Brandon Nelson

Paul Haskins

This month, we catch up with Adventures NW Magazine’s publisher and co-creator, Paul Haskins.

Q:  Paul, you don’t start a magazine called “Adventures NW” unless you’re deeply passionate about adventure. Tell the truth, man, is there some Shackleton in you? A:  While you won’t find me icebound in Antarctica, I do get out a fair amount around these parts. I have a definite affinity for the outdoors and a lust for life. Being outside makes me feel alive. I do enjoy reading about Skackleton. I’ve always enjoyed reading adventure stories—I have around seven feet of shelf space dedicated to a collection of mountaineering/adventuring books.

Q:  And, obviously, you don’t start a magazine on anything unless you’re passionate about writing and photography. What’s your background and experience with print and visual media, and what have been some of the more impactful experiences or writers that have inspired or taught you? A:  I spent 17 years working at Village Books looking through and reading good books (and bad books). I know what I like and what I don’t like. Narrative non-fiction greats like Jon Krakauer (Into Thin Air), Gary Kinder (Ship of Gold) and Peter Nichols (Voyage for Madmen) are examples of contemporary writers that know how to tell a good tale. But much of the credit for the success of the magazine is due to my partner, Alaine, and her past experience with print and visual media. But I make a mean batch of coffee.

Q:  You’re a massage therapist too. I’ve always regarded that trade as being very deeply rooted in kindness and respect. Where were you in life when you found the inspiration to make it a profession?  A:  A co-worker at the bookstore had gone to massage school. I thought that that would be a good balance between working in books (yin) and doing massage (yang). It’s still a good balance with the magazine and massage. Many of my patients are athletic and injured in one way or another. I really enjoy working with them and seeing them recover.  

Q:  Beer or wine? Beef or tofu? Rock or classical? What I’m getting at is this: You’re living the dream – I mean, an adventure magazine publisher & massage guru with a beautiful wife and boy in what is probably the greatest adventure town this side of….Utopia. So WHO is Paul Haskins? Your envious fans want to know. A:  Who is Paul Haskins? Someone with too many hobbies, too many hats and too little time in which to do it all. But I’m living life as best I can and making each day count. Oh yes, Boundary Bay Scotch, lamb burger with gorgonzola and side Caesar, and all kinds of music—from Beck to Bach; Nine Inch Nails to Nora Jones; Ray Brown, Ray Charles and any other band with a guy named Ray in it.

Q:  Alright, man: Mega-Publishing, Inc. has just sent you a ridiculously large advance, has covered all your living and business expenses for a year, and will have a miraculously qualified team cover all the duties of Adventures NW for the next four issues. You’ve got total freedom to author one book on any subject. Tell us about it: A:  100 Adventures to Experience Before You Die—Adventures of all types from around the world. A little narrative, a little informative, most definitely picture-driven. And someone (that’d be me) needs to go take all those pictures.

[View with PicLens]