Monday, March 1, 2010

Introducing TravelinOma

"Glad to meet you."

Marty Halverson began blogging before she knew what it was. Long "story emails" filled in-boxes until her overwhelmed son said, "You ought to start a blog." After exploring the Blogosphere TravelinOma discovered a world inhabited by kindred spirits: she had found her medium.

"Creative is a term I used to associate with crafts," she says. "I reserved it for people who produced a work of art you could hang on a wall, or tell your kids not to touch. My craft is with words. I write because I can't help it. It's like talking but it doesn't bother anybody. All the great ideas I've collected in my head all these years, from zillions of sources, can tumble off my fingers, be rearranged and organized onto a page, becoming a collage of my thoughts.

"Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes, and art is knowing which ones to keep. The Blogosphere is a friendly place to make a mistake, toss it, practice, and finally polish a work of art. It's where I come for my daily creative writing class." Blogging is Marty's art form.

TravelinOma's Mission Statement says in part:

"Everyone has influence, and I want my influence to be for good. My blog will be my legacy, a memoir of significant experiences, told with humor and hope. I will encourage and
support young mothers, be an advocate for strong, loving families, discern beauty in the dailiness of living and have fun."

Marty met her husband Dee in Salzburg, Austria where she developed a love for all things European. Sixteen years and seven kids later, they moved their family to York, England for a year, where she developed a love for all things English. Now, with twenty-one grandkids spread across the country, she is a traveling Oma. She thinks it would be fun to teach kindergarten (part-time only, with a couple of aides who would do all the cutting,) design window displays, model make-up for make-overs or compile songs for CD collections.

Marty and Dee have a history company, and do research all over the USA, Canada, Europe, and the British Isles. Marty has written a historical novel about a family in the old west, called Son of a Gun, which was released in 2011. Currently she is co-authoring a biography, and working on a second historical novel. "Writing is the only thing that when I do it, I don't feel I should be doing something else."


19 comments:

Tiffany said...

I love your bio, kindred spirit! Wish I could attend the conference!

Christie said...

You sound very casual. I think you are going to do great!

J, K, L, and D said...

I have sooooo many interests in common with you. Tiffany was right, you are a kindred spirit. (And likely to many souls out there. And she probably is too. Oh, how I love the blogosphere these days.)

This sounds like a great bio! Very newsy & full of fun. I think the conference attendees will love it. I wish I could go.

Shanel said...

Oh I loved reading that bio... so wonderful and inspiring. I love your writing btw...

Keri said...

You sound famous and dreamy.

I need an autograph!

Diane said...

It's perfect, and portrays your personality consistently with your blog.

The Grandmother Here said...

Great picture!!!

marta said...

awesome bio and really cute photo, oms. thanks for the plug too. you're practically perfect in my book. thanks for being an expert in so many subjects and sharing your wisdom with us daily!!

Anonymous said...

It sounds perfect. This is my favorite part-- "Everyone has influence, and I want my influence to be for good. My blog will be my legacy, a memoir of significant experiences, told with humor and hope. I will encourage and support young mothers, be an advocate for strong, loving families, discern beauty in the dailiness of living and have fun."

Heather Scott Partington said...

Okay, I'm going to try to do this for homework, but I couldn't resist telling you how much I love it. How come every time you write about writing I think, "that's exactly how I feel!"? I'll tell you why. Because that's what good writing does.

Especially love the part about it not bothering people like talking. HA.

al + sar said...

Love the picture and your bio is perfect!

Gordita said...

I love it. What a great way to describe you.

Kay Dennison said...

It's simply wonderful!

Heather Scott Partington said...

Okay, did my homework. :)

Great post idea. Very valuable for me to do as an exercise!

Jake said...

Good job, Mom! I wish I could come and hear your wisdom.

InkMom said...

"I write because I can't help it. It's like talking but it doesn't bother anybody."

This is part of the reason I blog, too. It's like the words just have to go somewhere, like a cup of water overflowing and you use another container to catch what spills. Love it. Love your bio. Looking forward to meeting you in May!

the wrath of khandrea said...

great bio! do we get a recap after the conf?

Abby said...

I think you are a perfect fit for this conference!

Olive's Granddaughter said...

Love the new photo--it is so YOU.
Bio is great. Keep up the good work.