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The Countdown Begins...

26/7/2013

It’s Friday again! This week’s Miss Write post is a little one, a little poignant, and a little sad one.

Tonight sees the start of the countdown to me removing my book from Amazon.

You heard me right. This is my final blog post as a writer with a novel to sell on Amazon. This coming Wednesday 31st July, I am going to be taking GIRL MEETS BOYS, my debut novel, down from the online supermarket giant. It's been published since October 2010, but both the paperback and the ebook will be unavailable after this date.

If you want to grab a copy, now’s the time to do it!

It’s a piece of history in a short volume… Err… Or just a damn funny account of my experiences of online dating. How can you resist the cute cover?!? (Still love that!)

Read exactly why I’m taking my book down from Amazon here, and let me know if you agree...

I’m working on my next big thing this weekend, so hopefully it won’t be long before I have something new to show off. Bear with, bear with!

Have a great weekend,

Lou x

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Born To Be A Tourist

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Rhino Rumpus!

19/7/2013

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In January I had the valuable and and rewarding experience of volunteering in South Africa with Transfrontier Africa (TFA). A team of four staff and seven volunteers like me worked on projects in Balule Reserve focussed on the conservation and protection of (mainly) elephants and rhinos in the western part of Kruger National Park.

We saw the important work TFA are doing to manage the ecosystem in as much of a 'hands-off' natural way as possible, the constant fight against poaching - now rife in this part of the African continent - with the Anti-Poaching Black Mamba Unit, and the essential research the team carry out on the diverse and beautiful flora and fauna of the bush.

One of the biggest and newest projects TFA are working on at the moment is the use of drones in locating and mapping unwelcome, illegal and dangerous human visitors to the reserves. These poachers are especially interested in rhino horns which can get tens of thousands of Euros on the black market. The bone is used in "medicine", never proven to have the aphrodisiac effect it claims. A project like this costs a lot of money maintain - think staff, Land Rover maintenance, fuel, dogs, training etc. etc.

This got some friends of mine (volunteers I met while volunteering in South Africa) thinking hard on their return to the UK. This wonderful Cambridgeshire couple instigated a fundraising idea in aid of TFA and Rhino Mercy, and I've since joined their enthusiastic and creative team of passionate wildlife lovers to put together an event you cannot afford to miss.

The Event

Newmarket Rhino Bash

Friday 6th September 2013

Tables of up to 8 people

Tickets are £35 - now on sale!

At a venue near Newmarket, Cambridgeshire (confirmed with ticket purchase)

We are holding a hog roast dinner and charity auction, a presentation from Dr. Craig Spencer (who heads the TFA project), tombola, all to a soundtrack of African music.

Auction items include: A week's stay at Gleneagles... A mini iPad... Jamie's Italian Restaurant Vouchers... A week's stay at a Kruger reserve lodge... and so much more! You need to be here!

Remember, this is all in aid of protecting these amazing, highly threatened animals. Rhinos are being killed at the rate of one every day, and they will not be around much longer unless projects like those being run by TFA are supported. Nabbing these parasitic poachers with the use of modern technology is key to the species survival.

Tickets are £35 and are selling fast. You can grab a HOT ticket by visiting the Rhino Bash website or visit us at the Facebook event page.

Visit the official Newmarket's Rhino Bash website to find out more about the project.

I hope to see you there!

*****

If you can't make the Newmarket bash or are based in the North why not attend Pennies for Eles 1st Annual Dinner 'Party' on Sat 21st September at the fabulous Hard Days Night Hotel in Liverpool? P4E has been supporting TFA's elephant research and conservation work since it was set up 3 years ago by another former volunteer who was also inspired by the passion and determination of the guys at TFA and wanted to help - volunteering there does that to you! Tickets available now and more info can be found on the on the P4E Facebook page. The funding's all going to the same place!

Thanks for reading. I'm back to writing related posts next week, I promise!

Lou x

Find me on Facebook
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Born To Be A Tourist

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This Is My Writing Desk

11/7/2013

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I wish for a proper writing desk, but I can't find one (with drawers - essential!) which will fit in my flat.

I don't write well when sitting in the sun. I fall asleep, and the glare on the screen is unbearable. I was always envious of fellow students who could revise in the sun! I can't write when I'm tired, had a drink or in a bad mood. I need to be well-rested and well-fed. I also need somewhere to rest my laptop and a bit of space to put pens, notepads etc. on the side.

You're seeing the view from my sofa. This is where I blog from every Thursday evening and where I am doing most of my work on my WIP. It's not the best position to write in posture-wise, but being in a 'leaning-forward-intensely-concentrating' position works. The intensity keeps me focussed. For some reason, I think I write better when I have peace (no TV or radio), flowers (part of the 'feel-good' factor), fresh air and daylight... This arrangement has all of those.

What does your writing desk look like?

Lou x

Find me on Facebook
...And on Twitter
Born to be a Tourist

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Dearly Devoted Dexter: A Review

4/7/2013

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My chosen holiday read for my trip to Costa Rica and Panama last month was the second in the series of Jeff Lindsay’s gripping ‘Dexter’ crime novels: ‘Dearly Devoted Dexter’. I’ve been a huge fan of the TV series based on a fictional Miami Police Department blood spatter analyst serial killer for a couple of years now, but only really discovered the books this Christmas, courtesy of a well-chosen gift from my sister’s boyfriend. He really hit the nail on the head (unassisted??) with that present.

The TV series has been running since Oct 2006, but the books only just pre-date it (2004). I quickly spotted some major differences in the plot between the award-winning TV series and the books. The death of a major TV character in ‘Darkly Dreaming Dexter’ (book one) was a little surprising and disarming, as I really liked this character in the show (no specific spoilers here, I promise!). I also found the significantly smaller role of Angel Batista (David Zayas) a little disappointing, much more accustomed to a more prominent role in for the Latino Police Sergeant on TV. How different adaptations can be from the original texts the author intended… However, once I’d trained my brain to temporarily suspend my knowledge of the TV show content (difficult, as I am currently through four seasons of dedicated viewing), I thoroughly enjoyed the first instalment of Dexter’s serial killing spree put down on paper.

When reading the book, of course, I firmly had Golden Globe-winning Michael C. Hall cast in the protagonist’s role. How could it be anyone else?! This was closely followed by the strong portrayal of Dexter’s sister, Debra, the brilliant Jennifer Carpenter had etched in my memory. She’s a character I’d find hard to forget – love her! The other characters in the TV show were more easily reconstructed on reading the book, but naturally, there were new characters (mainly bad guys) to embellish on with my imagination.

‘Darkly Dreaming Dexter’ maintained the satisfaction I gained from the fast-paced, sometimes gory, Miami based (but oddly, California filmed) storyline in the initial novel. Dexter has new challenges, both at work and home, and is still nourishing his ‘dark passenger’. I’ve been promised the lend of book three (‘Dexter In The Dark’) shortly, and can’t wait to see what else the author has created.

I wonder how Lindsay felt when the scriptwriters for Dexter, the TV show, pulled apart his well-deliberated and cleverly constructed debut novel plot. The evolution has created entirely different beasts – although the monster the series is centred around remains. I’m sure the royalties Lindsay’s undoubtedly received from the TV series and merchandise quietened any concerns, anyway. You can even get Dexter themed bin bags!

The well-deserved Dily’s Award for Crime Fiction was a great call by the judges. I’m looking forward to more dark tales from hidden parts of Dexter’s life. I’m in luck – there’s seven novels and eight TV series in total.

As per my Goodreads review, I give 'Darkly Dreaming Dexter'...

Anyone else a big fan?

Lou x

Find me on Facebook
…And on Twitter
Born To Be A Tourist – my travel blog

** Added note**

Today, my latest Love Film (subscription DVD service, for anyone who isn’t aware) has arrived. It’s the first in the fifth TV season of ‘Dexter’. Time to forget all that happened in the book!

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The Countdown Begins...

Rhino Rumpus!

This Is My Writing Desk

Dearly Devoted Dexter: A Review

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