No Set Boundaries: Eleven Stories of Life, Travel, Misadventure

by Townsend 11, Larry Habegger (Editor), Jennifer Baljko

The Townsend 11 collective of award-winning writers is back again with eleven true stories that will delight, entertain, amuse, and inspire readers of all ages. If you like the essays published in Travelers’ Tales, Lonely Planet, and other creative nonfiction anthologies, you’ll love Townsend 11’s second volume, No Set Boundaries. Townsend 11′s authors Jennifer Baljko, Carol Beddo, Jacqueline Collins, John Dalton, Larry Habegger, Dana Hill, Barbara Robertson, Bonnie Smetts, Jacqueline Yau, Bill Zarchy, and Y.J. Zhu.The first volume, No Fixed Destination, took readers from China to Croatia and beyond with heartfelt memoirs, stories of romance, and lessons learned. The second volume moves from reflection to action. Witness an early-19th-century Catalan tradition practiced in modern Barcelona that terrifies and thrills Jennifer Baljko. Follow Bonnie Smetts in Rome as she discovers how to shop the Italian way. Shiver with Dana Hill on a cold beach in England. Watch Carol Beddo find the courage to deal with bureaucratic prejudice aimed at a young woman in Ethiopia. Walk with backpacker Y.J. Zhu along a frightening, war-ravaged Cambodian road into hidden beauty in Angkor Wat. Rest awhile with Jacqueline Collins in a special California garden. And, slide through time with editor Larry Habegger as he drifts into an Impressionist painting on a canal in France. Then prepare to laugh. In his hilarious “Warped Willie,” Bill Zarchy deals with his once-proud, straight zucchini that morphed into a crookneck squash. Barbara Robertson’s attempt to help lost travelers becomes a comedy of misdirection. Next, John Dalton debates the risks and rewards of mountain biking after a misadventure on “Brokeleg Mountain,” while Jacqueline Yau goes to India to fulfill a travel fantasy in a Rajasthani city. “Jaisalmer, seduce me,” she writes, “I’m ready.” Whether you want to tickle your imagination, laugh out loud, or come along on an adventure, No Set Boundaries has a story for you. For more information, visit townsend11.com.

74 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 29, 2011

About the author

Townsend 11 is a collective of eleven writers (including one who’s been living in Barcelona for several years) who meet monthly in a converted brick warehouse on Townsend Street in San Francisco.

We are committed to sharing stories that enlighten, entertain, and inspire. Our work is an eclectic mix that has been widely published in major magazines, newspapers, and books, and has earned numerous awards. Now, in this age of e-books, we’re launching a series of works to engage you.

Larry Habegger, executive editor of the award-winning Travelers’ Tales books, spearheads the group, and he has this to say about our group’s history, enthusiasm, and dedication:

"Eight years now the core members of this group and I have been meeting to share and discuss our work. We started with straight travel essays and over time explored many genres, from memoir to humor to young-adult fiction to literary fiction. And we are exploring them still."

Townsend 11′s authors are: Jennifer Baljko, Carol Beddo, Jacqueline Collins, John Dalton, Larry Habegger, Dana Hill, Barbara Robertson, Bonnie Smetts, Jacqueline Yau, Bill Zarchy, and Y.J. Zhu.

Reviews

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Admittedly, I'm a biased when it comes to the Townsend 11 series of e-anthologies since I'm part of the group that put these books together. Still, it's a great collection of travel stories and personal trials and triumphs.

[Bill Zarchy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 2 of three anthologies by my writers' group, Townsend 11.