Blog
Favourite pubs in London
2 October, 2009
I’m not a fan of dirty old man pubs and as much as I love glossy bars, there’s nothing quite like a low-key, cosy pub serving local beer and comfort food. Round the corner from our lovely offices is the very popular Carpenter’s Arms. It has a beautiful outside area, complete with obligatory fairly lights and […]
Cutting out the middle man
1 October, 2009
In recent months we have been selling books direct – from our gleaming new website of course, but also over the phone. And it’s been wonderful speaking to readers! The women who actually were Land Girls during the Second World War and were after a copy of the fictional account of a group of girls […]
Is this Molly’s car??
30 September, 2009
The heroine in one of our books, Molly’s Millions, is a florist who loves yellow gerberas and drives a yellow WV Beetle. Do you think this creation was inspired by the book?? Ok, so it’s actually a Chevrolet Matiz, not a Beetle but let’s not pick at details…Click here and scroll through the pictures for […]
Prints by Mick Wiggins
28 September, 2009
Christina (our Art Editor) currently has this image saved on her desktop and when I spotted it, I decided it would look very nice as a print in my living room. I asked her where she found the image and as it turns out, the illustrator happens to be Mick Wiggins, the man who did the artwork […]
Something to procrastinate with…
25 September, 2009
Bored? Try this for some lighthearted release: http://www.deanjackson.dj/nameanagram/index.php?n=Lara+Crisp Kind regards, Rip Rascal (Lara Crisp, Managing Editor)
Another recommendation from Oz
24 September, 2009
My favourite restaurant in Sydney has got to be the Doyles in Watson Bay – a well-known but unpretentious restaurant perched next to a lovely little suburban beach, from where you have a lovely view of the Harbour Bridge in the distance as you tuck into fresh seafood. I can’t say I have explored much the menu – simpy because […]
Fancy making an audiobook?
23 September, 2009
I’ve come across an interesting site – Librivox.com. A site which aims to make all public domain books available as free audio books (that means books published before 1923…) and what’s more, you can release your own recordings. So if you’ve ever fancied reading chapters for audio yourself, here’s your chance – become a volunteer […]
Liking this new Etihad airline
22 September, 2009
A blog from Down Under. Yes, I’m writing this from Sydney, Australia (and before you ask yourself what in God’s name I am doing on a computer when I am in this gorgeous city and on holiday – the answer is: jet lag. It’s 5am and options are limited. It’s either whiling away time on […]
Thoughts on The Shawshank Redemption play
21 September, 2009
In my blog post a few blogs ago, I said I was going to see Shawshank Redemption at the theatre. Well, I saw it, and it did not disappoint. I was worried that I would simply be seeing the film replicated on stage (and a poorer version at that) but I was very impressed with […]
I love Weebirdy.com
17 September, 2009
Today I’d like to share my favourite blog with you. It’s called Weebirdy.com. If you think London’s a grey place to be, think again. Weebirdy introduces you to the cool and the quirky, the colourful and the mad. I’m in love. I could try to sum it all up in wordy fashion but I think […]
Anyone else planning to strike?
16 September, 2009
Seriously – what is it with all the strikes at the moment? Royal Mail has been fizzling on and off like a reluctant light bulb and I’ve just had an email from National Express saying there’s likely to be another train strike for all of next week. Watch this space, I may have intrepid adventures […]
How will The Shawshank Redemption suit the stage?
15 September, 2009
The Shawshank Redemption is my all-time favourite movie. I have watched it countless times. I have read the novella it is based on by Stephen King – called Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption and to be found in the collection Different Seasons. I have bought the original screenplay which is interesting since (unlike many screenplays you buy […]
The first of the A&B ebooks!
14 September, 2009
Trumpets! Confetti! General jubilation! Congratulate us one and all for Allison & Busby has just put a toe in the digital book waters with the release of five titles as ebooks – all available from Waterstones.com and ebooks.WHSmith.co.uk. The five books are: Glass Houses by Rachel Caine Lord of Misrule by Rachel Caine Mariana by […]
Mixed emotions watching 9/11 documentary
11 September, 2009
It’s been eight years to this day since the horrific events of 9/11. In the run up to this tragic anniversary Channel 4 have been running several documentaries to mark and remember that fateful day and I caught the middle of 9/11 – Phone Calls from the Towers. Listening to the voices of those trapped in […]
A £1million laughing matter…
10 September, 2009
News has it that Penguin (Michael Joseph) has signed up an autobiographical book by Michael McIntyre – the man of the moment in the UK comedy circles. Personally I think he’s hilarious. I saw him live at The Lyric in Hammersmith (before he hit stardom), I bought the DVD Live and Laughing and I series-linked […]
Only on the internet…
9 September, 2009
No one will argue that there is a lot of random stuff floating about the internet. And such an example is this: a website that tells you when you can safely duck out to the loos during a movie so that you won’t miss much! If you don’t believe me – click here. Taking some […]
What would the Land Girls say about Land Girls?
8 September, 2009
Those of you that have followed our blog over the past months will remember us telling you about the flurry of calls we got from people wanting to order a copy of Muddy Boots and Silk Stockings – about the Land Girls. No doubt many of them will also be watching the new period drama […]
The thrill of the ride!
7 September, 2009
This Sunday I had the pleasure of trying wakeboarding at The Princes Club for the first time. No, sorry I lie. I went knee boarding – the beginners version. For anyone who doesn’t know what this is, it involves you grabbing hold of a rope attached to a fast-moving cable (and when I say fast, […]
The Curzon Group v Dan Brown…
3 September, 2009
Anyone who’s a bit tired of the Dan Brown hoopla (count me in) will enjoy this… Love the butter. Any other DB inspired titles/themes you can think of? Chiara Priorelli, Publicity Manager
Meerkats v Penguins
2 September, 2009
No doubt I’m the last person to cotton on to this but did you know that the truly brilliant advertisers for www.comparethemarket.com featuring the squeaky Russian meerkat Aleksandr have actually set up a ‘real’ www.comparethemeerkat.com website? Genius. The meerkat is officially this year’s loveable creature – penguins are so passé – and these marketing guys […]
Amateur running tips…
1 September, 2009
Lately, I have taken up running again. Mainly, I’ll admit, because my boyfriend has been training for 10k races and my competitive side feels the need to prove I am equally as fit. (I’m ignoring the fact that Reality is laughing in my competitive ego’s face.) Anyway, I knew I would need three things to […]