Swimming in the clear, warm ocean surrounding The Exumas in The Islands Of The Bahamas has become second nature to the colony of pigs who live there.  Seeing, feeding and swimming with the pigs has drawn growing numbers of tourists and photographers, and now a British writer, to The Exumas. 

  

Based in the West Midlands, author, Susan Haynes-Elcock is the first local author to publish a children's story book about the swimming pigs of The Bahamas. The Honourable Obie H. Wilchcombe, Minister of Tourism for the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, describes the pigs as a 'fantastical phenomenon.'  

 

In this fantasy adventure story for children age 9+, nine year old, David Hythe-Smith from the UK, goes on a yachting holiday with his family to The Bahamas. While there he meets and swims with the amazing, world-famous, celebrity Swimming Pigs of The Exumas. Leader of the pigs, grumpy Papa Jim Pig thinks David might be a young rebel and gives him a hard time. David survives two terrifying, heart-pounding, death-defying threats. In the end, he hopes that this light-hearted and wickedly-funny tale will help him to score brownie points with the class bully back at school.

 

Susan, who has swum with the pigs herself, describes the experience as exciting and surreal. Previously a teacher, Susan maintains her love of education stating that reading is a major passion and that “A room without books is like a body without a soul, and reading is the window to the world.”

Ms Haynes-Elcock enjoys writing stories that children can enjoy while learning important life lessons. This 60 page, beautifully illustrated full-colour book will hopefully encourage child/parent and child/teacher interaction and more importantly, help develop the skill of critical thinking.  Ms Haynes-Elcock, originally from Barbados, lives in the UK. She has two children but sadly no pets – not even a gerbil, dog, cat – or pig.

 

Swimming Pigs? retails at £5.99, plus postage. A no-charge copy of her book is available to voluntary reading organisations who provide email, website, mailing address and phone numbers, and are willing to pay packing and shipping fees.

 

In 2016 Ms Haynes-Elcock plans to release another two books of the SWIMMING PIGS? series plus a non-fiction novel. 

 

"As an author," Susan concluded, "my responsibility and passion is to inspire children to love reading, to empower them to set their imaginations free and to encourage good decision-making skills as they grow into adulthood. Writing is my way of giving back to my community. “

 

Ms Haynes-Elcock is available for media interviews and can be reached using the information below or by email at http://www.shewinsbookstore.com or shewinsbooks@gmail.com. Currently, her books are available from MRCmedia and the author. More information is available at her website at http://www.swimmpigstails.com 

 

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For further media information please contact Ms Haynes-Elcock 01922 707838 or email: shewinsbooks@gmail.com 

 

Notes to editors:

 

1 She Wins Bookstore is the self-publishing house and management company for author, Susan Haynes-Elcock.

2 It creates, publishes, markets and distributes the author's books.   For more information on all aspects of

Ms Haynes-Elcock's work, activities and services, visit www.shewinsbookstore.com

3 Haynes-Elcock writes to produce quality books for both children and adults on subjects which are current and newsworthy. She seeks to educate through her writing, while creating fun reads.

4 The book SWIMMING PIGS? is the first in a series of children's books.

5 The pigs are real not figments of anyone's imagination nor are they cartoon characters.

6 They live in The Exumas, The Bahamas, one of the main 16 islands in the archipelago.

7 They have their own island called Pig Island (so named by the locals), real name Big Major Cay.

8 Visitors from around the world come to visit, swim with and feed these pigs.

9 They are celebrities in their own rights.

10 They are beautiful, intelligent animals.