When I moved to Dublin from Iowa with my wife, I found myself unable to work due to visa complications. As a hobby, I took up a daily blog about my new life in Ireland. People planning trips to Dublin began contacting me through the blog asking for my insider tips about visiting the city. I compiled a long list of tips and tricks from an unemployed expat's perspective for potential Dublin visitors. As the list grew, I decided to make it a full-length book and publish it for free as a way to share my Dublin experience and expertise with as many people as possible.

I have spent nearly two years exploring Dublin with a lot of time and a very tight budget. In that time, I've gathered a wealth of interesting facts and found fun things to do without spending much money. An independent, free book seemed like the perfect way to share my knowledge with the world, and work on "The Frugal Guide: Dublin" began.

Since publishing "The Frugal Guide: Dublin" in December 2014, my book has been downloaded by hundreds of prospective Dublin visitors, and has hopefully helped them all save money and have fun in my adopted fair city. Some have been in contact with their stories and feedback, and I hope to hear from many more.

Sharing. I sincerely enjoy writing nonfiction travel guides from experience and stories about myself, knowing that I'm sharing my accumulated local knowledge and interesting stories with interested (and interesting) people.

That so many people have read my book, the result of so much hard work, and enjoyed it and benefited from it is humbling. I greatly enjoy reading feedback about the book, and I've even received several hot new tips from Dublin-based readers!

I am currently working on a (not free) personal memoir called "Five Suitcases." This (hopefully) humorous collection of stories chronicles my American/Irish expat experience from finding out we'd be moving, through the difficult process of condensing a life from a three bedroom house to five suitcases, the joys of establishing a new life in Ireland, and observations about Irish life and culture.

The book should be published later in 2015, but a free sample chapter is included in the current edition of "The Frugal Guide: Dublin."

I enjoy non fiction and comedy writing right now, and get a good laugh from characters like Bill Bryson and various stand up comedian memoirs. I also enjoy a good fantasy novel from R.A. Salvatore and the action comic book series Judge Dredd.

Each day, I can't wait to get started on my writing with a fresh mind. After a few hours of writing work in the morning, I slow down as physical and mental writing fatigue sets in. Almost without exception, my best writing happens before 10 a.m.

I am still learning about and exploring Dublin, both as book research and as my own way to get outside. Each week, I try to attend as many free lectures, concerts, exhibits, and other events as I can. When the Irish rains keep me indoors, I enjoy playing retro video games.

I regularly check the ratings and reviews of books on various eBook and library sites. With so many books from which to choose, I depend on my fellow readers to help separate the great from the good. Let it be a lesson to all eBook writers out there: leave reviews and star ratings of everything you read, it really helps get books found by lazy people like me.