Photo: the sailboat Moonshiner of Hong Kong anchored in Waddington Bay, Broughton Islands. We bought a book by Moonshiner's owner in Port McNeill.

Every stop at a marina or a popular anchorage is an opportunity to swap stories. Steve especially likes to meet other boaters and talk about our latest equipment failure, the storm we recently weathered or a good anchorage we discovered. He also sees such stops as an opportunity to sell my books, especially Glaciers, Bears and Totems. Sailors often swap books for reading, but this is a new kind of swapping, "books for money."

This year we met many people on their way back from Alaska and many more who said, "didn't make it this year, but that's our dream." Steve would work Glaciers, Bears and Totems into the conversation. At an opportune moment, he would say, "Elsie wrote a book about Southeast Alaska." Then I'll bring out the book. One look at the cover and people want to buy it.

Twice this summer I've had people say, "I'd like to buy your book, can I interest you in one of mine?" Both times I've said yes and didn't regret it. The first time was in Elfin Cove where I met Rolynn Anderson on the motor yacht Intrepid. Rolynn is the author of Last Resort (Wild Rose Press, 2011), a mystery and thriller, Last Resort takes place in Big Bay, BC, near the Yuculta Rapids. I like to read stories that take place in places I've been and once I accepted Last Resort's rather improbable premise of a resort north of Campbell River hosting guests for the Olympics in Vancouver, I thoroughly enjoyed the story. From visiting Rolynn on her boat I also picked up an idea for a valuable selling tool: a poster in Osprey's window showing the covers of my books.

The second time I bought another author's book was in Port McNeill, where we met Adrian Sparham, author of Slow Boat from China: A man, a woman, and a dog cruising from Hong Kong to Vancouver (Sheridan House, 2006). The Sparhams sailed their steel ketch Moonshiner (pictured above) west through the Suez Canal, the Mediterranean and the Panama Canal. Slow Boat from China is full of stories of adventures with pirates, storms, and even a flood in Europe plus loads of interesting characters. It gives an intriguing picture of why and how the Sparhams embarked on their journey and a description of their journeys and lifestyle so good you feel as if you're there with them.

If you're looking for a good read and see either Moonshiner or Intrepid, stop and talk to their owners. You'll come away with good books.