U Star Novels In the Media

'Our saucy Christmas gifts to our brave soldiers'

Sunday, December 20, 2009

'Our saucy Christmas gifts to our brave soldiers'
While their brave men serve their country, these Army WAGs cheer them up with sexy and very personal presents...

Vicky Sloan, 20, from Romford, says:
When I met Ben Newbury four years ago, he was just out of college and was yet to join the Army.
We talked about it together first, because we knew it would mean a long time apart.  But eventually we decided it was the right thing.
Ben, 22, was my first boyfriend and I'm quite a traditional girl, so I knew I'd wait for him.  When Ben was in  Canada for seven months, I didn't see him once.  We sent letters and texts and spoke on the phone every weekend.  But I really missed him.  So when he was due to go away again, this time to Kenya, I decided to get him a special surprise.
I cam across a website for U Star Novels, which creates personalised saucy books.  Ben had been reading a lot when he was in Canada, so I thought it was a brilliant idea.  I could give him a book that was really personal to us. You give details - like your names, eye and hair colour and the make of your car.  They are then written into the book and you and your partner become the characters.
I chose 'Spanish Sizzle'.  It was a pretty raunchy story - a bit like the film Mr & Mrs Smith.
I loved all the little details, like my favourite perfume Calvin Klein Europhoria and Ben's Diesel aftershave, which featured in the book.  I wrapped it and gave it to him before he went to Kenya.
"You can't open it until you get there!" I told him.
Although Ben was only there two months, the communications were very bad and I was lucky if I got one text a week.  So it was nice knowing he has that intimate connection with me through our book.
In one scene the spy couple go to the airport and park their Renault Clio 197.  Ben loved that - he'd saved up for that car while he was in Canada.
At some stage, Ben will be going to Afghanistan.  He's in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, so I comfort myself that he won't be on the front line.
I'm lucky to have had Ben home with me every Christmas.  I think I'll put a U Star book on my gift list and see what he comes up with...

Laura Martin, 28, from Cornwall, says:
This month I'll be going to Aldershot to say goodbye to my boyfriend Martin Goodall as he leaves for Afghanistan.
It's his final tour before he leaves the forces, but that doesn't make it any easier.  I always worry.
Martin, 37, and I got together at the end of February this year.  I'm a mum of two going through a divorce, and getting involved with someone in the forces wasn't on my agenda.
We'd only been together six months when Martina first went out to Afghanistan for eight weeks.  I thought I could prepare myself for it, but it wasn't that simple.  Whenever I heard 'Afghanistan' on the news, my heart sank.
We kept in contact via phone and email.  But if communications went down, it was terrible.
I wanted to give something to Martin, to help him get through his time out there.
So I had a set of studio photos done - tasteful shots of me in a corset and skirt.  Martin loved them.  He put them up in the tent, behind his bed.
I was looking on The Forces Store website, which is run by forces wives, when I spotted U Star.  Martin and I plan to go to Amsterdam after this tour, so the story 'Amsterdam Lessons' was perfect for us to star in.
I read it as soon as it arrived.  It's not too racy.  My favourite bit is when we are getting ready for dinner and I put on a red dress, because it's a colour I wear alot.
I've sent the book off already, so it will be waiting for Martin in Afghanistan.  I think he'll love it.  you can even put a dedication at the front which is a really nice touch.  I hope he knows that I'm thinking of him always.

Rosanna Robinson, 21, from High Wycombe, says:
My boyfriend, Alan Mason, 38, has been in the Army all his adult life.
We first met through friends but he was about to leave for Iraq and was going through a divorce.  We stayed in contact and when Alan got back from Iraq in 2007 we started seeing each other.  I accepted that Alan being away a lot, and not always being able to speak to him, was part of the deal.
Earlier this year he was away for some training so I decided to get him something for Valentine's Day.  I thought a U Star book would keep him amused.
I chose 'Amsterdam Lessons' and included details like his nickname 'Bubba' - I call him that because he's a big bear.
I worried Alan might think the book was too girly.  But he rang to tell me how much he'd enjoyed it. He loved the bit that described me cooking gourmet food.  I put that in for a laugh as I can only make cheese on toast!  I've sent him some tasteful burlesque-style pics in the past to cheer him up.  Our Boys deserve a bit of spice, especially at Christmas.