Middle Miles: Cycling from Canada to Mexico Along the Pacific Coast Highway: Received a 4+ star review, making it an IndieReader Approved title.
Following find an interview with author Cory Mortensen.
- What is the name of the book and when was it published? Middle Miles: Cycling from Canada to Mexico Along the Pacific Coast Highway. June 5, 2025
- What’s the book’s first line? “We begin this trip on a small patch of grass, a place that blurs the line between the United States and Canada – Peach Arch Park.”
- What’s the book about? Give us the “pitch”. In 2020 I wrote The Buddha and the Bee which became an award winning best seller. It was about a poorly planned cross country bicycle trip. Middle Miles sort of revisits that idea, only now 20+ years old, wiser, Middle Miles reflects more on life as a middle aged guy. The Middle Miles of life.
- What inspired you to write the book? A particular person? An event? I had written three successful books and I wanted to ride the Pacific Coast Highway on my bicycle and I thought this would not only be a great experience but make for a great story that, although it stands on it’s own, fans of my other books will see how it all connects.
- What’s the main reason someone should really read this book? I think if you are in your 40-50-60-70’s, this book will speak to you from the stand point of realizing our bodies are aging but our minds are still young and how do we accept both of these things to be true as we reflect on our future and enjoy the Middle Miles of life.
- When did you first decide to become an author? 2020 I published my first book, The Buddha and the Bee. It became a rather grand success. Originally it was just a stand-alone but the story turned into a trilogy which has been well – received. After publishing my third book, I finally had the guts to call myself and Author.
- Is this the first book you’ve written? Fourth. The first three I call “The Buddha and the Bee Trilogy”, a travel memoir series about a two year trip around the world.
- What do you do for work when you’re not writing? I used to have a company, books make enough to help with the bills but I’m currently looking for something, not sure what.
- How much time do you generally spend on your writing? If I’m hammering away on an outline I just write until my wife tells me to go to bed. Then when I start adding the meat and potatoes to the story, the history, trivia, I can do that for about four hours a day.
- What’s the best and the hardest part of being an indie? Best part is full control over your work, hardest part is getting your book out there in front of readers who are your audience. I base those who are my audience by comparing reviews of books of the same genre and same type of story.
- What’s a great piece of advice that you can share with fellow indie authors? Don’t think your first draft needs to be perfect, just write the words down and piece them together later – and write everything down, every idea, every philosophy, every everything. At the end of the day it might not work for the current story, but it will work for another one down the road.
- Is there something in particular that motivates you (fame? fortune?) Now that my books have generated steam, a fan base, I like being interviewed on podcasts, seeing a new review, receiving a heartfelt email from someone who was touched by my work. Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to get some fortune as well, perhaps that requires more books to find a wider audience.
- Which writer, living or dead, do you most admire? I wouldn’t say I admire these writers, but I like the prose of Kerouac, Hunter S. Thompson and Joan Didion.