Hi All,
I just wanted to let you know that my new book ‘Tortillas to Totems’ is being launched at the iconic Ace Cafe London on Saturday September the 18th. You are invited. I hope you can make it. We are lining up for a fun afternoon.

‘Tortillas to Totems’ takes you across the magnificent landscapes of Mexico, the USA and Canada. Lands where it is just too easy too get sidetracked by the unexpected.

This is my fourth adventure motorcycle travel book. My first ‘Into Africa’ takes you from Cairo down to Cape Town. The tale is packed with wonderful happenings and far too many disasters, but that is travel on two wheels across the stunning continent that is Africa.

My second book, ‘Under Asian Skies’ kicks off in Australia and then takes you through the exotic lands of SE Asia, across Asia proper, through the Middle East and on through Eastern Europe. You’ll find me close to death a couple of times, involved with smugglers, getting a buzz from the madness that is traffic in India, and much more.

My last book, ‘Distant Suns’ takes you through Southern Africa and then on up through the stunning landscapes of South and Central America. These really are lands where every day is an adventure, and this time I am riding with Birgit, who you’ll have met first in ‘Under Asian Skies’. You’ll find that Birgit is an amazingly plucky lass! She needs to be with all the disasters I drop myself into!

‘Tortillas to Totems’ starts off in Mexico; surely one of the most awesome countries in the world to ride. It has a fascinating and incredibly diverse history, challenging roads to ride and cops who are complete gits! The land is an exciting challenge to ride.

We then head on up into the USA, which I really wasn’t sure I wanted to visit. By this time I’d been on the road for nearly 7 years, and most of that time had been in second and third world countries. The thought of heading up into the big, bold and brash USA was daunting. A reverse culture shock, or was it?

Canada held all the delights I’d imagined and much more. This really is a land to explore on two wheels. But the country also gave us a major disappointment. Never fear though, that disappointment was just the start of a whole new adventure.

The launch on Sept the 18th will kick off around 11am. And we are being sponsored by Carole Nash Insurance and Robert White Photographic. These guys are all bikers and are real experts with photographic equipment - great people to check out before you set off. Thanks to these two companies there will be live rock music from the amazing Steve McGill (who some of you will have heard playing at the HU Meet in Ripley a couple of years ago), celebrities, a huge raffle for Motorcycle Outreach, adventure travel companies, dune buggies (yes you read that right!) and of course Books! We’d love to see you there. If you’ve never been to the Ace Cafe before, then perhaps use us as a good excuse. Make sure you arrive in time for one of the Ace Cafe’s world famous breakfasts! Leave space for it!!!

I hope you can make and I look forward to meeting you.
All the best,
Sam

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Hi Sam

Hope you are doing well following your op.
New book sounds great-looking forward to reading it. See you at the Ace

Simon

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BMW GS650 Dakar and too much bling from Touratech!

Hi Simon,
Sorry to take an age to reply to you. Not rood! really I've been in for another MOT so things have been on hold for a while. All's going well though.

But its great to hear from you and I'm delighted that you are going to make it too the launch on Sept 18th. I'm really looking forward t it. Plans are coming together well

Hope all's well with you.
Cheers,
Sam

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Great stuff Sam...

I'll have to get myself a copy when I get back.. No room in the panniers im afraid !

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Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

Book sounds interesting, I'll take a look.

Thanks.

David

Hi Ted,
Great to hear from you - where are you now I wonder. You chose an amazing continent to ride

'No room in the panniers'? I should think not - probably need that for spare loo rolls

Stay well out there buddy.Hope you are having a brilliant time.
Cheers,
Sam

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Hi David,
Many thanks for this. I hope you'll be able to snag a copy. Going to be able to make it to the launch on Sept 18th? Hope so. It'll be great to meet up.
All the best,
Sam

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Still in Sunny Merseyside Sam... I leave in 3 weeks !! lol

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Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

Quote "Still in Sunny Merseyside Sam... I leave in 3 weeks" !!

Somewhere between murder and suicide is a place called Merseyside.
Glad to see you are finally escaping Ted.

Sam cant make the launch but will get hold of the book.
Take care
GM

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2012 Kawasaki W800
1997 NX 650 Dominator

Hi Ted,
Great timing, it'll just be beginning to cool off then. Which way are you going down?
Hope all your last bits of prep go really well.

Hi GM,
Sad you can't make it to the launch, but I'm chuffed you are going to snag a copy anyway. Cheers. They will be up on the website in the latter part of August for pre ordering or if you are planning to go to the bike show at the NEC I'll be book signing on Les Madge's TravelDri-Plus stand.

All the best to you both.
Cheers,
Sam

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Taking the ferry to Spain, then to Italy. I'm going to give that new ferry (Venice to Alexandra) a go..

After that its the east coast down then cut accross Botswana to Namibia then South to Capetown. Thats the plan anyway

Any future adventures on the cards Sam ??

__________________
Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

Hey Ted,
Great route, (have a Tusker on me when you get to Kenya) and that ferry sounds the business doesn't it. I'll be looking forward to hearing what you think.
'Future adventures'? There's always one planned but I'm travel restricted until next summer - don't want to do anything to upset the new kidney! Good excuse to get out and about with the new book though eh
Happy travels mate.
Cheers,
Sam

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Hi Sam. The books sound great. Ae they available through Amazon "via the Hubb"?

Hi GSARiderOne,
Good to hear from you - glad you like the sound of my books. They have had some ok and some very nice reviews - no one is throwing rotten eggs at me so...

Amazon? Hmmm, I have a problem with them. They demand 60% of the cover price as their fee to list them. As a small concern we can't afford that. That works with big publishers when they do print runs of 10,000+ copies at a time. Doing so makes the unit cost tiny.

But for me its also that they then discount the books, which then undercuts everyone else who has agreed to stock them. I don't think that's fair to the other firms I work with so won't sign up. Stubborn sod eh.

As a result Amazon normally show my books as being out of stock = out of print. Not helpful, but hey one does what one thinks is right eh.

However, we are signed up to Amazon as a Book dealer. You see us in smaller print further down the order page for each of the books, along with some other companies who stock my books.

Alternatively you can get signed copies directly from us at Sam Manicom : Adventure Motorcycle Travel Books, or copies from Waterstones, Stanfords of London, Traveldri-Plus, Motorworks, Motobins, Adventure Spec, Aerostich (USA), Bob's BMW (USA) and from most good travel bookshops in the UK. Even some branches of Cotswold outdoor stock them. If a book shop doesnn't have them actually in stock, they can order them streight from us or via our destributors Bertrams Books and Gardners Books.

Ha! Longer answer than you expected eh. Errm, sorry, but, well, I am a scribe so its in keeping . Thanks for posting the message. Hope you can get copies ok. Do keep in touch.
Cheers,
Sam

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Great Sam. I will look into getting books directly from you then. Your latest will be my first. Will watch for it during late August. Thanks.