Debi Lander
By Maralyn D. Hill and Sherrie Wilkolaski
D
ebi Lander is a freelance
travel journalist,
photographer and seasoned
international traveler who
hails from St. Augustine,
Florida. She has a keen interest in
soft and active adventure, food and
wine, history and cult ure. Her work
has been published in Visa Black Card
and Islands magazines, AOL Travel,
FoxNews, Automotive Traveler,
Business Jet Traveler, Taste of the
South and many online publications.
Debi is a member of the Society of
American Travel Writers and the
International Food, Wine and Travel
Writers Association. She maintains a
website with a travel and food blog
at www.bylandersea.com.
Ms. Lander, a former personal fitness
trainer, completed 11 marathons
including: Athens, Greece; Bordeaux,
France; Big Sur, California; Marine
Corps in Washington, DC; Cincinnati;
New York City; Disney World; and
Jacksonville, Florida.
She has four grown children and is
Grandmother Mimi to seven (soon to
be eight) grandchildren.
How did you discover your love for
travel writing?
I’ve always had a dream to travel but
didn’t get my very far until
adulthood. To celebrate my 50th
birthday, I decided to challenge
myself to running a marathon. I
choose to make it a real adventure
and picked the original course in
Athens, Greece. At the time I was
writing a fitness newsletter and
everyone told me they loved reading
about my trip to Greece. That
sparked the idea of becoming
a travel writer.
Which are you more passionate
about writing or photography?
I am more passionate about
photography because when I stand
behind the lens, I can go places
I wouldn’t otherwise. The camera
removes any shyness. People have
a way of responding to a camera,
which became very evident in
India- my latest trip. The kids
were so excited for me to shoot
them and then wanted to peek at
their photo on the digital playback.
I was delighted.
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Photography also helps remind me
of details and the camera often
sees things I don’t notice at first
glance. I adore sunrise and late
afternoon sunlight.
What is the writing process
like for you?
My writing process is painful; it
doesn’t come easy. Getting the first
draft from my head to the computer
is a chore, but once I get that
accomplished I am happier. Editing
becomes almost fun, trying to
find the right words to convey the
meaning. I edit my articles numerous
times and never feel I am really done.
When you get the chance to pick
your travel destination, where
do you go?