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I had a bit of an interesting revelation recently, suddenly realizing just what the date is and how far life has come. Five years ago, Migration: Exploring the Remarkable Journeys of Birds first took flight. Now, that’s quite a publication anniversary to celebrate!

Five Years in Publication

I honestly never sought to write a book. Despite working steadily as a freelance writer since 2003, I was very satisfied with my list of clients, a variety of topics, and the short turnaround and challenges of the ever-changing article-writing lifestyle. Yet when approached to write a book, it was a new challenge I was intrigued enough to try.

And what a ride it was to bring Migration to flight! A completely new writing process, a full team behind me to ensure it was a smooth journey, a title change (originally, I’d titled the book International Flights), foreign connections, multiple languages, illustration coordination, and so much more.

Ultimately, I’m so very glad I took on the challenge and have made this journey. To this day, I have three copies of Migration displayed in my office, and while they fade into the background most days (maybe I ought to change my display to bring them to better prominence!), they make me smile when they do catch my eye. How is that really my name on the cover?

What a Five Years It’s Been

Of course, life has changed far more than I’d ever have imagined in the past five years.

I’ve had family members pass that have dramatically changed family structure and hierarchy. I’ve had to sell my father’s home – my childhood home – and sever a connection I’ve taken comfort in all my life. We’ve added a new member to our family in a way we never imagined, and in other ways, our family has shrunk definitively.

There’s been my lung cancer diagnosis and all its intrusions on the life I’ll never get back. Never mind the emergence of the arthritis I’ve known to expect for many years and vision changes that have impacted my birding, both at home and in the field.

We all plodded through the pandemic and the changes to birding it created, some of which have stayed in place even to this day.

I’ve birded in foreign countries, adding lifers I’d never have imagined to a list I can no longer keep. And of course, I still enjoy the most frequent visitors to my yard, particularly newcomers like the white-winged doves.

The Next Five Years

So what will the next five years bring? What these past five should have taught all of us is that while we can make plans and have hopes for the next few years, it’s also best not to depend on them as solid fact – life has a way of ensuring your plans have to change.

For me, I definitely want to up my birding game once again. I can’t even remember the last time I was in the field for any dedicated time, though I do take quick drive-bys of some favorite spots now and then. Fortunately, living in Florida, it’s not too hard to enjoy birds even if you aren’t able to spend hours at a refuge or other hotspot.

There also have to be changes to my writing. In the past year in particular, my productivity has dropped (granted, not without reason) and there is just too much I’ve been unable to manage. Over the past few weeks, I’ve taken some new steps to try to mitigate that damage and recommit to the work I love. I want to double and redouble that commitment, to show that I can, that nothing will be able to stop me.

A Gift to Celebrate!

I couldn’t have reached the heights I have without the support of my amazing readers – not just for my two books (Migration as well as Birds for Kids), but also for this blog and its accompanying Facebook page where we have mystery bird contests, daily birds, questions, and other fun.

To celebrate the fifth anniversary of Migration‘s publication, I have a gift for every reader – a way to have a signed copy of the book! Anyone who already owns Migration (or is willing to purchase it!) and would like their copy signed just needs to leave a comment below and I will provide a signed bookplate you can affix inside the book as you prefer. I’m even happy to customize the signature with a personalized greeting!

There is no cost for the bookplate; I will cover the postage and each bookplate will be mailed directly from me; no addresses will be shared, bartered, or sold. Just be sure to include a valid email address in the comment form so I can reach out to you for your mailing address and any signature customization you would like. And I’d love a photo of you with Migration – just to see my book in the hands of birders and readers, which would be such a thrill – if you’re willing, but it’s not required!

Thank you for supporting Migration for these five years – here’s hope for many more years to fly high and enjoy birds along the way!