Klipspringer Hill is an exciting tale about a small creature on an epic journey in search of a lost loved one. The setting is the vast Kalahari region of Southern Africa, and the main character is a small snake. There are black and white illustrations. His dad is missing . . . Little Squirt is determined to find him. The young egg-eater snake must cross the wild Kalahari to reach the Chicken Farm. Danger lurks everywhere. Along the way he forges new friendships and avoids foes. But there's no avoiding Rooster at the farm. Injured in the big bully's sneak attack, Little Squirt is captured by humans. Pain turns to joy when he is reunited with his dad, Bold Hunter. The young snake dreams of escape and taking revenge on Rooster. But his dad has become fat and lazy in captivity. If they are ever to see friends and loved ones again on Klipspringer Hill, it's Little Squirt who must take command. Everyone loved The Lion King and Finding Nemo. Their colourful worlds and unforgettable characters enthralled millions. Turn the pages of Klipspringer Hill and feel the sun's heat, hear the lion's roar, smell the smoke of burning African savannah. Aardvark, ostrich, blue-headed lizard, springhare, lynx, honey guide and vulture, are characters that will stay long in the memory.
About the Author: I grew up in Northern Ireland - a wonderful place for youngsters interested in nature. There are mountains, rivers, lakes and a beautiful and varied coastline of rugged cliffs and sandy beaches. My father was an expert fly-fisherman and I held a rod in my hands before I learned to use a pen. I birdwatched and played rugby and golf. I wanted to see Africa by driving overland to South Africa. But the Zimbabwean Independence War was at its height and so I chose the next best option: the sea route. My first glimpse of Africa was Table Mountain at daybreak. Farm management work brought me my first experiences with snakes. Fascinating creatures - they feature in my illustrated children's novel Klipspringer Hill. I ran my own food processing business before taking up a contract in Saudi Arabia. A spell selling property in Tenerife followed, before a move back to the UK, near London. I'm an aficionado of Ernest Hemingway, man and writer. And my knowledge of social upheavals in Africa and Northern Ireland has inspired some of my fiction writing. My short story A Night at the River was included in the 2013 anthology, Tales of Tremendous Tragicide, available from Amazon. My self-published novels are: Zambezi Seduction by Tamara Cape (pen name). A romance. The Pink Pigeon. A short 58 page children's story. Hemingway Quest. Mainstream/general fiction. Klipspringer Hill. Children's fiction. To be published later in 2014: a crime novel titled (for now) Perfect Killing, plus two short stories. I enjoy the camaraderie of the writing community, the friendship of fellow scribes in different countries.