Journalist, Author & Syndicated Columnist
With a career spanning some 60 years and more than 50 albums, Iain Matthews is a veteran of touring and recording. Now based out of Horst aan de Maas in the Netherlands, the former frontman for the folk rock band, Fairport Convention, said he is looking forward to hitting the road to promote his Oct. 25 solo album, “How Much is Enough?”
“My first overseas performance as a musician was in Japan,” says singer-songwriter SHAUN. “It was a club performance during the time I was playing in a band. We performed at a small venue called Eggman. I have fond memories of the enjoyable time we had. Prior to that, I visited several European cities in England, France and the Netherlands.”
“Bleeding Heart Yard” novelist Elly Griffiths said that living on the south coast of England is the perfect place for a crime writer such as herself. “Brighton has the reputation for being a little bit wicked,” the British author said. “The writer Keith Waterhouse said it has the air of a town that is helping the police with their inquiries.”
Dr. Jen Gunter has two New York Times columns dedicated to women’s health, a Canadian docuseries called “Jensplaining” and a very active social media presence where she disseminates medical fallacies in a way that the general public can understand. Her latest project is the book “The Vagina Bible: The Vulva and the Vagina: Separating the Myth from the Medicine” (Citadel, $18.95) — a Publishers Weekly and New York Times bestseller.
Author John Preston resides in London, England. Having traveled the world, he says that trips become more meaningful when you don’t set unrealistic expectations. “People often have this strange idea that if you go on holiday, you’ll leave all your problems behind,” says the 62-year-old author of “The Dig” (Other Press, $16.95). “You won’t, of course, and you may well find yourself with more time than usual to brood on them. It’s best not to set your sights too high, and simply bask in the unfamiliarity of it all.”
“I’ve been lucky enough to travel from a young age,” says actress and jewelry designer Katie Barberi. “I’ve grown up seeing so much diversity and beauty in different cultures. I draw inspiration from that all the time.”
An American expat residing overseas in London, Kalliope Lee makes her novel debut with “Sunday Girl” (Psychopomp Press). Set in 1991 Seoul, the book tells the story of two college-age friends struggling to live with the violent attack they both survived. One of the young women becomes obsessed with the plight of Korea’s “comfort women” — girls who were forced into sexual slavery to serve the Japanese Army during World War II.
With more than 60 gold albums and 24 platinum records, Engelbert Humperdinck has a voice (and name) that is known to generations of fans. The 75-year-old musician’s repertoire of No. 1 hits includes “Release Me,” “There Goes My Everything” and “After the Lovin’.” He’s currently on tour to support his latest CD, “released.”
Sir James Dyson put his engineering and art background to good use with his Dyson vacuum cleaners, which are so sleek that they have been on display at museums, including the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Born in Norfolk, England, the 63-year-old inventor still enjoys working on new designs. The company’s Airblade (a fast hand dryer) is popular, as is the Air Multiplier bladeless fan. Dyson talks about his love of vacationing with family in England and France.
Melanie Brown knows a thing or two about traveling. As a member of the Spice Girls, Brown — or Scary Spice, as she was known — saw much of the world, thanks to multiple tours with the group. “It was great fun,” says Brown, 33. “I’ve always loved seeing bits and pieces of places and then kind of figuring out where I’d like to return for vacations.” Brown, who was born in Leeds, England, currently resides in Los Angeles with her husband Stephen Belafonte and her two children. After competing on “Dancing with the Stars,” Brown began to put together ideas for a workout video that would be fun for “girlfriends to do together.” Her exercise DVD “Totally Fit” is in stores now.