Ein Einsamer Tod...

(Warning: This post contains a good deal of shameless self promotion)

Ein Einsamer Tod (once more for the search engines) is, for those like me who can speak only one language, "A Loney Death" in German.

It's also the poignant new title for "African Sky", in the guise of its German translation. It's just been published and released in Germany by my new very good friends, Random House, Germany.

So, wilkommen German googlers, if you're out there.

I met an interesting pair of Germans in Zimbabwe a few years ago - a couple who had cycled all the way from Cape Town, via Namibia, to Zim. When they arrived in Hwange National Park they were told they couldn't go game viewing on their bicycles (meals on wheels and all that). Disappointed, they sat at the entry gate to the park, trying to hitch hike on to a game drive. I stopped and offered to take them, but warned them it would be very uncomfortable for them to sit in the back of the Land Rover on the bare wheel arches. "We have cycled from Capte Town," said the guy; "we have very tough backsides".

So far my books have been published in Holland, Italy, Latvia (note to Latvian publisher: still waiting for that limited edition Latvian copy of Zambezi), the UK, and, now, Germany. There is a Czech Republic deal in the wind as well, which I believe I have already mentioned on the blog. They're also distributed in New Zealand and, of course, in South Africa, where African Sky recently rocketed to nunber 2 (OK, only in once bookshop, but I'm still chuffed).

Interestingly, African Sky, which mentions The War (the big one - WWII), has had the most take-up overseas.

I've been told by my charming, witty, Grace Kelly-lookalike (when Grance was alive, that is, in her Hollywood heyday) publisher, C, that I should get out more and promote myself, so expect to see me in a library, bibliotek, or bookstore, or on a street corner wearing a sanwich board near you in 2008.

My early New Year's resolution is to become rich enough to only ever fly business class (for the leg room, as well as the food); to stay in Tinga (there's that name again) Private Game Lodge whenever the mood takes me; and to get Tonka's engine reconditioned.

So, do me and my long legs and my old Land Rover a favour, Legion of Fans. Tell a friend, or, better yet, buy a friend a copy of Safari, or 'Ein Einsamer Tod', or Zambezi, or African Sky, or Il Respiro Della Savanna, or Far Horizon for Christmas.