Counterflows #38: I got a book deal 📚
Your offbeat guide to the future of work and global living.
Hello 👋
I have exciting news to share this week: I’ve signed a deal with Holloway—a Silicon Valley startup that’s half publisher and half tech company. So, it’s finally official: My first book, Global Natives: The New Frontiers of Work, Travel, and Innovation, will be published in September 2021.
The digital edition is available to pre-order now, and I’ve arranged a special discount for Counterflows subscribers. The book’s cover price is US$40, but buy a copy via this link and you’ll pay the early supporter price of US$10 instead. Be quick, though, as the offer is only available to the first 50 people who pre-order.
-Lauren
🎙️🗺️ The New Global Natives: Discover Your Next Home (The Citymaker)
I joined Matt Armitage on one of my favourite podcasts to chat about the future of work, talent, and cities. Our conversation (~27 mins) explores the impact of remote working, the rise of work from anywhere, and how policymakers can take advantage of these shifts to position their cities ahead of the curve.
🇭🇷🏝️ Meet Croatia's First 'Digital Nomad' As Country Opens Its Doors with Special Visa (Euro News)
Speaking of future-proof policy, Croatia announced a nomad visa back in December, intending to attract highly-paid remote workers and transform the country into a year-round destination. The scheme granted its first visa a couple of weeks ago, and it sounds like the recipient is loving life on the Istrian peninsula so far.
💡✍️ How to Rewrite Bad Writing (Julian Shapiro)
After writing more than 400,000 words on his website—which, FYI, is the equivalent to 4-5 full-length books—Julian Shapiro has learned a thing or two about effective web writing and the importance of rewriting. In this thread, he offers a series of useful tips for crafting better blogs, tweets, and even emails.
🇪🇺🎧 Audio-Only Social App Clubhouse Takes Europe By Storm (Sifted)
I spoke to Miriam Partington about the rise of Clubhouse in Europe and the joy of tuning in before bed during the long lockdown evenings. My quote is tiny, but being casually referred to as a book author for the first time certainly put some excited butterflies in my belly.
📹🤖 Inside the Strange New World of Being a Deepfake Actor (MIT Tech Review)
Optimistic future-gazers like me take every opportunity to point out that technology is creating jobs as well as automating them. The role of “deepfake actor” is, perhaps, more specialised than most, but it’s an emerging job title nonetheless. This story dives into the art of being a performer whose face is never seen.
🇪🇪📲 Estonia, the Digital Republic (The New Yorker)
Estonia’s government is virtual, borderless, blockchained, and secure—and it’s been that way since midway through the 2010s. This giant longread (~25 mins, audio version also available) looks at the country’s ambition to become the world’s leading digital society, and the strategy that has set it on the path to do just that.
☕ If you enjoy what I do, buy me a virtual coffee from time-to-time to support my work. I know it seems small, but it really helps.
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