Under a Poacher's Moon to Be Released February 1, 2022
It's been quite a journey so far. You can help me get the word out.
Hello Everyone,
I am writing you to tell you about the publication of my novel, Under a Poacher’s Moon, which will be released February 1, 2022.
If you are receiving this post as an email you are a friend or family member I would feel comfortable writing personally, and I took the liberty of adding your address to my email list (you can unsubscribe at the bottom or substitute another email address if you would like).
“In this explosive debut novel, W. Aaron Vandiver takes readers into the South African bush, with its stunning landscapes, dazzling and deadly wildlife, and dark underbelly of violence. Against this dramatic backdrop, Under a Poacher's Moon tells an unflinching story of two people who fight desperately to save Africa's wildlife, sometimes with tragic unintended consequences, as they search for passion and meaning in a dangerous and unpredictable world.”
How and Why I Wrote this Book
Putting this book out into the world is a gratifying moment for me, as it is the culmination of years of effort. I first had a spark of inspiration almost a decade ago, after visiting South Africa for the first time and being blown away by the incredible wildlife, only to learn of the horrifying onslaught of poaching and international wildlife trafficking. Over the years, my wife Rebecca and I got more and more involved professionally with organizations trying to save rhinos, elephants, lions and other endangered species in Africa and elsewhere.
A I delved deeper into this fascinating and troubling world with its inherent dramas and brutal conflicts, struggling to understand why the world’s most awe-inspiring creatures were being destroyed before our eyes and what it all meant, a very strong creative vision came to me of a woman who goes on safari, where she comes across a tragic poaching incident that changes the course of her life. At the time I was reading a book by Ian Player — a man credited with helping save South Africa’s rhinos from extinction in the 60s and 70s — in which he wrote of the powerful, unforgettably haunting cries made by rhinos that were poached. That’s when the creative vision began to take shape.
(Video Trailer for Under a Poacher’s Moon).
I sat down to write a first draft, thinking that I could figure out how to craft a novel without too much trouble given that I had done so much legal and academic writing. How wrong I was! In countless hours of writing over a year I managed to crank out a first draft that I was proud of, but in actuality wasn’t that great. The vision was there, but I did not have the chops as a fiction writer to bring the vision fully to life. Unlike non-fiction writing, you have to bring to the story emotion, mystery, philosophy, dialogue, relationships, action, excitement . . . so many “big” thoughts and feelings that are almost impossibly hard to get down on paper.
So began a long journey of writing and re-writing, again and again. The key during this time was persistence (“1% inspiration, 99% perspiration”). Over a number of years as I was learning more about the global extinction crisis and the all-too-human flaws and frailties that are the driving forces behind it, I re-wrote three full drafts from start to finish (hundreds of pages of re-writing each time), experimenting with different styles, voices, and characters, and seeking feedback from trusted readers. Sometimes when I hit the wall creatively I would let the draft sit for months. On that last draft I let loose and wrote from the gut, and I finally had developed the fiction writing skills to do so effectively. I stripped out everything unnecessary and found a way to tell the story I wanted to tell, as richly and deeply as possible.
Anna Whitney travels to Mzansi, a remote safari lodge located deep in the wilds of South Africa, hoping to get as far away from home and her troubled life as possible. The perilous beauty of the land captures her imagination, but when she hears the haunting late-night cries of an injured rhino, her escapist fantasies collide with brutal reality. She and Chris, a safari guide wrestling with his own secret demons, find themselves embroiled in a war on Africa's wildlife.
They are pulled into a struggle that brings them face-to-face with shocking acts of violence, rogue officials, armed gangs, vicious wild predators, and their own deepest fears. It is a conflict that threatens to destroy them, or lead them toward a new and better life together.
Then I finally found a home at BQB Publishing and began working with their brilliant and supportive team, which has been a whole new journey in itself, a rewarding one which I can write about more. Through several more rounds of edits my editor helped me bring the vision from 80% to 100%.
The story is now going ‘out there’ into the world. The early feedback I have gotten is extremely positive and encouraging. I hope this is the kind of book that will make readers think and feel, and will stick with them, the kind that people will read and then give to their friends. The world has changed a lot since I started writing, but the story of a person confronting a profound crisis that threatens to engulf her and the world around her is one that I believe will resonate even more with readers after all that’s happened over the last two years.
How You Can Help
Now comes yet another monumental challenge: the effort to promote the book. If you would like to help me get the word out here’s what you can do.
Forward this email (or “Share” it using the button at the bottom) to anyone you know who might be interested in reading the book. I need readers!
Find me on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram if you haven’t already and ‘Like’ and share my pages pages with your friends.
You can Pre-Order the book on Amazon or wait until publication on Feb. 1 and Order it then. It will be available for purchase on Barnes & Noble and other major online booksellers, and will be offered as an E-book and Audiobook.
If you know anyone with a relevant professional background (writing, publishing, entertainment, film, conservation) or with an influential social media following who might be interested in a book of this kind, or might possibly be willing to review an Advanced Review Copy (available soon), please send me an email to my personal account or at AaronVandiverAuthor@gmail.com. I need people who will say nice things about the book and share it with their friends and followers.
I will update this page from time to time with news and information about the book and any future books - the next one is already in the works! (I will not inundate your inbox, and if you do not wish to receive these emails please unsubscribe, but first please share it with other people who might be interested). I will also be posting some of my non-fiction writing here on this page, including essays, book and film reviews, and commentary (non partisan) on a range of issues including nature and wildlife, current events, and other topics — see my About section. (I may share these from time to time via email, so again please unsubscribe if you do not wish to receive them.)
Thanks for your support and I hope you like the book!