Just back in Singapore after a whirlwind book tour in Australia and some much needed wintery weather (a divine contrast from Singapore’s endless summer!). I’m pleased to say that my new book “Planet Elephant” – a story of family, love and the global wildlife trade – is now available at all good book stores across the country (try Dymmocks and Indies stores for starters, and if your local store doesn’t have it, put an order in!).
Out now!
The book is also available online at Booktopia for a great price of about $26 and the e-book for Kindle is on Amazon here for about $14. I’m also selling signed copies of the new book along with my first two on my website both within Australia and internationally, distributed from Queensland by my dear mum. Click here to purchase.
Apart from the chance to spruik my new book in Australia (check out the TV interview on Channel 9’s Mornings here, the 15 minute radio interview for Life Matters here and if you’ve got real stamina the 49 minute Conversation Hour with Richard Fidler here) it was also a great chance to raise some much needed dollars for conservation. I’m delighted to say that we raised $50,000 for elephants and rhinos over two fundraising evenings for the SAVE African Rhinos Foundation and Taronga Zoo respectively.
Funds from the SAVE evening will support anti-poaching being carried out by the Save Valley Conservancy, Zimbabwe and the Big Life Foundation, Kenya. If you’re reading my new book (or if you’ve read the first two) you’ll understand why these places are so important to me and why it’s so important that we keep helping them keep boots on the ground to fight the poaching until the demand for rhino horn in Vietnam is stopped. These are organisations that I know personally are getting it right in terms of stopping the poaching so these funds are making a real difference.
The second evening at Taronga Zoo, organised by Brad Johnston, elephant keeper at Taronga, also raised $25,000, this time for a special Thai elephant conservation project supported by the zoo and the other half for TRAFFIC Southeast Asia, who are working hard to stop the illegal trade in ivory, rhino horn and wildlife in general.
The support in Australia for the new book and fund raising for Africa’s elephants and rhinos has been fantastic so far, and hopefully it will keep going. A huge thanks to those of you who turned up to the events in Sydney and to the sponsors who donated auction items (especially those fantastic safaris!). If you enjoy ‘Planet Elephant’ tell your friends about it and consider joining the Let Elephants Be Elephants campaign that I’m soon going to be launching with Asian TV star, Nadya Hutagalung across Asia to stop the illegal ivory trade. You can join us on facebook (just click ‘like’) or follow us on twitter @letelephantsbe . More news on this exciting project coming soon!
And just in case you missed it, check out my 4 minute video about “Planet Elephant” below. My 3 year old, Solo really steals the show, but there’s some great elephant footage in there for the ele-buffs out there too!
Have just finished Dry Water. Loved it. Had a loom at photos on internet of Namibia as a result. Looking fwd to new book. Kaye