Robert Gillmore
Montgomery, Vermont
To the editor,
In 2015 the Montgomery Recreation Board published “In the Middle of the Mountains: Scenic Roads & Trails in the Montgomery-Jay Peak Area.” Illustrated with color photos and printed on coated (glossy) paper, the pocket-size paperback offers detailed descriptions of eight road tours, seven “easy walks” and 15 hikes, all leading to the most interesting and beautiful scenery in the far-northern Green Mountains.
As far as I know, Montgomery is the only city or town in Vermont — and probably one of only a few small communities in the entire world — to have its own professional-quality local travel guide.
I hope your community will consider following Montgomery’s example, for many reasons: To raise money for worthy local projects, to advance tourism in your area, to provide a valuable service for residents and visitors alike, to add a feather to your community’s cap and to help bring much needed detailed, high-quality road-and-trail guides toVermont.
Unfortunately, local or even regional guidebooks have been virtually nonexistent for several reasons, including prohibitive editorial, printing and distribution costs and forbidding economies of scale.
Happily, our experience with the Montgomery book shows how these obstacles to even expensive local guidebooks can be overcome. Based on what we’ve learned, we’ve written a 2,500-word primer — a short how-to manual — on how to successfully publish a high-quality local travel book.
You can order a free copy at 802-326-2054 or at [email protected].
Robert Gillmore
Montgomery, Vermont
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