Author Event w/Effingham Native at Library

The Effingham Public Library will host an author event featuring Effingham native Tracey Carisch, who recently wrote a book about her family’s nomadic journey around the world.

Tracey Carisch will talk about her international travels and her book at 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 3, in the Workman Room at the Suzette Brumleve Memorial Effingham Public Library. Carisch is the daughter of Greg and Tish Long and is a 1994 graduate of Effingham High School.

(TRACEY LONG CARISCH)

Carisch wrote the book “Excess Baggage: One Family’s Around-the-World Search for Balance,” which was inspired by the trials and tribulations that her family experienced during their international travels.

In 2014, as a wife, mother and successful executive, Carisch seemed to be living the modern American dream. But one night, a panic attack sent her tumbling into an existential crisis and questioning everything about her life.

Carisch and her husband decided to make a change, so they sold everything they owned, pulled their three young daughters out of school and became a family of wandering globetrotters.

The family embarked on an 18-month trip around the world, where they visited 24 countries and six continents.

During the trip, Carisch maintained a travel blog, which gained international readership. Upon returning to the United States, Carisch wrote the memoir about her family’s nomadic journey.

The book has been touted by reviewers, including one reviewer who compared it to other works by saying, “part Eat Pray Love and part National Lampoon’s Vacation.”

Carisch now works in the field of leadership development and serves as an international speaker on the topics of work-life balance, family travel and conflict management.

Copies of the book will be available for purchase at a cost of $15, with Carisch donating $5 from each book purchase to the library. Cash, checks and credit cards will be accepted as forms of payment.

Registration is required for this event.

For further information, the library can be contacted at 217-342-2464 x1, email info@effinghamlibrary.org, or go online at www.effinghamlibrary.org