Author Interview: Matt Bolton Writes U.S. National Parks Visitor Guides

Book Titles: “The Concise Visitor’s Guide to Yosemite” and   “The ConciseVisitor’s Guide to Yellowstone”

Website URL: http://www.amazon.com/Matt-Bolton/e/B002PIY8OE/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

Social Media Links: Creator and administrator of the Facebook fan page, “National Parks 101”

What is your book about? Both books are park specific and deal with information critical for planning a vacation to these magnificent, yet monstrous and expansive national parks:  where to eat, where to stay, hiking trails, wildlife, weather, park attractions, children’s activities, critical websites and phone numbers, etc.  Both books are full of advice for making the needed decisions from someone who has spent considerable time there.

What inspired you to write your book? While always considering myself a “national parks-a-haulic”, my career kept me from considering anything beyond vacations to the various magnificent national parks of the US and western Canada.  A totally unexpected diagnosis of late stage colon cancer at age 46 forcing disability retirement caused my wife to inspire me and strongly suggest that I put my love for, and vast experience in, the parks on paper.

How did you come to do what you’re doing today? Similar to the above answer, forced retirement from a career (due to late stage cancer) that required frequent travel put me in a position to look for another way to spend my days.  Being fully capable of typing at the computer most any day, with my wife’s encouragement, I first set out to write a visitor’s guide on my favorite national park: Yosemite National Park.  I found the writing so rewarding and enriching that after completing the book, another winter was around the corner creating the need to once again answer the question: “How will I pass the days at home during the long cold winter?”  Therefore, I set out to write my second book; this one on our country’s and the world’s very first national park: Yellowstone National Park.

Can you describe a typical day in your life? There are no “typical days for me”.  My life is a 4-day cycle based upon my illness. Day 1 is a medication day often in bed, days 2 and 3 I am pretty much functional and mobile – writing, attending my kids activities, chores, etc., day 4 I usually do not feel very well and I look to the following day to begin the cycle all over again.

What do you most enjoy about what you do? Writing these two books on two of our country’s largest, most beautiful, and most visited national parks allows me to spread the word and assist other people in discovering these magnificent places that many spend an entire lifetime without ever seeing.  It is enriching to feel like I am playing some role in spreading the word about these very magical places.

Are there any people and/or books that have inspired you along your journey? What inspires me is the profound lack of knowledge about our national parks that I see when discussing my numerous trips with friends, family, and neighbors.  Seldom do I return from a national park and get the chance to discuss it with anyone who can talk about the park on any detailed level from having been there themselves.  I commonly get the comment : “Someday I’d like to go there!”  My reply is usually something like “What are you waiting for?”

Can you share some business tips for our readers? Do something in your life so that once you’re gone, you children can always be proud of pointing out something you left your mark on.  Write a song, write a book, invent something, get a patent or copyright.  You may be great at your corporate employment but once it’s over, it’s over and there are few concrete markers of your time there left for the world to see.  My slogan is: “The word CANCER is pronounced, yes I CAN SIR!”

What’s next for you? Not sure, but writing books on just 2 of the 58 US National Parks means there are 56 options left!

Is there anything else you would like to add? Thank you for this opportunity!