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If you like adventure books (I love them) you might also like to know that WH Smith are selling the new Max Gordon - Danger Zone book by David Gilman for one month before the official release - it is available elsewhere from July 3. I really enjoyed the first book 'The Devil's Breath' so I had to have this one - and it's huge. Here's the Ice Claw blurb: "A thundering rumble echoes round the mountain peaks of the Pyrenees as a deadly avalanche speeds towards the oblivious competitors in an X-treme sports challenge. Max Gordon's race to win has just become a race to survive. But Max has been betrayed. Sayid, Max's best friend, is injured and missing. Max is accused of murder and the evidence seems conclusive - the hunt for Max Gordon is on. "In a life-or-death struggle, a mysterious monk passes on a vital clue, which plunges Max into the heart of an ancient secret, foretelling of a cataclysmic event that will kill thousands and destroy the entire ecological balance of Europe." David has a fantastic blog and does a lot of hands on research around the world for his books. He is also about to go on tour for 'Ice Claw' beginning Monday 29 June. His blog says; "We start in Preston, then Lancaster, Manchester, London, Devizes and Plymouth. If you see a man carrying a tree trunk it's me - and the tree trunk is the tube I'm using to carry my picture of a massive bear." So far I haven't been able to find out which bookshops he's visiting - I'll update on this post if I hear anything. Check out www.davidgilman.blogspot.com or www.thedangerzone.co.uk for Max Gordon updates. BOOK SIGNINGS * Henry Winkler AKA The Fonz will be signing copies of his new childrens book HANK ZIPZER NIAGARA FALLS OR DOES IT? at WHSmith, Arndale Centre, Manchester on July 6 between 1 and 2pm. * Children's author Patricia Jones who will be signing copies of her latest (fifth) book, at Waterstone's Preston on Saturday July 19 between 2 and 3pm. 'Circles of Blood' is a teenage crime story set in France. Children of all ages are very welcome and there's no need to book. Find out more at www.patriciajones.co.uk

The other day I wrote about the new breed of TV adventurer including Bear Grylls - and now I've discovered he's become a children's author. Bear has already written bestselling books for adults which proved very popular but now he's targeting teenagers. Mission Survival: Gold of the Gods has just been published in paperback by Red Fox and has an attractive cover including a compass detail that changes image when you move it - I used to love a dinosaur ruler I had like that when I was 8! The publishers describe it as 'Full of real survival details and gruesome tips!' Which really appeals to me. The blurb says: "Beck Granger (same initials!) is facing certain death. He's lost in the Colombian jungle, with no GPS, no food, and no help but for two friends, with only a tattered map and a strange amulet guiding their way.But he has his survival skills - and if anyone can keep them alive, Beck can. Building rafts and shelter . . . Killing snakes. . . Finding water. . . Fending off shark attacks. . . He knows how to navigate any environment - but even he can't anticipate every danger . . . Hot on the trail of his kidnapped uncle, beck must race against time and the elements. Can he find the lost CITY OF GOLD and discover the secret of its people?" Sounds good, and there's no doubting Bear really knows his stuff when it comes to survival - ignore some of the press reports as Ranulph Fiennes says 'cheese soufffles don't climb Everest.' A quick check inside the cover at my local bookshop says the book is written by Bear and another author - so I'm guessing he had some help - but to be honest I'm surprised he finds the time to write at all. I've taken a look at his blog and he seems to be permanantly travelling - Siberia, Panama, Sahara, Sumatra, Zambia, Mexico ... incredible. I'll never complain about lack of time for writing again!