An interview with Tyler Fish and John Huston, North Pole '09 Expedition

I recently interviewed John Huston and Tyler Fish about their expedition to the North Pole in 2009 and the launch of their new book, Forward.

Here is an excerpt from the interview:

Tyler Fish, North Pole '09

It was the first American unsupported and unsupplied trip to the North Pole. Writing about it felt like another whole expedition, they said. John Huston and Tyler Fish just released their book Forward and the book (available for purchase at $40.00 on the expedition website) is already acclaimed by readers. Jim Paulson interviewed the skiers/authors for ExplorersWeb.

Jim: It's been two years since the North Pole. What have you been doing since?

Tyler: I've focused on my most important jobs: being a father and husband, and staffing director for Outward Bound, and local ski coach.

John: Writing the book, speaking, guiding, consulting, and working part time in real estate.

Jim: Talk about the process of writing the book? Any challenges?

John Huston, North Pole '09

John: It took us more than six months to feel ready to start writing. Right after the expedition we were too close to the experience and needed to let it breathe a bit. The entire writing process was much more involved and time consuming than we anticipated. It felt like another whole expedition, only without the singleness of focus that comes with being on the ice. It took a lot of whittling down and tweaking to get the narrative to the final product. All in all the process provided perfect closure to the whole expedition experience. We’re closer than ever and we’re happy that we put our experience on paper.

Tyler: Of course there's compromise any time you mix real life and expedition life. That’s hard for everyone involved. John and I have grown closer through the book project. We've thought a lot, encouraged each other, and laughed a lot.

Read the full interview at ExplorersWeb.