Getting launched and Merry Christmas

The past month has passed with a flurry of activity and we are now in the final run up to Christmas.

If those of you who live in the Southern hemisphere keep a watch out for Santa tomorrow night, you may see him travelling through the sky with his new helpers....and they won't be reindeer. A new tradition started when Santa's reindeer came down in the South African bush with a big BUMP, because there are now so many more children in the world to visit that they were too tired to pull his sleigh.

All was not lost, because the new helpers saved the day.

When launching a new book, it is always with a degree of trepidation, but Santa's New Helpers has so far exceeded expectations and is selling up a storm. It has provided the impetus for the following books in the series to be published.

Aside from the launch Sue and I had a whistle-stop tour around the country, promoting the book and dropping copies off at our various suppliers, old and new.

Being the people we are, Sue and I could not confine our trip to selling alone. Since we were going to be in the Northern Cape anyway, why not make a small detour (about 1,500 kms) to the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park? The trip has provided some wonderful source material for the drawings for the next book, which we hope to launch about mid 2017.

We would like to thank all our stockists for their support in getting the book out into the market and to wish you all a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A WONDERFUL NEW YEAR.

Santa's New Helpers - Book Launch

There's lots of excitement in the Hoppe household tonight, because tomorrow will be the fulfillment of a dream of many years, when my first childrens' book arrives.

Santa's New Helpers is the first in the series Tales from the Waterhole. It is a fun story about how Santa, with help from a very unexpected source, was able to continue delivering the toys when his reindeer dropped from the sky, in the South African bush, too exhausted to carry on.

The book is full of the most delightful drawings done by Theresa Hardman, local artist and architect.



You are welcome to join us at the official launch is on Wednesday, 23 November 2016. See details below.

Santa's New Helpers - Coming Soon

Santa's New Helpers will be giving Christmas a decidedly African feel this year. It will be on the shelves of selected book shops and padstalle, by the end of November.

It's a fun book, with wonderful drawings and will be available in three of our official eleven languages.

Alternatively keep an eye on the El Gecko Publishing website, where you can order on line.

Santa's New Helpers - soon to be published

It's finally happened!

After having written a number of children's books over many, many years, the first one is about to be published, through El Gecko Publishing, the new indie kid on the block. 

Santa's New Helpers is book 1 in the collaborative new series, Tales from the Waterhole, by me (Max Hoppe - author) and Theresa Hardman (illustrator). 

Over the past two years, I have discovered that books don't just happen. Writing them is one thing, but getting them published into the market is another. This one has exceeded my wildest expectations, with input from a very able and enthusiastic team.

Theresa's illustrations are brilliant, and capture the essence of the story with great style. They have added the wow factor to the book..........

The layout has been done with artistic flair by Sue Hoppe, who spent many hours poring over her computer screen, until she got it just right.

The book will also be available in three languages. Mignonne van Heerden brought her enthusiasm to the team, when she said it should not only be published in English, and translated it into Afrikaans. Soon afterwards, Mpumi Buyana stepped in and did the IsiXhosa translation.

The book should be ready for release in about the second last week of November 2016.

A taste of forthcoming attractions

Back cover - English version