Interview by Danielle Largesse
Today, we’re chatting with a local author, Stephen Towles, whose journey—from growing up in Kellogg, Idaho, to walking the Camino de Santiago—has shaped his writing and perspective on life. His books explore adventure, personal growth, and the power of stepping beyond our comfort zones. Join us as we discuss his inspirations, experiences, and what’s next on his path!
How long have you lived in the Northwest? What initially attracted you to this place? Has living in this area influenced your writing?
I grew up in Kellogg, Idaho in the 50’s and 60’s at the height of the pollution reality that existed at the time. I had a fairly stable childhood, my father was the District Court Judge and my mom was a homemaker and kindergarten teacher. We spent our summers on Coeur d’Alene Lake where a lot of families from Kellogg had summer places. I lived in this area until age 33 when I moved to Kansas City Missouri to attend Seminary at Unity Village, MO. I served churches in Sacramento, Reno, Downtown Seattle, Federal Way, and finally, Coeur d’Alene, where I was originally a founding member in 1980.
I don’t know how much it informed my writing, but it did give stories and context for my life experience. For example, when I was in Boy Scouts a group of us walked from Look Out Pass to Moon Pass, Lake Elsie, Lemonade Peak along the ridges to the St Joe River basin, I was only 14. We carried our food etc. We then canoed down the St. Joe and up Coeur d’Alene Lake to Camp Easton. We walked 50 miles and Canoed 50 miles. I tell the story in my book as an event that informed my decision to walk the Camino and to finish it at age 73. My Father loved to tell stories, often the same ones over and over, but he shared stories at the dinner table of some of the characters in Wallace that he encountered as a Judge. I am sure it had much to do with my way of communicating as a Minister and writer.
Can you tell me a little bit about your book/writing(s)? What inspired you to write?
My first book “Heaven is Walking the Camino de Santiago” came from the challenges I encountered walking the Camino. It includes three Camino experiences. My first Camino in 2019 I made it about ½ way and ended up with seriously infected blisters and had to return home. This after all the fan fare when I left. A front-page story in the CDA Press that came out the day I left. Needless to say, it was disappointing. I resolved to go back and finish the next year, but COVID intervened and I was not able to return for 2.1/2 years and it was the fall of 2021. I returned and started where I left off and walked 300 miles and finished in 19 days. It was difficult and rather lonely because there were so few pilgrims since it was the end of COVID. There were many times on that journey where I thought I was done with the Camino, but when I walked into Santiago finishing a 2 1/2 year experience, I was so moved that I knew I wanted to come back and do the entire event from start to finish. In the fall of 2022, I started at the beginning, only this time I had lost 30 lbs, and was in the best shape of all my Caminos. It was a fabulous experience and the people were amazing. I knew that I had to share my journey because so many get discouraged and fall short of fulfillment in attempting to walk 500 miles across Spain.
My second book is more of a compilation of my personal spiritual beliefs, many of which I shared in my first book. Beliefs that very much informed my experience and were syncopatic with so many who were walking. For all of my Camino’s I have gone alone, and it has been the best way for me to do this experience.
What do you want readers to take away from your book(s)?
I hope that they relate to how so much of our life experience is a product of our beliefs and feelings. That our internal world is the source of our energy, motivation, and vision for our life. I hope people see the possibility of moving out of their comfort zone and can expand their consciousness doing so.
I hope they are entertained and empowered and that if their personal beliefs don’t quite fit into the norm, that they are comfortable with that and realize it is normal to have different perspectives.
What are your hobbies outside of writing?
I enjoy walking, hiking, and lately doing projects around the house. I am a member of a history club that has been meeting for several years, and Kari and I like to travel. We are heading to Cancun next week and doing a river cruise from Prague to Budapest at the end of April with her brother and his wife. Together we have 6 kids and 13 grandchildren, many of whom live locally and in Seattle and Santa Clarita, CA
What is next for you? How can readers find you?
My books are on Amazon, and I don’t have one in the works at the moment but I do have a website which is www.caminocoach.net and I do blog at www.caminomoments.blog. I have not posted for a while but will be doing so soon.
I would like to return to Spain in the fall and finish the Camino de Norte which I tackled in the fall of 2023. It is the Northern Route that goes along the Northern Coast of Spain. It is also considered the most difficult route and having walked the first 9 days of it I can affirm that it is indeed very difficult but very beautiful with spectacular Ocean vistas all the time. I had to come home because of some difficulty Kari was having and I had a bad sore on my right toe that was causing me great pain. I could only walk in flip flops so between those two things I cashed in my chips. I also have been dealing with some bursitis which prevented me from going back this last fall. Once I am cleared of that I will be planning my return trip.
Any last parting thoughts?
I have been enjoying doing my presentations at libraries and have been involved in a lot of Camino Forums on Facebook. I consider myself a bit of a Camino Junkie and stay in touch with many of the people I met on my Camino’s. People from Spain, Germany, Israel, Sweden, England, Australia, Korea, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Utah, Canada, Colorado, Brazil and other places. When you are blessed by an adventure such as the Camino, it changes you at a very deep level. You become more open, and vulnerable to others. You are less judgmental and more accepting of all kinds of people. It is what is so compelling, and I am so grateful that I persevered and had a complete experience. I am looking forward to speaking in Sandpoint. Thanks for your interest and patience.