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Friday, April 30th, 2010
Blogging is an ephemeral business: if we have second thoughts about a blog there’s always the option of erasing it from the online world. Which makes me wonder whether this is the reason we are becoming more fascinated with the letters of yester year? Were people more decisive or opinionated when the missive was a [...]
Thursday, April 29th, 2010
After the mayhem of last week’s London Book Fair - albeit a much quieter mayhem thanks to the Icelandic ash cloud and the ensuing travel chaos - it’s been nice to be back in the office and to a bit of normality, with fluffy white aeroplane trails once again scoring the sky and fewer beleaguered [...]
Wednesday, April 28th, 2010
I was on Dovegreyreader’s book review blog the other day, and was scrolling down the list of books she has featured under her 2010 reads when one cover caught my eye - even as a thumbnail. It was The Boys in the Trees, by Mary Swan.
Those daubs of red stood out against that emerald background [...]
Tuesday, April 27th, 2010
Wednesday 2 June, 7pm READING CENTRAL LIBRARY
Enjoy an evening with romantic writers Tania Crosse (author of Lily’s Journey), Julie Cohen, Beth Elliott, Janet Gover and Rau-Anne Lutener at Reading Central Library, Abbey Square, Reading RG1 3BQ. The authors tell you all there is to know about romantic fiction - from Mills & Boon and Regency [...]
Tuesday, April 27th, 2010
Today is Freedom Day - South Africa’s National Holiday. So, tonight I’m inviting a few of my South African friends over for dinner to celebrate - really just an excuse to impress them and cook up some recipes from our new release The South African Illustrated Cookbook, by Lehla Eldridge.
On tonight’s menu: Darling Evita’s Dried [...]
Monday, April 26th, 2010
While hardly reeling from the London Book Fair (half my meetings were with overseas agents and publishers who didn’t make it due to ‘volcanic action’), I’m actually quite glad to be in the office again. I have been sorting through the various catalogues, flyers and whatnot I’d picked up at the fair, when I came [...]
Sunday, April 25th, 2010
Saturday 22nd May, 9.30am-1.30pm STOCKPORT COLLEGE
As part of Stockport’s Culture Feast, Stockport Libraries are holding a special readers event with well-known writers Anna Dean (author of the Dido Kent historical crime novels) and Stephen Booth, and debut author Anne Chilvers. They will be talking about their books and writing experience at Peter Barkworth Theatre at [...]
Friday, April 23rd, 2010
For most of us, Friday 23rd April will just be an ordinary day. No fireworks; no day off; barely any celebratory flags and banners or themed events going on at local pubs; and few – if any – people walking the streets with daft hats on their heads singing the national anthem… Why is it [...]
Thursday, April 22nd, 2010
The last day of the London Book Fair is always the quieter of the three days, but as I walked through the hall at Earl’s Court it was obvious that the travel mayhem caused by Iceland’s volcano had hit the fair more than I had expected. There were empty stands - still unpacked where foreign [...]
Thursday, April 22nd, 2010
Debut thriller writer Richard Jay Parker beat a string of nominated authors to win 2nd place in the Author Blog Awards’ Best Microblog category for his tweets @bookwalter - second only to Neil Gaiman.
Wednesday, April 21st, 2010
On the platform of the northbound Northern Line at Waterloo (where I spend a minimum of a minute every morning heading into the office) there is a poster for The Hungry Ghosts, by Anne Berry (basically the book cover blown up to poster proportions). I have spent the last few weeks admiring this image, so [...]
Tuesday, April 20th, 2010
Did you watch it? It seems that a fair number of us apparently apathetic voters around the country did tune in for the first leaders debate on Thursday night. It was definitely subjected to a ‘water-cooler’ moment here at the A&B office, as well as at the offices of my husband. OK, so some of [...]
Tuesday, April 20th, 2010
Crime writer, Kate Charles has been elected to become a member to the exclusive Detection Club - restricted to the very top crime writers in the UK. She joins the elite list of members which have included Agatha Christie and Dorothy L Sayers.
Tuesday, April 20th, 2010
Friday 18 June, 7.30pm BREWERY ARTS CENTRE, KENDAL
Thriller-writer Zoë Sharp, will be speaking about her writing and new book, Fourth Day, at the Brewery Arts Centre, Highgate, Kendal, LA9 4HE - together with Diane James. The event is part of the Brewery’s Crime Week festival - tickets are £5 includes a welcoming glass of wine.
Monday, April 19th, 2010
Interactive e-books here we come! Released just a week ago, the Alice app for iPad by Atomic Antelope has caused quite a stir. See this sneak preview on YouTube:
Using the old artwork from Lewis Carroll’s original, it’s a very attractive looking application. Shaking the screen allows you to interact with the illustrations; my personal favourite [...]
Friday, April 16th, 2010
The London Book Fair is upon us - kicking off this Monday for three days. Unlike the editorial and sales/rights team who will be busy with back-to-back meetings with literary agents, rights managers, foreign publishers etc., I get an easy ride at this event.
I’ll just popping along on Wednesday, attending the Publisher’s Publicity Circle (PPC) [...]
Friday, April 16th, 2010
The bestselling author of the Cotswold mystery series will be signing copies of her books (including her latest release ‘Slaughter in the Cotswolds’) at Waterstone’s in Cirencester at 11.00am on Saturday 17th April.
Thursday, April 15th, 2010
I wonder what Shakespeare would think if he knew his most popular play had become a Twitter phenomenon? A cast of actors from the Royal Shakespeare Company have taken on the roles of Romeo and Juliet, their family and friends, and are acting out the Bard’s best-loved work live, in real-time, in modern Britain (apparently [...]
Wednesday, April 14th, 2010
I saw a woman reading Hilary Mantel’s new book Wolf Hall on the tube this morning which has prompted me to bring up the subject of books released with two covers. This particular woman was reading the version with the black cover, but it is also published in white. Our Publishing Director, Susie (who is [...]
Tuesday, April 13th, 2010
As a relatively new iPhone user, I’m still discovering plenty that my new gadget has to offer. A browse through the app store the other day revealed plenty of freebies…
From the useful: The National Trust app - suggestions for days out around the UK, might very well use this come summer time.
To the very very [...]
Pop-ups? Pop to your local library any time…
As we near the end of a week celebrating libraries around the country, culminating tomorrow with special events to mark National Libraries Day (see yesterday’s blog), it seems fitting to highlight the new pop-up library at Selfridges in London (found in the UltraLounge on the Lower Ground floor of the department store). Recently opened as [...]
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