Kandy Ostrosky

Through my writing journey, I have met a lot of Indie Authors, but I have to say, connecting with Kandy Ostrosky was inspiring. I’ve met her virtually through one of my favorite FB network group: We love memoirs.

She’d just published her memoir, Love, Travel and Volunteering a journal styled memoir which immediately hit the #1 bestsellers list on Amazon! Congratulations, Kandy!

Her book is a narrative of her traveling and volunteering journeys through Peru, Mexico, Thailand, South Africa and Jamaican. Lots of good tips, especially if you are a woman travelling alone.
Meet Kandy Ostrosky

1. Tell me about yourself.
“Kandy is from Hamilton, Ontario. She has been a registered practical nurse since 2012 and began her career on a stroke rehabilitation unit. Currently, she works on a neurobehavioural unit. Her love and passion for nursing and helping people created her desire to volunteer in underdeveloped countries. She began journaling her trips in 2017 and will continue to journal her future adventures, as she wants to create a second part of this travelogue.”

2. Synopsis of your book in one sentence.
A travelogue diary entry book that is about my travel and volunteering experiences in Peru, Guatemala, Thailand, Jamaica, South Africa, & Mexico.

3. What is your favorite place of all your travels and why?
I can’t really say what my favourite place was because Guatemala, Thailand, South Africa & Mexico were all amazing trips and different things about each is why I cannot pick a favourite.
Guatemala – the people were so friendly, and it was such a great experience volunteering as a nurse there.
Thailand – the people were very friendly, the food was amazing, I loved feeding and bathing the elephants.
South Africa – the scenery is breath taking, and I really enjoyed volunteering in the Sport Development program at a school with the children.
Mexico – the people were so friendly, I felt the safest in Mexico of all my trips, I really enjoyed the cenotes.
South Africa – I snorkeled with seals. They would swim and twirl around right bedside me

4. Why did you write this book?
In 2017-2019, I journaled my trips for myself. In Jan 2020, I had a lot of time, so I decided to turn my journals into a travelogue book.

5. What message or lessons did you want your readers to take from this book?
After each entry, I write a lesson learned for each day. I hope that my readers can also use these lessons learned and apply them to their life. I want my readers to be able to experience travelling like I have, especially, if they are unable to travel.

6. Are you writing, at the moment?
At the moment, no.

7. If you are not writing, what are you doing?
Promoting my book and learning how to do Amazon ads for my book.As well, I am trying to find people that do podcasts about travelling

8. What is your advice to emerging Indie authors?
Don’t focus so much on grammar, or if your writing makes sense, when you’re trying to write your manuscript. Just write whatever comes to mind and then focus on editing and proofreading after. Whatever you do, don’t give up. It is worth it in the end.

9. What are you currently reading?
The Day I Died by C.M Francis

10. If you were a flower, fruit or a vegetable, what would you want to be and why?
I would be a sunflower because they are nice and bright. I like bright colours because they are cheerful. As well, I being around positive people.
Check out more of my author interviews here.

****************Book Review***************

Love, Travel and Volunteering by Kandy Ostrosky

Kandy provides tons of information about travelling solo as a woman, it’s a great guidebook that I wish I’d had when I was travelling alone many moons ago. There were no travel books written specifically for women back then.
I love her diary style writing and her dialogue with herself, as well as her recommendations, pet peeves, and especially her ‘Lessons Learned’ sections of her book. She talked about the joys and loneliness of traveling; when you’re absolutely fine alone until you see this random happy couple that feel like a slight tinge of jealousy. I’ve felt that, as well as the advantage of travelling alone and experiencing the kindness of random strangers that you will carry for a lifetime.
Kandy’s helpful and candid about the practical stuff too, like food, bathrooms and hygiene abroad. So important! One such tip I really got a chuckle about was her habit of renting rooms with two beds in case one wasn’t very clean. The difficulties of working in tough situations as a nurse was interesting; her ‘Lessons Learned’ at the end of her journal entries were unique. They were personal, they weren’t preachy, nor were they ‘virtual signaling’ at all; they were humble and a window into Kandy’s heart. After each of those, I felt like I was looking forward to her excursions as much she was!
She’s a very brave soul and gets down and dirty with her volunteering adventures, but she knows how to have fun too! She won me with her love of animals; something near and dear to my heart. These days, with the pandemic, travel is restricted and limited and it felt like she was taking my hand and leading me to all these places. I was whisked off on a flying carpet with her. Some of the locations I’d travelled to myself, so hearing her perceptive observations and how they were similar or different from mine was great!
The awesome thing about this is that she is donating a portion of the sale to an animal sanctuary in Jamaica. You’ve definitely got my support Kandy!

Grab your copy here!

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