Over the edge - part 2

Eventually, I managed to get into position i.e. leaning backwards over the cliff and then... I slipped on the wet moss and overbalanced sideways. Fortunately, Phil had hold of the rope and stopped me from doing any damage but it didn’t help matters. Another ten minutes and I tried again and this time, agonisingly slowly, I got my boots over the edge again. The moment I had to let to go of Phil and step back over the edge, was probably the worst. It really was much easier from there but there was no way on earth I was going to look down. I kept my eyes riveted on the metal ring and rope and in no time I had walked, Batman-like, down the rock face and was at the bottom.

The first thing I noticed, apart from trembling legs was that my fingers were throbbing from getting wet and cold and from gripping the rope as if my life depended on it.

Mr Bennet, to my surprise and envy, skipped down the cliff like an old pro – you’d never know it was his first time. He reckons it was scarier helping his dad re-tile their roof. But he did give me a very big hug and buy me a very large glass of wine.

If you want to make a donation to the LAMRT, please visit www.lamrt.org.uk or if you know my address, please send me a cheque payable to LAMRT or email me for details.

Thanks so much for your encouragement and support, moral and financial

Love

Pip xxx

Over the edge - part 1

It was just another ordinary Bank Holiday Monday.

I read the Sunday Times, ate a bowl of Alpen …then got into my abseiling outfit (old trackies and walking boots) ready to do the most stupid thing I’ve ever done: climb down a cliff to raise money for the LAMRT and juice up a scene from Decent Exposure.

I knew things weren’t going to be easy when the CD started to play to ‘Don’t Fear the Reaper’ just at the moment it decided to hail in Biblical fashion. The car temperature gauge read 7^oC. This, for the benefit of readers from places like Brisbane and California our summer time begins officially in 22 days.

Like …yeah.

We were about five minutes from the weird yet magnificent outcrops of rock they call The Roaches. Some people may recall that Lizzy Bennet stands there, looking out serenely over the Peak District in the BBC Pride & Prejudice - in a full-length dress and corset no less.

The reality was somewhat different. The rain eased a little and we got out of the car. Phil Barber, my abseiling instructor (he’s the one with the ponytail) looked cheerfully unconcerned. Not surprising really, he has a Guinness Book of Records certificate for abseiling 878 feet off a TV mast. My OH (let’s call him Mr Bennet) was also doing his bit by offering to take the plunge too.

Some kind souls had already nabbed the ‘easy’ crag Phil had in mind, so we had one that as slightly trickier access. And as Phil pointed out, conditions were a bit ‘greasy’ (a technical mountaineering term, eh Phil?). If you’re been abseiling, you may not be that impressed by the height which we descended from. But from the top, with the rain lashing and my fingers numb with cold, it looked one hell of a long way down. No words can describe how scared I was. I was literally frozen with fear and that was just from trying to climb over the rocks to get onto the ledge. I actually wept with terror, I don’t mind admitting and I haven’t gripped a man’s hand so tightly since I gave birth to my daughter.

And did my bum look big in the harness?

YOU BET IT DID!

Pip takes the plunge

This morning, I had a very nice experience: several lovely cheques through the post. Unfortunately they weren't for me but for the LAMRT - the Langdale & Ambleside Mountain Rescue team.

On Monday, shine or probably rain, I'm going to dangling off a rope at The Roaches. No, not a giant insect theme park, but a stunning upland area of Staffordshire, on the edge of the Peak District.

I'm going to be abseiling - which is a key scene in Decent Exposure - to raise money for the LAMRT, which is entirely funded by voluntary donations. So far we have enough money to kit out some lucky soul in lightweight waterproofs (see their wish list on www.lamrt.org.uk).

If you know my address and think you could help, please send me a cheque payable to LAMRT and I'll forward it to the team. Otherwise, please visit their site for details of how to donate.

All this has been made possible by Phil Barber, who runs an outdoor pursuits shop (www.outdoorco-op.co.uk) and also happens to have featured in the Guinness Book of Records for abseiling down a TV mast.

I'll post the pics here if and when I live to tell the tale.

Pip xx


PS -For a panoramic and rather worrying view visit http://www.bbc.co.uk/stoke/360/roaches_2.shtml

Suffering from Gerarditis

Losing IT...

I hope that's got your attention!

Hi and welcome to my blogging debut

I'm a 'virgin' novelist. Whew, that sounds weird. The thing is, I've always been a writer, mostly of articles, brochures and ads etc but it wasn't until January 2005 that I decided to try and write some fiction.

I finished my first novel, Decent Exposure later that year and finally plucked up the courage to send it to an agent in spring 2006. She loved the book, signed me up and a few weeks later sold the book to Headline Publishing for their gorgeous Little Black Dress series.

I'm a blog virgin so please bear with me. It has taken me a week to find out how to clear my cache - it required an extensive course of antibiotics but I've finally cracked it. The symptoms involved multiple postings of Gerard Butler. He is exactly what I have in mind for Will Tennant, the mountain rescue hero of my book. So, risking catching the disease again, I've posted a pic of Gerard looking mean and moody.

Oops.... looks like I caught Gerarditis again.

Well, you get the idea. 'Will's' forearms are one of the first things Emma (the heroine) notices about him. If you'd like to find out what else she likes - and hates - you'll have to wait until October 2nd 2006 but you can pre-order the book now online at Amazon, Waterstones, Borders, WH Smith and Tesco.

More news soon about the abseiling challenge I'm taking part in to raise money for the Langdale & Ambleside Mountain Rescue Team, who helped me with the technical research for Decent Exposure.