My book featuring WAB and water voles

[vole-woman]

I hope no one minds me mentioning this as it's coming up to publication day, but I've written a novel featuring a woman who manages a nature reserve and, though the story's essentially a domestic drama/romance, I've managed to get loads of stuff in about the daily life of a wildlife nut.

For instance, there's a scene where someone pulls apart an owl pellet as part of a small mammal survey, and argue about a jawbone which gets accidentally washed down a plughole. There's a panic over some leaflets because the photo on the front is of a nut nibbled by a wood mouse where she wanted dormouse. There's a description of how you do a water vole survey, and what badger latrines look like, and how field vole poo is different from water vole, and how to blend sphagnum moss in a kitchen blender. Because this is basically my own lifestyle I had a ball writing it!

I was also able to credit in the acknowledgements WAB and several members who, during the writing, helped answer specific wildlife questions (they know who they are - thanks again).

Here's the book, in case anyone's interested: Before She Was Mine - Kate Long and if anyone wanted a personalised copy as, say, a Christmas gift, I can send signed book plates.

Just thought you might be interested.

[PMG]

I shall look out for this on the shelves - I like a good read about people almost as much as I do wildlife! I picked up on your reference to Rivington Pike and realised you were local to me when we were younger - and from Leigh I can still see Rivington Mast! My main growing up years were done at Darwen as was most of my senior schooling! It also sounds as tho for whatever reason we both had a 'quiet be seen and not heard' childhood Mine was caused by recurrent childhood illnesses which caused my parents to home school me until I was ten and I lived in my mind a whole lot and still do in some respects! Another parallel is I had a book published back in 1987 - a non-fiction about natural history and wildlife places and parks!! I've always wanted to write a novel but never been so determined as to actually do it ... maybe the glint will catch fire one of these days but as photography is my passion I would be off out instead of following the discipline of writing

Good luck with the sales and I look forward to reading your latest blockbuster

Pauline

[vole-woman]

Aw, thanks. And fancy you having grown up so close to where I grew up! What was your book? Is it still available?

[Boddie]

Originally Posted by vole-woman

I hope no one minds me mentioning this as it's coming up to publication day, but I've written a novel featuring a woman who manages a nature reserve and, though the story's essentially a domestic drama/romance, I've managed to get loads of stuff in about the daily life of a wildlife nut.

For instance, there's a scene where someone pulls apart an owl pellet as part of a small mammal survey, and argue about a jawbone which gets accidentally washed down a plughole. There's a panic over some leaflets because the photo on the front is of a nut nibbled by a wood mouse where she wanted dormouse. There's a description of how you do a water vole survey, and what badger latrines look like, and how field vole poo is different from water vole, and how to blend sphagnum moss in a kitchen blender. Because this is basically my own lifestyle I had a ball writing it!

I was also able to credit in the acknowledgements WAB and several members who, during the writing, helped answer specific wildlife questions (they know who they are - thanks again).

Here's the book, in case anyone's interested: Before She Was Mine - Kate Long and if anyone wanted a personalised copy as, say, a Christmas gift, I can send signed book plates.

Just thought you might be interested.

What a great thread and how thrilling for you and those you asked for help.

Excellent.

[vole-woman]

Cheers. X

[pressld2]

Originally Posted by Boddie

What a great thread and how thrilling for you and those you asked for help.

Excellent.

I agree! Hope it does as well as, or preferably better than, your previous books.

Pauline's is called North West Nature and I just had to buy a copy and get her to sign it, even though I'm down here in the South East!

Dave P.

[vole-woman]

Oh, cool. Going on a hunt for that.

[Hedgehoggy]

Congratulations Kate I’ve just checked on Amazon and noted the paperback version isn’t available until March 2012, so I may just have to order the hardback copy as a Christmas prezzie to myself before then! Nothing like a good novel to curl up with during these long cold winter months

[vole-woman]

Thanks. X Hedgehogs feature in it too, you'll be pleased to hear.

[Hedgehoggy]

Okay, that's clinched it - hardback copy for winter it is then!