Marie Elena Martinez

In the fall of 2005, Marie Elena Martinez left a successful PR gig at HarperCollins Publishers, and booked a ticket to Quito, Ecuador, following her heart…out of the country. Over the last five years, she’s visited five continents, and more than thirty countries as diverse as Argentina, India, and New Zealand. Currently, she is living in her hometown of New York City, while finishing One Girl, Many Maps, Many Mishaps, a memoir about her time searching for the meaning of life, love, and whatever else came her way in South America and Southeast Asia. She also writes freelance travel pieces for such publications as Newsday, Women's Adventure Magazine, and The Miami Herald. When not nursing lattes on laptop in downtown Manhattan cafés, Marie Elena keeps busy running marathons, scouring the city for good live music, and researching her next big adventure. Marie Elena’s website and travel blog can be found at www.marieelenamartinez.com.