Beverly Roman, publisher BR Anchor Publishing
Beverly Roman began writing as a result of her desire to help families avoid some of the difficult relocation challenges that she had experienced herself during her own 18 moves. In 1989 she repatriated to the USA from England and put many of her tips onto paper as the book 'Moving Minus Mishaps'. Unable to find a publisher who believed in the project she established Br Anchor Publishing and did it herself.

'A decade later I have completed my 16th book and have published more than 121,000 copies which are sold all over the world,' says Beverly.

BR Anchor also maintains a website and produces a free monthly ezine, Relocation Today.

Sharon Maas, novelist with a three book deal with HarperCollins
'Writing my first novel was quite simply a matter of staying sane,'writes Sharon Maas. Living in virtual isolation in rural Germany, Maas, who had been a journalist in Guyana, was drawn back to writing. After a year and a half she had a 700 page manuscript. With the help of an agent she cut it to 450 words, but it was rejected by every major London publisher. More than another year later she enlisted the help of Hilary Johnson. After some major changes Hilary loved it and found Sharon a new agent. Three publishers offered for 'Of Marriageable Age' and five figure advances ensued. Her second novel is due out in June.

Rebecca Ponton, journalist on the move
Rebecca majored in journalism at college though never actually completed her degree. When she began her mobile life with her husband, she went back to writing.

'I think freelance writing is an ideal career for an expatriate if you have the desire, and hopefully, the talent. But you also need self-discipline and motivation,' she writes by email from Almaty, Kazakstan, where she now lives. By the time this issue is printed she will be in Abu Dhabi. Rebecca writes for all sorts of international magazines and newspapers, and in this issue we publish her report on international adoption.

'Writing is portable, flexible and perfect if you want to be a stay-at-home, Mom, like me. There is always plenty of work for native English speakers, no matter what country you live in. Not only can you find work overseas, but living in a foreign country gives you plenty of ideas for pieces you can submit to your home country. Writing is a career without barriers,' she concludes.

Laura Hoffman, website editor www,xPATs.com
Laura settled in Brussels more than 12 years ago and comes from a career with the Wall Street Journal to Ackroyd Publications in Brussels. Last year Ackroyd bought the website xPATs.com that she had created in partnership with her husband, Paul Muraille. Together, and without funding, they formed a website that has grown to receive a staggering 23,000 visitors every month.

'We started xPATs.com before the expat website hype hit, and developing the website was like taking part in a mental and physical ballet. We were, at the same time the accounting department, content developers, PR and marketing,' she recalls. 'The site is without doubt the website of the Brussels' international community. In many ways we didn't build it . . they did,' she says.

Laura believes that there are major differences in writing for off-line and online publications. Most writers should be aware of the styles required for each media, and those who want to write for the web do best to learn by example, spending lots of time online, getting a feel for web styles and being discriminating.

Christine Dowdeswell, co-author of local guide to Indianapolis
'Like many good things that happened in my life the chance to voluntarily co-author 'The New International Guide to Greater Indianapolis' came almost by accident, ' recalls Christine Dowdeswell, who had been invited to join the team by her friend Janet Fischer. Christine had always enjoyed writing, and had undertaken a series of informal assignments before this. They collected hundreds of leaflets and books and talked to people of all different nationalities before starting to compile the guide. After getting lots of advice on style and content they worked alongside an editor who helped them to cut and cut again.

'I don't feel that I am a real writer, though seeing my own writing in print is an amazing experience. But I do feel that writing is just part of what I do,' she says.

Robin Pascoe, publisher - Expatriate Press, author and journalist, Vancouver
'Expats write when they are away, I think, because like most writers, they need to as away of processing all the experiences associated with travel. They are joining in a long tradition of expatriate writing, dating back to the original colonials who kept meticulous journals of their voyages or wildlife. In modern day, given the technological support, it is easier than ever for an expat to engage in a writing career because it is so easy to find publications, find out what kind of stories are required and ship them off to editors,' says Robin wisely.

Towards the end of her ten years in Asia as the wife of a diplomat, Robin wrote the highly controversial (at the time) 'Culture Shock A Wife's Guide', published by Times/Kuperard. She went on to write 'Culture Shock - a Parent's Guide', and then, after her repatriation, she started her own press and its first book, 'Homeward Bound' - A Spouse's Guide to Repatriation, came out last summer.

Robin maintains a career as a reputed journalist and presenter on expatriate issues as a way of promoting her skills and her books. Her popular website www.expatexpert.com has proved to be a valuable resource for her fans.

Christine Rolland - Chanson Pour Mon Deuxieme Pays, France
After ten years in her second country, France, in the apples and cheese countryside of Normandy, Christine Rolland has published a book, in French about her love for the Pays de Caux region she now calls home.

'My book was published by Lithurge Editions in Manneville la Goupil. It was inspired by a feature article in the local newspaper about the publisher - a single mother who had been on welfare and decided to follow her dream and start a publishing business instead of continuing to receive charity. I thought "This is a woman with whom I could work." I called her up and proposed to write a book and she loved it,' Christine says.

With only 15 copies left, her book has received acclaim locally and stands as testament to the fact that if you truly believe in something it will happen.

And more besides . . .

Space does not permit the inclusion of more wonderful stories about successful writers abroad. Take Justine Hardy, daughter of actor Robert, whose time in Kashmir became the novel 'Goat', or our cover girl, Belinda Jones, featured this month as one of our trailblazers, whose financial straits in Las Vegas brought her home to London to write the book, 'Divas Las Vegas'. Tracy Tokuhama-Espinosa, published 'Raising Multilingual Children' and Lisa Cirieco self-published the ultimate book and website on life in Zurich - 'Know-it-all Parents'. Trailblazers, Tracy Hogg, published The Baby Whisperer. It can be done.

If your life would be unthinkable without access to pen, paper or keyboard, then the chances are you too could become a writer. All of the books mentioned here can be ordered through fourthbeach@womanabroad.com

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