Author Waltzes Across Australia And Mom's Choice Award®

Online, March 17, 2010 (Newswire.com) - Chicago, Ill (March 2010) - Her words swept away enthralled readers to the lush and rough Australian landscape, where her heart still remains after a life-changing journey of adventure, nature and self-discovery. Author Cynthia Clampitt had no idea that people of all ages would feel such a connection with her book Waltzing Australia (BookSurge Publishing, June 2007) or that it would be named a 2010 Silver Recipient of the Mom's Choice Award®.

In February, Clampitt's travel narrative was bestowed with the prestigious Mom's Choice Award for authoring an inspirational and uplifting book that can be shared by the entire family. The annual awards competition honors excellence in creating family-friendly media in a wide range of categories and is intended to help guide parents in choosing safe, quality products for their families.

Waltzing Australia is Clampitt's labor of love, a journal comprised at a time in her life when she quit her job mid-career, and headed off to live out two of her life's goals: traveling through Australia extensively, and to write. Composed of her thoughts, experience, Australian and Aboriginal history and anecdotes, readers unfamiliar with the Australian story and environment will finish this book with a better understanding of its people, land and majesty.

"This book was written during a time of uncertainty and self-discovery," says Clampitt. "So to come through the other side and see that others are learning something from my journey is an incredible feeling."

The Mom's Choice Awards aren't the only ones feeling a connection to Clampitt's debut book. Amazon.com's customer reviews give Waltzing Australia four-and-a-half stars and called it "marvelous, compelling and fresh." Most reviewers expressed that the vivid imagery and Clampitt's thorough writings on her exploration led them to feel like they had just explored Australia with her - and wanted to see it for themselves. The geography program at Plymouth State University in New Hampshire has made the adventurous travel book recommended reading, no doubt in part due to its detailed descriptions of the land.

For fans of her book, her website, WaltzingAustralia.wordpress.com, acts like a DVD "special feature." It includes snippets of thoughts, history and other writings that didn't make it into the final book, and she continues to update her blog with additional thoughts on a regular basis.

"My journey through Australia was the beginning of a new, more fulfilling chapter in my life," says Clampitt. "I hope readers will return often to my blog to see more of Australia and to continue the adventure."

Clampitt's first work has also received praise from publications and websites like The Compulsive Reader, IPReviewers, Apex Reviews, Good Reads and UK Book Reviewer.

About Cynthia Clampitt and Waltzing Australia
Cynthia Clampitt is a freelance writer, photographer, culinary historian and world traveler. After working in the corporate world for many years after college, Clampitt decided to walk away and follow her dream to Australia. Her six adventurous months of extensive traveling became Waltzing Australia, and subsequently began her new life as a writer. Waltzing Australia is available on Amazon.com.. To learn more about Cynthia Clampitt and Waltzing Australia, please visit her website at http://waltzingaustralia.wordpress.com/.
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