First Class Holidays managing director Dan Gathercole has published a children’s book that he wrote with his son during the Covid lockdowns.
The Adventures of Ted & Puli: Monkey Business, inspired by true experiences from a holiday in Sri Lanka, is the second book penned recently by an industry professional. Former Tui UK public relations manager Kimberley Kay has written Ski A to Z, a guide to Alpine skiing for novices.
Gathercole’s fictional children’s book is the first in a planned series of books co-written with his son Ted, now seven. It is currently available on Amazon.
Gathercole, who has set up his own publishing company, said the inspiration for the book came from a stay at a beach villa, which had some staff and a house dog called Puli, in Sri Lanka in 2018.
He said: “The dog stayed by Ted’s side from the moment we arrived to the moment we left. They were inseparable and had so much fun.
“My dad mentioned at the time I should write a book about the adventures Ted and Puli went on but I had just started a new job in the travel industry and Ted was a little too young to join in.
“Then lockdown happened and it gave me the time and inspiration to write the stories with Ted. Ted told me the adventures they would go on and I wrote about them. There are some real life examples in the book.”
In total Gathercole and his son have penned 15 stories but the first, Monkey Business, is about a jungle adventure in which the pair are followed back to their holiday home by a monkey. The moral of the story is not be afraid of animals or what is in the jungle.
Gathercole added that he and his son hoped to “inspire other children to write their own stories” while also teaching children about Sri Lanka and some of its culture. The book includes some children’s activities and has a social channel @tedandpuli
Kay’s new Ski A to Z book aims to demystify skiing with a practical guide answering questions new skiers may have to help them prepare for mountain experiences.
It provides information, advice and insights for new skiers of all ages to grasp the sport.
Kay – who had a 20-year career in travel PR and worked for Going Places and Jet2 as well as Tui UK – said the book, published by sports publisher Meyer & Meyer Sport, could be useful resource for travel agents wanting to gain an understanding of skiing and ski holidays.
She said: “The book is an ideal resource for agents and operator staff, who may not be skiers themselves, to be able to have an understanding of the sport and therefore better serve customers wanting a ski holiday. The book could also be recommended reading for customers who might be booking a ski holiday for the first time, and could help convert the ski curious to make a booking.”
Information included in the book ranges from details about artificial slopes to powder skiing, how books and bindings work to advice on what to wear and safety tips.
Team GB Snowsport head coach Pat Sharples has described the book as “an absolute gem and one of the best ski books I’ve seen”.
He said: “It’s perfect for families who are planning on going away on their first ski trip, as well as regular skiers, and it really is what it says it is – the A-Z of skiing. The work that has gone into this book, not just the incredible art, but the perfectly explained details of skiing is quite amazing.”
