Book Launch and Book sales

The ball is rolling on my marketing and publicity associated with my new book "Dream it. See it. Be it. ~ Discovering your potential at the end of your comfort zone."

I had a great time selling books at the Sunset Elementary Saturday Market a couple of weeks before the launch and have had many orders on Amazon at www.amazon.com/dp/1943164290 and via my website www.heatherhowells.com

Official book launch at the Honolulu Club on Oahu, Hawaii was on 24 October 2015. This great newspaper interview in "The Voice" section of Midweek Hawaii preceded the party.

 My MC from Maui, Patrick Snow flew over for the event. He has been my publishing coach and guided me along the process of ending up with a product that I feel very proud of.

Hawaiian musician, Wayne Tejada started the evening off with his magnificent voice and guitar playing. Followed by an Argentine Tango demo given my myself and instructor George Garcia.

I had the opportunity to "Talk Story" and discuss my journey of self discovery through the literal foot journey described in the book, staring 10 years ago with my dream of just becoming a little fitter which led to participating in marathons, ultra marathons, an extreme desert race and ultimately hiking solo across the American wilderness for 2300 miles.

Patrick interviewed me after my speech and I answered questions from the audience.

A huge thank you to everyone who attended the event. Here are a few pics.

Mahalo to the Honolulu Club for providing such an awesome venue.

Jonathan Wong from Honolulu Heartbeat interviewed me after the event.

Wonderful door prizes donated by sponsors were then given out to the audience.
A huge thank you to my sponsors who included:
Dr Catherine Kurosu, a medical doctor and OBGYN who has an holistic Acupuncture Practice, very generously donated three prizes each consisting of three treatments.
Shaka Kayaks, an eco-conscious kayaking operation on the North Shore of Oahu, donated 2two kayak tours as prizes.
LaniLove Gluten Free Bakery in Kahuku on the North Shore of Oahu donated two delicious gluten free treats.
Nalu Kinetic Spa at the Turtle Bay Resort on Oahu's north Shore donated a complimentary one hour massage or facial.
Balimoon Furnishings in Waialua offered a beautiful turtle woodcarving as a prize.
Please visit their websites at:
www.catherinemdacupuncture.com
www.shakakayaks.com
www.lanigflove.com
www.turtlebayresort.com
www.balimoonhawaii.com

Here's what Dream it. See it. Be it. is about:

​Do you have a dream? What does it take to visualize the steps required to make that happen and then live the dream? Are you willing to discover your potential at the end of your comfort zone?​

Dream It. See It. Be It. is the story of one woman who allowed herself to pursue her dreams. Join Heather Howells on her sometimes grueling but always fascinating journey of self-discovery while she attains insights and epiphanies about some of life’s big questions. From her first desire to get fit to running ultramarathons through the Kalahari Desert and hiking solo for 2,300 miles through the mountain wilderness of the Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico to Canada, Heather discovers her full levels of mental and physical endurance and the stamina she has to progress.

Most importantly, Heather shares with her readers how to visualize and implement the steps required to achieve success and discover how to live their own dreams. Heather’s journey on foot to conquering greater distances and attaining loftier goals serves as a metaphor for any dream or goal the reader might envision.

Visualize your own dreams while you take each step with Heather. Allow her to inspire you to take on your own dreams and challenges to make this gift of being alive the best experience possible. As you read, you will be entertained by the twists and turns, highs and lows of her challenging goals, and in the end, you will be motivated to embrace her message:

PRAISE FOR DREAM IT. SEE IT. BE IT.

“Heather’s story is a great feat of conquering one’s fears, breaking out of the comfort zone, and proving that the human spirit is alive and well.”
— Bradford Lombardi, Marathon and Ultramarathon Runner, Adventurer, United States
“This powerful and dynamic book translates ambitions into action. It ignites the courage to follow your desires, and serves as a forceful guide to achieve what you believe is unreachable.”
— Susan Friedman, CSP, International Best-Selling Author of Riches in Niches: How to make it Big in a small market
“‘If you’ve reached the top of the mountain, carry on climbing.’ This Zen saying arguably captures the spirit, resilience, and sheer joy with which Heather Howells has tackled the Pacific Crest Trail. Her account of this journey is heartwarming and life-affirming—a beautiful book by a beautiful person.”
— Kai Horsthemke, Author of The Moral Status and Rights of Animals and Animals and African Ethics, South Africa
“The story that follows is not the story of an ordinary woman doing extraordinary things. The story that follows is simply that of an extraordinary woman.”
— Amit Sheth, Author of Dare to Run and Ultramarathon Runner, Mumbai, India

“I am fortunate to have known Heather Howells throughout her ultra endurance career, and I am always impressed by the intensity and fortitude with which she pursues her goals. When others would waiver or abandon their goals, she invariably pushes on, often enduring great personal hardship and pain. Her inspirational story is a must read for anyone seeking to push their own limits, and to understand what is possible when one harnesses personal determination.”
— M.N. Muench, Ultrarunner, and Author of The Vengeance of Kahekili, Blood in the Water, and Cycles in the Heat, Hawaii, United States
“I know Heather well. There is nothing phoney in this book. This is live action from the edge. Every sentence is filled with lived truth. No cheap thrills here. Some writers dream it, others advise. This writer lives it.”
— Andrew .P. Wright, Author of The Flame of Heaven, Australia.
“Heather is a great communicator. Her blog posts during the Pacific Crest Trail adventure were so rich I felt as if I were walking alongside her. You will love reading this book and will be inspired to have your own adventures.”
— Edward Chapman, ultramarathon runner, participant in many multi-day events, and the only person to have completed the seven-day Kalahari Augrabies Extreme Marathon eight times, United Kingdom
"Heather is a phenomenal human being who followed a dream and saw it through some very tough stages. She truly is amazingly inspirational"
-Lionel Bastos, musician, singer, songwriter, music producer, South Africa.

“Heather’s stories share her journey from dreaming to ultimately fulfilling her dream — in ways that we all can relate. There is much we can learn, and enjoy, from her uplifting account of hiking solo across the American wilderness. "
— Lyla Berg, Author of Leaving the Gilded Cage. Hawaii, United States



Available on: www.heatherhowells.com

Book launch of "Dream it. See it. Be it."

https://youtu.be/axQc9KS4H3Y

Here's my PCT hike video, just in time to release my new book entitled "Dream it. See it. Be it."
available on www.heatherhowells.com

What hiking the PCT has taught me

Firstly, it continues to blow my mind that this trail even exists. The fact that there is a continuous wilderness trail from the Mexican border in California to the Canadian border in Washington is astounding. It's not an easy trail either, as it runs along the Pacific mountain crest, including the mountains in the Mojave Desert, the Sierra Nevada, the Oregon Cascades and the Washington State Cascades. The geography ranges from hot, dry desert terrain with little or no water, into the high Sierras with snow and multiple 14,000 ft peaks, to the Oregon lava fields and lake regions and finally the steep, cold, wild and wet Washington mountains.

As my life has turned out, hiking this trail and living in the wild in my tent for 146 days has been a bridge for me from my 'old' life to my 'new' life. I had got divorced a year previously, quit my job, sold my house and most of my possessions and met a new love only three months before embarking on this epic five month sojourn, which meant I would be MIA from my home state of Hawaii. 

My biggest take home experience from this adventure is a renewed faith in humanity. I have experienced so many random acts of kindness with people expecting nothing in return, ongoing from the day I started until I finished. I am humbled at the kindness and generosity of so many people and I hope to pay it forward.

The trail is a metaphor for life. It is a journey for which you have to be present in and focused upon, one step at a time. You cannot focus on the destination as it will become overwhelming. The trail, as with life can be exciting, boring, filled with adventure, mundane, monotonous, filled with both beauty and ugliness, disappointment, elation, gratitude, fear, comfort, loneliness, solitude and companionship. I've met good people, bad people, kind people, indifferent people, angels, magic, planning, spontaneity and so the list goes on. The motto that comes from all of this is "Just Do It", live life to it's fullest potential.

I don't feel as though hiking the trail changed me, but I do feel that it reaffirmed some philosophies on life that I already had and influenced me to continue to pursue being my own authentic self. Never try to be someone else but you can evolve into the best version of yourself that you can possibly be.

Have hopes, dreams and desires but don't have too many grand expectations as you are likely to be disappointed. Rather focus on the present and enjoy all of life's little gifts that come your way on a daily basis which you might overlook if you're too focused on some potential, eventual outcome.

 I've realized how many people truly care about me and are interested in my life. This creates a feeling of happiness and belonging and highlights the significance that communication and affirmation can have in one's life. 

So many people gave me ongoing encouragement and support, in the form of messages, comments, gifts, resupply boxes, hitches, trail magic and encouragement. There are too many to name but I am eternally grateful to each and every person.

My kids Ian and Sian and my family and close friends and colleagues have been so important to the success of my adventure. I am incredibly fortunate to have all these people in my life.

I am in awe of my fellow PCT hikers. Even though I hiked the trail solo, I met amazing people along the way and made many friends, sometimes only hiking a day with them and other times seeing and camping with the same people for big sections. These people inspired me and motivated me, making me realize that I was not the only person struggling along. Seeing their stamina and endurance made me conscious of the fact that I too had those qualities and that I could continue even when the going got tough. Every hiker has moments of suffering and rewarding moments and it's good to know this when you're going through your own difficult moments. 

The trail also highlighted the importance of flexibility. As with life, a fixed, rigid approach does not always work out the way you want it to. The conditions along the trail, as with life change and sometimes throw curve balls at you. This happened to me with all the fires in northern California. I was initially very disappointed but being burnt alive or succumbing to smoke inhalation was never part of my game plan, so I had to go with the flow of things and go around the fires.

Last but not least, a true romance story always makes an adventure even better. Josh has been my biggest trail angel of them all. Although we only knew each other for three months prior to the trail, he stayed by my side and encouraged me every single day via satellite phone text messages. He also flew over from Hawaii three times, once to every state and the last was to be there for me when I finished and accompany me home. He has gone above and beyond for me and I am filled with gratitude and love for him.

So yes, a remarkable experience, a bridge and a successful endeavor with a happy ending. Carpe Diem!  

The Good Stuff at the end of your Comfort Zone

Day 144-146:

I cannot remember the last time I have experienced such wet, bitter coldness. I was even shivering in all my layers inside my down sleeping bag last night. By 7am I was up and ready to roll and set out on my own as the other hikers weren't ready yet.

At the Rainy Pass parking lot, I met Ranger Jan and Kokopelli who had both decided to end their hike 62 miles before the end, each for their own reasons. It seemed such a pity but Ranger Jan asked me to write that they were at the finish in spirit in the monument register. 

The rains stopped and the day actually got sunny and I met weekend backpackers Steve and Chuck and had lunch with them at Cutthroat Pass, sitting on a rock drying out my tent overlooking spectacular scenery.

The trail then hugged the mountainside until Methrow Pass and then dipped into a cold, damp forest.

I set up camp at Brush Creek at 6:30 pm as I was feeling very cold and wanted to get into my sleeping bag after a 23mile/ 37 km day. PCT hiker, Lumber appeared at 7pm and thankfully camped nearby. Only 42.7/ 68.7 km miles until the end of the trail!

Day 145:

From Brush Creek I climbed the switchbacks up another mountain giving me great vistas before Harts Pass. 

Once I reached Harts, I felt emotionally, physically and mentally depleted. No-one was at the pass when I arrived except for a ranger who told me to go along the road to the trailhead. I misunderstood his directions and hiked a couple of miles down the incorrect road. Instinctively I wasn't feeling good about the directions and when I saw a truck approaching, I flagged it down to ask them if they knew where the trail was. They told me that I was on the wrong road and became my trail angels by driving me back up the road to the correct trail access. Not only did they rescue and help me but also showered me with trail magic in the form of treats and fruit and helped me feel a whole lot better. Thank you so much Greg, Ryan and Rachel Christensen!

Continuing north bound I started running into PCT hikers who had already finished but opted to hike back 30 miles from the monument at the border to Harts Pass instead of entering Canada. 

It was awesome seeing Hotpants, Guy on a Buffalo and Shimiko again and congratulations to them.

It's my last night sleeping on the PCT and I am in good company with Sad Fish, Happy Feet, Cloud Trousers aka Bird Bath, Lumber, Shutter, Yosemite Bear, Smoky and Goosebumps.

A bear came into our camp and Happy Feet chased it away by shouting loudly. I'm so glad I was with other hikers but I went to sleep with my mace by my side anyway.

Tomorrow I complete my journey.

Day 146:

A day I shall never forget! 

The motivation to hike fast was high and there was still a fair amount of climbing before the big plunge down to the monument. 

It really felt like no man's land out here, wild and rough with awesome vistas out there on the horizon which went on forever.

The weather forecast was for rain and snow tonight and I watched the sky filling with clouds as the day progressed.

Most of my hiking today was with Sad Fish and Shutter and we reached the monument at the Canadian border around 3pm. 

What an incredible feeling I experienced on arrival at the end. Clapping and cheering from the hikers who had arrived there earlier but were lingering to savor the moment. 

To my absolute joy, Pippen, Stringcheese and K2 where there. I had spent many special moments with them throughout my journey and it was meaningful to be at the monument with them.

Stringcheese had brought along some fun inflatable suits to wear at the finish, so I put on the sumo wrestler and Sad Fish wore the horse. We were all rolling around with laughter.

Soon, Topshelf, Banjo, Smoky and Goosebumps arrived and I was able to get a group photo with these awesome people I had hiked with at the end, including Sad Fish and Shutter.

Another amazing person to be at the finish was Cloud Trousers who potentially saved me on day two of the trail simply by showing up at the abandoned campsite at Boulder Oak when I found myself alone there, being watched by a creepy man in a truck who left when Cloud Trousers arrived. Another one of my angels.

Well done to everyone else there at the finish, all very special people.

The drizzle started again and I did not want to spend another night in a cold, wet tent, so I hiked out into Manning Park resort in Canada, making it a 27 mile/ 43.5 km day.  

It was dark and rainy when I arrived at the resort lodge and that night the higher elevations in the last section of trail did get some snow, while I snuggled in a nice warm, comfortable bed.

Tomorrow I catch a bus to Vancouver and then go on to a week of celebration and R&R in Seattle with Josh who is meeting me there.

Wow! What an epic adventure! What a journey! Thank you PCT for providing me with the chance to experience life in this manner.

The good stuff happens at the end of your comfort zone.