Meet and Greet at Copperfield’s Books

Meet and greet with local author Anja Woltman in celebration of her debut travel memoir – Geckos, Incense and the Moon!

Drop by our Sebastopol store on Saturday, May 9 from 12:00-2:00pm to meet the author and get your book signed.

At 73, the author sets off alone to spend a year living in a small beach village in Vietnam near her expat son—just as, unexpectedly, the pandemic begins. Drawn by her deep curiosity about Buddhist culture and Vietnamese life, she arrives just before the borders close. What follows is a once-in-a-lifetime immersion into a world vastly different from her own.
From navigating a foreign culture to riding out typhoons; from traveling to the Northern Highlands to enduring an unexpected hospital stay; from connecting with expats to simply finding joy in watching life unfold around her, she shares her journey with honesty, insight, and humor. At the heart of the story is the bond with her son, made more complex by his struggle with alcoholism, and her attitude of embracing whatever comes her way.
With wisdom earned over a lifetime, she reflects on the beauty of community, resilience, and finding peace later in life. This deeply personal travel memoir reveals how stepping out of one’s comfort zone can lead to the most unexpected and meaningful experiences—even at an older age.

Author: Anja Woltman was born in The Hague, Holland. Her early writing experience included contributing poetry and articles to her college newspaper, where she also served as editor. After moving to the U.S. in 1971 through a Foreign Teachers Program, she published an article in a Dutch weekly opinion magazine about American football—then a little-known element of U.S. culture in Europe. She took a break from writing while adapting to English but later honed her skills through writing poetry and professional writing.
Anja and her husband raised two sons and built their own home in Vermont. After their divorce in 1994, she relocated to Sonoma County, California, where she still lives. In addition to teaching, Anja held leadership roles in nonprofit organizations, serving as both Program Director and Executive Director. She is currently retired and has one grandchild.