Of course, there are also the academic qualifications. Because I really love travel, food, history, and culture, I happily read everything I can in these areas. I’ve spent years reading about Australia in particular. Combine the reading with the “hands on” experience of travel, and I’ve developed solid expertise in the areas I love.

What type of people should read your book?

Anyone who wants to travel, anyone with an interest in Australia, anyone who enjoys real-life adventure, and anyone who loves tales of dreams come true. However, if you’re looking for violence or spaceships, this might not be your cup of tea.

Are you on any social networks? eg. Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn

Facebook, LinkedIn, and a few sites specifically for foodies and world travelers. I also have a “fan page” on Facebook, where readers can find out where I’m speaking. http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=logo#/pages/Cynthia-Clampitt/35358347597?ref=ts

Advice for Teens or Parents of Teens

There are a number of things I think it’s really important for teens to understand. One is that there are no adventures without ideas, and no ideas without learning. That doesn’t just mean studying in school, that means learning how to learn. I can’t tell you how many adults asked me how I had found out so much about Australia before going, and they were surprised when I said, “Books, the library -- it’s all available.” So get good at reading -- more easily done, of course, when you love the topic. So read what you have to read for school, but then improve reading in general by reading topics you love. And take notes. The brain actually processes information better, and holds on to it better, if you take notes, because the information (whether historic facts or ideas or new words or whatever you want to remember) “sticks” when it has to go through your brain to get to your hand.

Another thing I encourage teens to do is check stuff out. If you know what you love, that’s great, but if you don’t (and even if you do), look at all kinds of things—hobbies, destinations, time periods, sciences, the out-of-doors, the stars at night, plays, books, photographs—look at everything, and eventually something will click. You’ll still need to study other stuff (you can’t believe how useful math and history are if you travel a lot), but you’ll know the main thing you want to focus on.

As important as looking around, however, is knowing that you can change your mind later. When I headed for college, I waned to be a marine biologist. I changed majors after one year, ending up with my degrees in English Literature and French, with minors in history and science. Then I went into the corporate world for ten year. I was really good at business, but I figured out it wasn’t where I belonged, so I left and started over—which is where Waltzing Australia comes in.

So learn how to learn, look for things that interest you, but don’t worry about finding something you have to do for the rest of your life. Some people know from an early age what they want to be, but most of us take a while figuring it out. Then, when you find what you really want to do, be willing to do what it takes to make the dream come true.

Favorite Quote

"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." - Teddy Roosevelt

Favorite Theme Park

In the United States, Disneyland. You just can’t beat Disney’s level of imagination and inventiveness. Outside the U.S., Ocean Park and Middle Kingdom in Hong Kong. Ocean Park offers marineland shows, shark tunnel, live birds and butterflies, the Dinosaur Discovery Trail, and a variety of rides, while next-door, Middle Kingdom presents a “living history” of China, with costumed re-enactors and entertainers amid life-size replicas of ancient palaces and pagodas, temples and street scenes. Way cool.

How can we purchase your book? Learn more about you? Do you have a blog?

To purchase my book, you can just go to Amazon.com. If you visit my blog first, there’s a direct link to the Amazon page.

As for learning more about me, of course reading my book is a great way to do that! However, my blogs can also supply a fair bit of information. One blog supports my book (additional stories, photos, travel tips, Aussie recipes):  http://waltzingaustralia.wordpress.com . The other is about travel to places other than Australia, plus food history and food as it relates to travel and culture (including recipes from such destinations as Mongolia, Iceland, China, Morocco, and Ecuador, should you be interested in what the world is eating): http://worldsfare.wordpress.com .