The February issue of Perceptive Travel is out, with more of the best travel stories from book authors on the move.

Once again it’s fair to say “best travel stories” because for the third year in a row, the publication I edit placed for “Best Travel Journalism Site” in the annual awards from the North American Travel Journalists Association. We got the Bronze this time, but first was National Geographic Traveler’s website and I think theirs is actually produced in a real office with a water cooler. (Two of our stories won too—see the home page for details.)

This month we travel to three distinct places and go beyond the usual tourism brochure fluff.

Chris Epting has a story on where the Rolling Stones spent their early years while touring around the U.S. David Lee Drotar finds the dark side in Costa Rica, looking at what all that tourism and real estate development is doing to howler monkey habitats. I’ve got a piece on a place few people seem to visit, but should get onto their radar: the eastern half of Slovakia.

Susan Griffith highlights new and noteworthy travel books, including a biography of legendary travel writer and adventurer Redmond O’Hanlon. Laurence Mitchell is back to spin some new world music albums worth checking out from troubled Mali; Persia via India; and Bollywood and Havana via Canada.

As usual, one of our readers will get something new by entering the monthly gear contest and winning. Last month’s winner is getting decked out in a travel clothing outfit from Mountain Khakis. This month we’re giving away a small portable battery pack for your quick-dying iPhone or other gadgets. If you’re on the monthly newsletter list, you already got your chance to enter. If not, sign up here for next time and get a shot at this month’s by following Perceptive Travel on Facebook.

And between new issues, don’t forget to check out the cool PT blog!

If you haven’t been reading this blog for very long, I may seem like just another guy who threw up a blog and put out a book. But although I find it hard to believe myself sometimes, apparently I can do more than provide cheap travel advice. I’m a real writer too.

Most writers have their moments of self-doubt, but then some affirmation will come along to reverse it for a while at least. In the past month I’ve won a slew of awards and it would be humble to the point of pretentiousness to not pass this news on. Especially since you can read both the stories online.

First up, my Perceptive Travel story Unbalanced in the Sinking City won “Best Article Written for the Internet” at the annual awards from the North American Travel Journalists (NATJA). I was quite proud of that story, so this makes me happy. I’ll get a few nights in a hotel as a prize and not be working the whole time, which also makes me happy.

That same story won a Silver in the Destinations category of the annual Solas Awards sponsored by Travelers’ Tales Publishing. I also scored a Bronze award there in the “Doing Good or the Kindness of Strangers” category.

That Bronze was for a story I hadn’t previously published anywhere, called “The Collision.” You can now read the whole thing online though because it also scored a second prize in Transitions Abroad’s annual narrative travel writing contest. It’s also on Mexico, but is one of those “bad trip” stories. You’ll see: The Collision.

That’s it for now. Next week we return to travel bargains, cheap places, travel gear deals, and rants.