Christmas Book Gifts 2013: Legendary Hollywood Stuntman Writes Animal-Rights Novel

HOLLYWOOD, Dec. 10, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- For 50 years, Hollywood stuntman Fernando Celis Belina singlehandedly wrestled crocodiles, fought lions and untangled rattlesnakes. But he found the one villain he couldn't tackle alone – poachers who killed elephants and ravaged their bodies for their precious ivory tusks.

So he wrote a novel to dramatize the plight of the pachyderm, in a just-released-for Christmas book called, "Land of the Elephants" (New York: Aviva Publishing. ISBN 978-1-938686-56-6) which is available in paperback and e-book.

To interview him, editors can call 818-884-5130.

The stuntman who appeared in many "Tarzan" movies was inspired to write this wonderful adventure novel after his last visit to Africa while working on the movie "Lost in Africa," which was being shot on location in Kenya, Botswana and Zimbabwe.

While driving inside the Maasai Amboseli Game Reserve, he was captivated by a family of 20 elephants, who were on their daily walk across the plains. After feeling great sadness to learn about poachers outside the reserves who would massacre whole animal families for their ivory tusks, he began to imagine creating a human character, a champion who would stand up for elephants and do what many of us wish we could do. The result is his epic novel "Land of the Elephants."

The book is being considered for a major motion picture.

"Although all the characters and events in this book are fictitious, the enormous number of animals being destroyed by poachers all around the world is a reality that is critically threatening the existence of numerous animal species. A very small percent of humanity is eagerly fighting to stop these absurd killings; sometimes, these people are forced to engage in gun battles against the poachers, and many have lost their lives. One thing is definite and irrevocable-without the help of these courageous humans there wouldn't be any wild rhinoceroses or elephants alive today," said Celis Belina who had a 50-year career supervising and working with wild animals in the movie industry in Hollywood and around the world, adding over a hundred film credits to his resume.

"This is the perfect gift book to give to young adults so they can learn about the history, sociology and politics of elephants and the illegal and immoral ivory poaching cartels," he said.

About the Book

Young zoologist, Dr. Catherine Spencer, tragically lost her father in Africa as a child, and questions remain as to who killed him and her friends' parents the night they were attacked.

After years spent in England and California, Catherine now returns to embark on her dream project to study the African elephant in the Kenyan wilderness, where she will follow, befriend, and embed with the elephant families.

Her dreams, however, are soon threatened when a gang of Somali poachers ambush her in a deadly attack with automatic weapons, killing her young friend and assistant.

Catherine becomes proficient in jungle survival skills and tactical sniper shooting, both to protect herself and the elephants she loves...and perhaps someday to get revenge on those who killed her father.

Join Catherine on an exciting adventure as she witnesses the amazing social structure of her elephant friends and the love and affection they have for one another. Follow the elephants over vast plains and mountains, taking in spectacular sights and areas not known by humans, including mystical swamp forests and the thick jungles where they hide.

"Prepare to have a life-changing, unforgettable experience in these pages," said Celis Belina.

About Fernando Celis Belina

In 1963, Celis Belina's small private collection of wild animals in Acapulco, Mexico-including several lions, a young Indian elephant, three young chimpanzees, two leopards, and assorted smaller native animals-opened the doors to Hollywood, when his collection of animals and the natural and accessible jungles in the area attracted Tarzan and his movie crew for the first of several movies and a television series, to be filmed in the Acapulco area in years to come.

The same production company took him and the animals to the jungles of Brazil for almost two more years. And from there, they all were taken to Hollywood, California.

Being the only person who would wrestle with his own big cats opened new horizons for him when he started doing work as a stuntman. Very soon, he was wrestling other people's animals. Horse falls, high falls, and bar fights came next, followed by car chases and car rolls, and getting blown away by all kinds of weapons, including those of extraterrestrials. Eventually, this movie career led him to the idea for writing "Land of the Elephants."

For more information and a full list of Fernando Celis' movie credits, visit www.imdb.com.

SOURCE Fernando Celis Belina