Nonfiction Book Award Status: Silver Award
Title:
A Journey of Days Continues: Mud, Mountains and Mindfulness on the Camino de Saint-Jacques 
Synopsis:
The author leaves his comfortable North American home to walk over 800 kilometres across France on one of the ancient pilgrimage paths–les Chemins de Saint-Jacques–that lead to the Pyrenees, then into Spain to connect to the Camino de Santiago.
His first start is a disaster. After only 130 kilometres, on the high plateaus of the Massif Central, he abandons the attempt in the face of what he believes is a life-threatening illness. After several months of investigation, his cardiovascular system is pronounced healthy–but he has been diagnosed with diabetes, which is easily treated.
The following year, he returns to where he left off at the edge of the Massif and succeeds in making his way across France, climbs the Pyrenees, and walks into Spain as far as Pamplona. He follows this demanding journey in spite of altitude, illness, bitter disappointment, truly appalling weather, daunting climbs and descents, mud, age, and getting off-trail for three days, all while carrying his own backpack and water.
And he learns about who he truly is. Follow him step by step as he takes you with him on this inspirational journey of self-discovery.
Author Bio:
Guy Thatcher served in the Canadian regular armed forces from 1955 to 1980. He then pursued a second career for a further twenty-five years as a management consultant. He holds a degree in Computing and Information Science from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, is a Fellow of the International Facility Management Association, and is a lifetime Certified Management Consultant.
He is married to Carroll Thatcher, with whom he has four grown children and two grandchildren. Since 1991, he has been a home support volunteer for Ottawa’s Hospice at May Court. He walks, travels, gardens, reads voraciously–biography, history, science, and science fiction–and plays a truly dreadful game of golf.
He is the author of A Journey of Days, about his walk across Spain on the Camino de Santiago.
Guy lives in Ottawa, Canada. Visit his website at www.guythatcher.com.