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| Freelance Writer, Editor and Photographer |
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| Michael Luongo, photo by Ingrid Breyer |
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| From partying with bikini-clad models on South America's most glamorous beaches to visiting Bin Laden's Tora Bora caves with Afghan warlords who talk of opening amusement parks in the area, to poignant interviews in war-torn Baghdad, I can pretty much say my travel writing and photography career has been out of the ordinary.
My name is Michael Luongo. Thanks for visiting my website to learn more about me. I am a New York based freelance writer, editor and photographer, concentrating on travel. Click on the various pages in this website to learn more about my articles, books and photography projects....and where in the world I've been to lately. With experiences in over 80 countries and all 7 continents, well, I could be just about anywhere now.......
Check in for periodic updates too, because there is always something new on www.michaelluongo.com
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| Some of my recent and most popular books: | | |
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Take note of these future events, readings, classes and workshops.....
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Readings for Gay Travels in the Muslim World, The Voyeur, Frommer's Buenos Aires and other books
NEW YORK CITY
Idlewild Travel Bookstore
Wednesday, June 25 7pm
Discussion of Gay Travels in the Muslim World, with Scott Long, Director of LGBT rights division for Human Rights Watch
12 West 19th Street (at 5th Avenue)
212-414-8888
www.idlewildbooks.com
CHICAGO
The Center on Halsted
Tuesday, July 8 7pm to 8:30pm
3656 North Halsted Street (at Wakeland Avenue)
773.472.6469
www.centeronhalsted.org
INDIANAPOLIS
Wednesday, July 9, 7pm
Out Word Bound Book Store
625 N East St (at Massachusetts Avenue)
317-951-9100
www.outwordbound.com
BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA
Thursday, July 10
(will include discussion of The Voyeur)
Rachel’s Café
300 E. 3rd Street (at Lincoln)
Time: 6:30pm-8:30pm
812-330-1882
WASHNGTON DC
Wednesday, July 16, 7pm
Lambda Rising Bookstore
1625 Connecticut Ave NW (at Q Street, near Dupont Circle)
Washington, DC 20009
(202) 462-6969
www.lambdarising.com
****** SPECIAL PHOTO LECTURE AT THE SMITHSONIAN ********
WASHINGTON DC
Buenos Aires, Argentina Photo Slideshow Lecture
Thursday July 17
6:45pm to 9pm
The Smithsonian
S. Dillon Ripley Center
1100 Jefferson Drive, SW (near 12th Street, SW)
(this location is on the Mall next to the Smithsonian Castle)
Metro: Smithsonian Mall Exit (Blue/Orange)
Event Code: CODE: 1M2-370
I will be conducting a special photo lecture at the Smithsonian on Buenos Aires, Argentina. This unique and sophisticated photo lecture will take you through one of today's hottest travel destinations. You'll see the country through my images and words, from over 8 years of experience as America's premiere travel writer on this exciting South American city.
There is a fee for this lecture.
Details are at:
http://residentassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/reserve.aspx?performanceNumber=198536
The Travel with Rick Steve's Radio Show
Coming soon, it might be anywhere from May through September, I will be on travel guru Rick Steve's radio show. The show will pair me talking about my book Gay Travels in the Muslim World with Maliha Masood who wrote Zataar Days, Henna Nights her memoir of traveling as a woman through the Middle East . Keep an eye out on http://www.ricksteves.com/radio/radio_menu.htm
Travel Writing Workshops - September
The Gay and Lesbian Community Center
On Tuesday and Wednesday, September 9 and 10, I will be doing a travel writing workshop at the Gay and Lesbian Community Center in New York. Our focus will be getting published, learning the business, and looking at gay and mainstream markets. There will be writing assignments for this workshop. There will be a fee for this workshop. You do not have to be a Center member to take the class. More details to follow.
The National Writers Union
On Tuesday, September 16, I will be doing a travel writing workshop with the National Writers Union. We'll look at the market, how to break in, and why the travel writing business is not as glamorous as most people think! The classroom focus will be on currently working journalists, but anyone may attend. You also do not have to be a union member to take the workshop. There will be a fee for this lecture. More details to follow.
New York University
My New York University Global Traveler writing workshop will be taught this Fall Semester on Saturday September 20 and Saturday September 27, from 10am to 4pm each day. This unique class focuses on travel writing memoir, and is ideal for ex-pats, children of immigrants and immigrants, and anyone living in an international milieu. Details to follow. The official course title is The Global Traveler: A Writing Workshop X32.978
October
Texas
Dates, events and cities to follow. I will be attending the SATW, Society of American Travel Writers convention in Houston.
November
You'll find me back in Buenos Aires, updating my Frommer's Buenos Aires book, America's favorite guide to the Argentine capital. I expect to be there through February or March of 2009. More information will also be at www.misterbuenosaires.com.
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SPJ - Society of Professional Journalists - Award
New York Chapter Deadline Club
In a ceremony on May 15, my writing received an award from the Society of Professional Journalists - New York Deadline Club in the category "Reporting, Circulation Under 100,000" for my November 2007 article for Gay City News on gay life in Iraq.
From the judges' decision......"The judges called "Our Man in Baghdad" a riveting read, saying the story details the harrowing task of survival, not only in a war zone but also as an outsider in one's own culture. A thorough, well-researched and compelling article on a most timely topic."
A link to the original article: Gay City News: Our Man in Baghdad
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Past Engagements
Harvard Club Photo Lecture on Iraq
Recent speaking engagements and events have included a groundbreaking photo lecture on Kurdistan and Iraq held at the Harvard Club in New York City on January 29th, 2008. This was the first photo presentation ever to present Iraq's northern region as a viable tourism destination for Americans. More details are at http://hcny.com/cgis/ev_day.pl?Date=1/29/2008&Detail=1
Frommer's Buenos Aires Second Edition Book Party - A Night of Argentine Glamour
On Wednesday, December 12, 2007, the Argentine Consulate in New York hosted a party for the Frommer's Buenos Aires, Second Edition. Nearly 500 people attended this glamorous gala, one of the largest book parties ever held in New York City. The crowd drank Argentine wine and watched tango couples perform during the 3 hour event which was covered by the New York Post's Page 6 gossip pages, Publisher's Weekly, Travel Weekly, Media Bistro and other publications as one of the most important travel media events in New York's busy holiday season. You'll have to wait until December 2009 for the likely repeat!
Budget Travel Magazine Buenos Aires Online Trip Coach Expert
Tuesday, April 15, 12:00 noon (Eastern Standard Time)
Yes, it's tax day. The perfect time to think about using your upcoming refund for a trip to the land of Evita, Wine and Tango. I answered your questions about the Argentine capital live for an hour on Budget Travel's interactive website. The archived answers are at http://www.budgettravel.com/bt-dyn/content/tips/tripcoach/index.html
The Equality Forum in Philadephia
In late April and early May, I took part in Equality Forum in Philadelphia which this year focused on gays and lesbians in the Muslim World. I moderated the theme's opening panel on Thursday, May 1st with panelists El Farouk Khaki, Arsham Parsi, Parvez Sharma and John Scagliotti. Other highlighted speakers of the Equality Forum included Judy Sheppard, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, and Irshad Manji. More information on the Equality Forum is at www.equalityforum.com.
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Be on the lookout for future events and classes.
Looking for a travel expert? I am available for radio and television commentary, panel presentations, speeches, conducting photo lectures and corporate presentations on a multitude of travel destinations. Peruse the pages of this website where my photos, links to articles, reviews and descriptions of my books, and other items will give you many ideas for conference speeches, media consultations and other projects for which I may be of help.
My email is mtluongo@aol.com or mtluongo@hotmail.com |
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