Across the World Tour: Elana Johnson Unwinds at Yellowstone

What Is All This?

To celebrate the launch of Across the Universe on 1-11-11, we're going Across the World with guest posts of adventures from all over the world! This is all a part of the Across the World Tour. First, read the world adventure below. Then, click through to the adventurer's blog to find a letter.

Why a letter? Because the letters--when unscrambled--form a password. And the password opens up the secret page (LOOK for it above). And on the secret page is lots of goodies--secret information about the origins of the book, hidden Easter eggs, and...a entry form to win a prize of a signed ARC of Across the Universe, star swag, and MORE.

Today's Adventurer


Elana Johnson is a ninja. Or a super-hero. Possibly both. AT THE SAME TIME. How else do you explain how she organizes all the cool stuff online? Bookanistas...WriteOnCon...lecturing at real life cons...writing for the League...writing one of the best Query Letter books on the market... and, oh yeah--she's also written a Summer 2011 debut from Simon Pulse called POSSESSION. That little piece of lovely to the right? The cover. The story inside? Even better.

Elana's arguably the most well-known YA blogger in the 'sphere, and I feel totally cool to have her adventure today! And hey, guys--she thinks her adventure isn't cool enough. Totally tell her in the comments that she's a rockstar adventurer! After all, it's not where you go, it's how much cool you bring with you!

Elana Unwinds at Yellowstone

Okay, well, I sort of feel like an imposter doing this, since I’ve never traveled outside the US. Unless you count Canada, and well, I could see the US from where I went, so I don’t think it really counts. #travelfail

But Beth said I could still write something up for her amazing Across the World Tour, because she’s cool like that. (I hope Kirsten Hubbard doesn’t read this. I mean, the girl goes to Belize. What’s cooler than that? Nothing. Even saying Belize is cooler than what I’m about to say.)

I’m gonna tell you about a little trip I took to Yellowstone National Park. If you’ve never been, you have to go, like tomorrow.

Why?

Because every moment is a nature moment. I try to have a “nature moment” every day of my life. A time where I simply enjoy the beauty around me, from the way the storm clouds sit on the mountains to the pink-orange of the autumn sunset.

In those moments, I can feel. Really feel. I take a breath and feel the world slow into ribbons of beauty. I can relax in that moment. Then the Earth accelerates again, and my moment’s gone, and I’m fully back into the millions of things I have to do.

You know how that is.

So Yellowstone provides a backdrop where all that fades away. You can simply be. And sometimes that’s the best adventure of all.

So here’re some of my favorite pictures of Yellowstone that allowed my world to spin a little slower, at least for a little while.

Yes, I wear yellow. No, I don’t have shoes on. Yes, I’m fat. No, I hadn’t washed my hair in days.

Go Across the Blogosphere!

The adventure's not over yet! Go to Elana's site to find the first letter in the password to the secret page. Collect all the letters in the first two weeks of November for a chance to win a signed ARC, star-swag, and pin-buttons!