Thurrock novelist shortlisted for top award yourthurrock.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from yourthurrock.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
This month's books include "The Christmas Wedding" by James Patterson, "The Shell Seekers" by Rosamunde Pilcher and "One for the Money" by Janet Evanovich.
“There was no TV when I was a child. I learned from books and nature. I read every book about animals I could find. Doctor Dolittle and Tarzan led me to dream about living with animals in Africa.”