Shelley B Gillespie

A former confirmed Couch Potato and self-professed "slug," Shelley Gillespie became a hiker due to her husband's insistence. Then, she discovered she actually liked hiking! The Gillespies have since hiked or walked on both US coasts and many other scenic locations.

"Hiking for the Couch Potato" was born in 2004 when she wrote the book, but her busy journalism career kept her from finally publishing this humorous motivational effort until just this year.

Gillespie is senior staff writer at The Communicator/copanews.com in Arizona and has won statewide awards for her in-depth journalism.

Hiking in Arizona is a challenge in the summer, so Gillespie can sometimes be found in an air-conditioned, two-story shopping mall or outside early in the morning before temperatures exceed 100+ degrees.

When not writing or hiking, Shelley is cooking for friends and family and supporting worthy causes. Visit her Web site at www.hiking.FortheCouchPotato.com.