I am an adventure travel writer who is most known for my solo motorcycle misadventures around the world. But I am also known as a self-publishing expert, since I began self-publishing at about the same time, in 1995. So my life is all about adventure travel, writing and publishing, and I have a strong web presence at CarlaKing.com where I publish travel stories and at DestinationPublished.com, where I teach others how to self-publish or how to do self-publishing right.


Usually I ride motorcycles that are indigenous to the country: A Chang-Jiang in China, an Enfield in India, a Moto Guzzi in Italy and Europe. In the USA I test rode a Russian Ural sidecar motorcycle for the importers, to see if it might be a good "novelty" bike for the US market. I blogged at the same time, as it was 1995 and the Web was just getting going, too. American Borders became a book that I have subtitled Breakdowns in Small Towns all Around the USA. In 2004 I got a Ural from the Austrian dealership and rode it down to the Sahara Desert and back. It did not break down, and so I attribute my superior test riding and mechanical skills directly to the improvement of the prototype Amero-European Ural.

I travel by 4x4, boat, and on my own two feet or with a paddle, too, whenever I can. And I'm kind of a geek, having come from a Silicon Valley tech writing career. This means that I carry lots of gear with me - cameras, GPS units, trackers, a laptop - and stay in touch using all the social media tools at my disposal.

Adventures in travel, writing and publishing. This is my world.
  • JoinedJuly 11, 2010



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carlaking carlaking Feb 22, 2020 07:12PM
Remembering a valentine's day weekend long ago. Might keep adding to it as a longer, multi-part essay, maybe fictionalize as a novella. Open to thoughts, critiques. Thank you!https://www.wattpad.com...
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Stories by Carla King
The China Road Motorcycle Diaries by carlaking
The China Road Motorcycle Diaries
She rides a cranky Chinese Chang Jiang sidecar motorcycle through China, alone and illegally, breaking down o...
The Heart is a Fragile Tender Thing by carlaking
The Heart is a Fragile Tender Thing
A romantic Valentine's Day weekend turns into something more, and something less, and other stories.
Consumer's Guide for Self-Publishers by carlaking
Consumer's Guide for Self-Publishe...
This trusted resource reviews tools and services that help you write, edit, format, design, fund, publish, se...
ranking #297 in self-publishing See all rankings
2 Reading Lists