Presenting Author Catherine F. Olen
As Ms. Olen says in her book, we usually arrive with an enormous list of what we want to see and do. We then scurry from ride to ride, from Tomorrowland to Jungleland, trying to fit in as much as possible in the hours we have.
Once you get this book, you will have the opportunity to view the Park from a different perspective. It sounds like so much fun to take it with you as you wander, looking for the answers to the impressive scavenger hunt.
As an adult, I still cherish visits to Disneyland. The memories accumulated would make this particular hunt a pleasure with or without children.
For that reason, we are so pleased to spotlight the book today. Catherine is currently on a virtual book tour hosted by iRead Book Tours, for The Great Disneyland Scavenger Hunt. The tour runs from July 11 to 22, 2016. You can see all of the author’s stops along the way, here on her iRead Home Page.
Ms. Olen also was kind enough to share an article for us to publish here for your enjoyment.
Seeing Disneyland Through New Eyes
After completing The Great Disneyland Scavenger Hunt I had a friend ask me a shocking question. “What made you write about something so many people know about?”
Let’s face it, Disneyland is one of those topics that has been written about again and again over the decades since the opening in 1955. Several people are considered the foremost experts on Disney, so this was a valid question, why me?
I suppose the best answer to the question is to explain first of all that I do not consider myself an expert on Disneyland. I know that sounds contrary to the mind set of an author but go on the journey with me and it will all make sense.
I have had a love affair with Disney for over forty years. Sitting in the theater to see Pete’s Dragon and The Rescuers with my mother on a Saturday afternoon. Watching reruns of The Mickey Mouse Club on a black and white television in our kitchen. Yearly pilgrimages to Disneyland the first week of summer and tearing out those precious E tickets for attractions like Pirates of the Caribbean and Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride. Seeing The Little Mermaid for the first time in 1989 are all experiences that have shaped my world living in Southern California.
As an adult, I got my first annual pass in 1990 and Disneyland took on a whole new meaning. For the first time I could take my time seeing the park instead of rushing from attraction to attraction, packing it all in one day. With each visit I saw some new detail I had missed previously. Another factor in my journey was seeing the park from different places in my own life. As a young adult, a new parent and now as an empty nester, I see Disneyland differently, not just because the park changes, but because I change.
The Great Disneyland Scavenger Hunt was written from the perspective of showing guests the Disneyland I love through my eyes. It is a love note to founder Walt Disney, a man of such great vision it scared his brother Roy throughout their lives. Walt saw the vision of Disneyland sitting on a bench in Griffith park. Not knowing or caring where the money would come from to take on the herculean task, he plowed forward, excited about the next stage of his life.
Much was the same for me when I began the research and writing process. I had no publisher or idea if I would find someone to make my vision a reality but I believe so much in this book I moved forward with faith, knowing something great was coming in my life.
It is with humility and thanks I can share The Great Disneyland Scavenger Hunt with the world. I never want there to be a day that goes by when I don’t learn something new about Disneyland and with Walt Disney’s vision, I am excited knowing I never will.
The Tour
Book Description:
See the enchantment of the Disneyland resort in a whole new way with “The Great Disneyland Scavenger Hunt.” From Main Street U.S.A. to New Orleans Square, Walt Disney lovingly designed every detail to immerse guests in the magic of his theme parks.
See Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure through new eyes when you discover fantasy, thrills, and dreams around every turn. Whether you’re perusing the shops, waiting in line, or riding attractions, there’s plenty to uncover for even the most knowledgeable Disney fan.
Buy the Book: Amazon ~ Books-a-Million ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Powell’s Books ~ Chapters.Indigo.ca
Author’s Bio:
Catherine Olen has enjoyed a love affair with the magic of the Disney theme parks for as long as she can remember, counting herself among Disneyland passholders for the last twenty-five years.
Previously, Olen owned and operated Hollywood Grave Hunter and is the proud author of The Final Curtain: Celebrity Deaths and The Upside of Undertaking, chronicling her previous career experiences.
She has been a correspondent to Entertainment Tonight (US and France), The Biography Channel, Reelz Network, and the Mark & Brian radio show.
Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Pinterest ~ Instagram
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
