Jacqueline Lambert

Award-Winning Travel Humour Writer

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building the beast: how (not) to build an overland camper

A picture of the book Building The Beast: How (Not) To Build an Overland Camper overlaid with three book awards it has won. The text reads The Comic Memoir of a Crazy Idea: 1. Plan expedition to Mongolia. 2. Buy 24.5-tonne truck blind off the internet, 3. Convert into off grid home. There are two 5* reviews: "Hugely Inspirational" by Julie Jaigh, Amazon Top 1000 reviewer, and "A quixotic twist (on the renovating an old house story)" along with Jacqueline Lambert Author's logo featuring The Beast, a Volvo N10 camper

synopsis

Featuring ‘The Beast’, an expedition truck, as seen on TV*

A Vintage Truck: An Amateur Team: An Immovable Deadline

The Comic Memoir of a Crazy Idea

In this captivating true tale, join an intrepid married couple as they take another wild leap into the world of nomadic living.

Jackie and Mark gave up work to embark on a permanent road trip with four dogs. However, one Friday the 13th, forces beyond their control cause them to throw caution to the wind and buy a 30-year-old army truck sight unseen from the internet.

Their goal: to create an expedition truck fit to drive overland to Mongolia.

Follow them as they dive headfirst into the daunting but thrilling task of converting this rugged vehicle into a perfect off-grid tiny house on wheels.

Yet their first ever DIY van conversion proves to be a rollercoaster ride, when they sell their house to fund the build, and Friday the 13th comes back to haunt them.

Is their confidence that, ‘there’s always a solution,’ misplaced?

With their relationship, sanity, and finances on the line, can they navigate the pitfalls of their first-ever build and avoid becoming homeless?

Filled with quirky van life friends and unexpected twists, this is an inspiring tale of perseverance, friendship, and finding the courage to conquer the challenges that face those who dare to chase their dreams.

* The Beast made a guest appearance on Ben Fogle’s New Lives In The Wild

A photo of The Beast, a NATO green Volvo N10 bull nosed truck, with New Lives in the Wild TV presenter Ben Fogle flanked by author Jacqueline Lambert and her husband Mark.
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read a sample

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praise for Building the beast

awards

The Wishing Shelf Book Awards bronze winner, adult non-fiction categtory

Please note that since winning these awards, Building The Beast has been relaunched for 2025 with a new cover to match More Manchester Than Mongolia, the second book in the series.

A picture of the Beast, an overland truck next to a reservoir in Bulgaria, with a picture of the award winning book Building The Beast and feedback from readers in the wishing shelf book awards

Readers’ favorite 5* Seal

“Although hilarious at times, their patience was stretched to the limit.”

Lucinda E. Clarke for Readers’ Favorite Read the full Readers’ Favorite 5* Review HERE.

Page Turner Book Awards Finalist 2024

A picture of The Beast, a Volvo N10 camper, on a sunset beach with a copy of the book Building The Beast: How (Not) To Build An Overland Camper and the text 2024 finalist page turner book award and a copy of the page turner finalist medal

a few of Building the beast’s 5* reviews

  • “A page-turner!…You never know what will happen next!” Carrie Riseley, Author
  • “Hugely inspirational, because I think many would have just given up trying, with all the things they had to put in place to get their dream of owning and converting The Beast off the ground. What a story – and a fabulously entertaining book/read.” Julie Haigh, Goodreads Librarian and Top 1,000 Amazon reviewer.
  • “A must read – even if it’s just to stop you making the same mistakes! The trials and tribulations of building a home on six wheels, told with laughter and insight…” Maximilian Sam, Award-Winning Author
  • “A fantastic look at designing a unique project and going for it with humor and perseverance. If one is tired of another ‘chucking it all and renovating an old house’ story, this is a quixotic twist that will keep you entertained.” Kari Iverson Lane
  • “If you’re looking for a quirky & intelligent read about going on the road…this is an excellent choice.” Review from Nicci Attfield on Reedsy Discovery – see graphic below and read the full review HERE
Building The Beast a graphic which shows the Reedsy Discovery review of the book with the text 'Loved it. Delightful, humorous and filled with vivid imagery, this book is a gem.' and a few more review quotes
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To Order

To order Building The Beast, from Amazon.co.uk click here, for elsewhere in the world, click here.

The ebook and paperback are available from Amazon stores worldwide.  The ‘elsewhere in the world’ universal link should take you through to your local Amazon store..

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Jackie, Mark, The Fab Four, & The Beast

Image of the new edition of Jacqueline Lambert's comic memoir book cover Building The Beast: How (Not) To Build An Overland Camper with the first line: "If you'd just bought a normal boring campervan like every sane person in the world, you wouldn't have had all these problems. Life would be extremely dull, though."