Lina Leite Thetford new children’s book 2022

Developing up in urban Johannesburg, Lina Leite would normally seem forward to the holidays when she would go and stay with her relations in rural Mozambique.

Her aunt lived in Maputo, in the bush, and there she would encounter all sorts of wild animals, like crocodiles, monkeys and hyenas.

“We employed to go and pay a visit to them for Christmas and Easter and summer time vacations,” says Lina.

“My cousin and I used to go more than the river by boat to get milk from a farm on the other aspect and we observed crocodiles. I was from the town, but my cousin was seriously casual about it and just explained ‘keep your fingers in’,” she laughs.

“All the kids would have enjoyable working away from crocodiles, monkeys and, at night time, hyenas. We observed lions, giraffes, hippos. I was 12,13,14 and it was seriously enjoyable for me. We had been terrified but at the identical time we loved it. We had been all adolescents, and existence was fascinating.

“We swam in waterfalls. They ended up the most wonderful vacations, it was stunning.

“Once the holidays were being more than and we returned to South Africa we employed our practical experience to generate essays and talk to the class about it.”

It can be enchanting listening to Lina, who life in Thetford, share her childhood adventures. 

They have also captivated her grandchildren Lucas and Emily who like hearing her tales – and she made the decision to generate a e book for them.

Lina has cherished crafting because she was at school and wrote her very first guide, Hydrangea Close, 5 years in the past.

The Jungle Celebration, which was printed in January, tells the tale of a lion cub, named Lucas and an elephant, identified as Emily, who depend on each and every other when a flood hits.

It truly is influenced by a authentic-daily life practical experience.

“When it rains in Africa, it definitely rains and when I was traveling to my aunt the moment there was a significant flood,” states Lina. “My aunt stated that in two several hours, a few several hours it will all be alright, but I never ever assumed it was genuine. But, the moment the rain stops, it’s like they pull a plug in the bath and everything is again to ordinary.”  

Lina Leite writes each individual morning
– Credit rating: Sonya Duncan

The guide, which also capabilities illustrations, has not just captivated her grandchildren – it manufactured the top rated a few of Amazon’s children’s jungle animal e-guide chart and number eight in its children’s creativeness and engage in literature chart.

Lina, a translator, and her household moved to the United kingdom close to 30 yrs ago, as she and her husband felt that at that time Johannesburg was as well dangerous a area in which to carry up their kids.

They lived in Wiltshire for a time before settling in East Anglia where they already had buddies who they understood from South Africa.

“Norfolk has received almost everything,” says Lina. “It is really beautiful and it can be silent and the weather is not that lousy. And it truly is got the Queen down the highway at Sandringham.”

The Jungle Celebration by Lina Leite
– Credit score: Sonya Duncan

While the multilingual 67-yr-previous nonetheless presents language classes (as nicely as English and Afrikaans she speaks Portuguese, Spanish, Italian and French) and does occasional court translation do the job, she now writes for all-around 4 hours each and every morning and has five extra publications prepared.

“I get up and get started at 9am and generate until eventually about 1.30pm each individual day,” she states.

Lina thinks her disciplined producing routine and robust operate ethic has arrive from getting had to rebuild her life.

She points out “I am very pleased that I have had the skill to start more than from nothing at all, 2 times.

“I went from getting a large-finish PA and translator in South Africa to doing work in a supermarket in England.

“I worked nights at the supermarket, and throughout the working day I did translations and some private language tuition – I slept for around four several hours a day.

The Jungle Occasion is impressed by Lina Leite’s childhood holiday seasons in Mozambique
– Credit history: Sonya Duncan

A different resource of pride is that five many years back she had the braveness to publish her 1st ebook.

Hydrangea Close was written with her father in thoughts – he was battling cancer at the time and unfortunately handed away in August 2016. 

Lina describes it as “a story about really like, reduction, fantastic neighbours, which I have, luckily, and, to spice it up a bit, a murder.”

It is really a e book with a lot of indicating to her – she has travelled to all the areas mentioned, such as Central Park in New York, which she visited with her husband and Cape City, exactly where they spent their honeymoon and afterwards heaps of holidays with their small children.

The reserve is termed Hydrangea Near since her backyard was filled with them at the time she wrote it. 

And the key character, Aidan Metal, was influenced by Aidan Turner, who received the heart of numerous a Television set viewer as the brooding Captain Ross Poldark.

“Perhaps it wants a little bit a lot more editing, but it was a guide that came from my heart,” claims Lina.

Lina Leite with her debut kid’s e-book, The Jungle Bash.
– Credit: Sonya Duncan

“Now that I am retired, I appear forward to producing significantly a lot more.”
And that contains a e book specially requested by her granddaughter.

“In The Jungle Party I known as the little elephant Emily and she instructed me on no uncertain conditions that she is no baby elephant – so I have to write a e book in which she’s a princess,” she laughs.

For extra data about The Jungle Get together, which is printed by PublishNation, check out Amazon and lookup for Lina Leite, the place  Kindle and paperback variations are accessible.