Whatsup?

A couple of things. Firstly, I wonder how many of you will be attending Crime Fest in Bristol next month 5 – 8 June 2008? It would be good to say hello to you.

At Crime Fest I am moderating two panels. On Thursday it’s researching the National Archives with Peter Guttridge, Vicki Blake, Alanna Knight and Keith Miles. Saturday morning (0900) I’m on How to Write a Thriller and the panel consists of Meg Gardner, “Kate Westbrook”, Charles Cumming, Tom Cain and me old mate, Nick Stone. Also two other members of the Shots team are moderators of other panels – Ali Karim and Ayo Onatade. Hope we can count on your support.

Secondly, can I draw your attention to the website and its updates. New features and interviews with: Martin Walker, Nicola Upson, Edgar Wallace, Ray Banks, Louise Penny (+ a comp to win a signed copy of The Cruellest Month), Jason Pinter (+ competition to win a signed copy of his debut The Mark) and Mike Ripley’s appreciation of the late R.D. Wingfield.

And finally, if you are a member of the newsletter all the above is not news to you. However if you sign up now there is an exclusive competition. The prize is one book per month for one year. It will be a mixed bag of hardbacks and paperbacks and worth up to £156.00. All you need to do is get five other people to sign up to the newsletter – as simple as that. The deadline is 31st May 2008. To sign up for the newsletter just go to the homepage and the entry field is on the left hand side.
Hope to see some of you in Bristol.

If you are in the UK on June 3rd make a date in your diary to come along to see Andrea Maria Schenkel At The Goethe Institute. Andrea Maria Schenkel is appearing on stage with Anthea Bell, the translator, at 7.00pm on Tuesday, 3rd June. They will do readings and then be interviewed by Peter Guttridge. They will then take questions.Admission is free.The Goethe Institute is at 50 Princes Gate, Exhibition Rd., London SW7,Tel: 0207 596 4000.
Andrea has won the German Krimi Preis for both The Murder Farm (now published by Quercus) and Ice Cold, an unprecedented achievement. She topped the German bestseller lists for many weeks with these two books.

FILM NEWS:

Leonardo DiCaprio may star as Ian Fleming in a biopic of the James Bond creator.
The Los Angeles Times reports that the actor's production company Appian Way recently jumped on board to produce the film, based on the script Fleming by Damian Stevenson.
Producer Andrew Lazar said a film about the life of Fleming had the potential to be "fascinating".
"It's going to be very different from the Bond films," Lazar commented. "There are a lot of different ways to crack biopics, but we're not trying to emulate a Bond movie... The idea that this guy's life informed the James Bond character is pretty fascinating."
Stevenson, whom DiCaprio will replace with a new writer, researched the script by looking through out-of-print biographies at the University of Oxford's Bodleian Library.
"It's the real James Bond," Stevenson said. "In England, Ian Fleming's exploits are much better known. Talking to people out here [in the US], no one had any idea that M was based on a real person, Miss Moneypenny was based on a real person."
The story begins on the eve of Fleming's wedding in 1952 - before his first Bond novel Casino Royale was published - then flashes back to his days as a Reuters journalist and Naval Intelligence Commander.

Dutch filmmaker Jan De Bont will direct a follow-up to Point Break, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The Asia-based sequel, titled Point Break: Indo, takes place 20 years after the events of the first film, which starred Keanu Reeves as an FBI agent who takes up surfing to catch a group of bank robbers led by Patrick Swayze.The sequel, written by the first film's screenwriter W. Peter Iliff, will shoot in Singapore and Southeast Asia.

Nicolas Cage is to star in a remake of 1992 crime drama Bad Lieutenant.
Werner Herzog will direct the movie for Nu Image/Millennium Films, reports Variety. The production will be announced at the Cannes Film Festival, which kicks off today.
The original movie starred Harvey Keitel as a New York cop who is involved in drugs, gambling, sex and stealing. He vows to change his ways while investigating the rape of a young nun. TV writer Billy Finkelstein, whose previous credits include Murder One, Law & Order and NYPD Blue, will pen the remake. It is scheduled to start filming during the summer.

IT NEVER RAINS, BUT IT POURS

Gary Oldman is in negotiations to join the cast of "Rain Fall," a Japan-set thriller that employs sophisticated western finance techniques.

Adapted from a novel by best- selling American author Barry Eisler, it is the story of a hit man who is forced to protect the daughter of one of his victims against assassination by the CIA. Shiina Kippei ("Shinobi") and Akiho Hasegawa star.

Japanese Satoru Iseki ("The Emperor and the Assassin," "A Battle of Wits") produces through his Tara Contents shingle and a special purpose vehicle with backing from Sony Pictures Entertainment Japan and other equity investors.

"Rain Fall" will be the second directorial outing for scripter-helmer Max Mannix ("Dance of the Dragon"). Pic, to be lensed beginning next month, will be shot predominantly in Japanese, with 15% English dialogue.

Iseki said the film will have the distinction of being the first Japanese movie to use a completion bond. Budgeted at over $7 million, bond supplied by Film Finances, will allow producers to discount a video contract and bring forward coin for the production stage.

"Normally Japanese investors don't use bonds as they create film investment consortia and share the risk among themselves, but I think a bond helps the producer and opens up other kinds of finance such as gap or debt," Iseki said. "One reason I don't like the consortium system is that it is difficult to see who has the final decision -- and decision-making at their monthly meetings can be slow."

Iseki, who is in Hong Kong with two projects at the HAF, expects to appoint a world sales agent in the next two weeks.

Barry will be in the UK in a drive-by signing. March 31, 5:00 pm Books Etc.
02 Centre, 255 Finchley Road London, NW3 6LU +44 20 7433 3299
http://www.borderslocal.co.uk/finchley-road/events

Other film news includes
Neil Marshall has signed with Universal to direct "Drive," an adaptation of the James Sallis novel. Hugh Jackman is attached to play a Hollywood stunt driver who moonlights as a getaway car driver in heists.

Crime Awards and news roundup

News just in from the ITW

Finalist for the 200 Thriller Awards. The winners will be announced this summer at Thrillerfest 2008 at the Grand Hyatt in New York City during a gala banquet on Saturday, July 12th.

BEST NOVEL 2008

No Time For Goodbye by Linwood Barclay (Bantam)
The Watchman by Robert Crais (Simon & Schuster)
The Ghost by Robert Harris (Simon & Schuster)
The Crime Writer by Gregg Hurwitz (Viking)
Trouble by Jesse Kellerman (Putnam)

BEST FIRST NOVEL 2008

Interred With Their Bones by Jennifer Lee Carrell (Dutton)
Big City, Bad Blood by Sean Chercover (William Morrow)
From the Depths by Gerry Doyle (McBook Press)
Volk's Game by Brent Ghelfi (Henry Holt and Co.)
Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill (William Morrow)

BEST PAPERBACK ORIGINAL 2008

The Last Nightingale by Anthony Flacco (Ballantine)
A Thousand Bones by P.J. Parrish (Pocket)
The Midnight Road by Tom Piccirilli (Bantam)
The Queen of Bedlam by Robert McCammon (Pocket)
Shattered by Jay Bonansinga (Pinnacle)

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It’s been a very sad time of late. First the passing of Julian Rathbone, followed by Anthony Minghella and Arthur C. Clarke. Now veteran British actor Paul Scofield has died of leukemia, aged 86.

He passed away peacefully in hospital near his Sussex home yesterday, his agent confirmed.

She told Reuters: "He had leukemia and had not been well for some time."

Scofield won a Best Actor Oscar in 1967 for his turn as Sir Thomas More in Man for All Seasons. He was also nominated for Robert Redford-directed movie Quiz Show in 1995.Although he appeared in more than 30 films, he spent most of his career on the stage and was a leading member of the Royal Shakespeare Company.

He was made a companion of honour in 2001 but rejected three attempts to give him a knighthood.

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The Departed writer William Monahan is to pen a thriller based on an article to appear in Playboy.

The Paramount movie will tell the true story of Jim Keene, a police chief's son who was convicted of drug dealing. As an alternative to a ten-year jail sentence, he was allowed to go undercover at an insane asylum, where he tried to get a serial killer to reveal the location of his victims' bodies.

The film is being produced by Graham King (The Aviator, The Departed) and Alexandra Milchan (Street Kings, Righteous Kill). It is part of a first-look deal that King's GK Films has made with the Oscar-winning writer, who will work from their office.

The article will appear in Playboy later this year.

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New James Bond film Quantum of Solace will be released in the UK on October 31.

The 22nd instalment in the franchise will hit cinemas slightly earlier than the previously expected date of November 7.

A statement from Sony revealed that Daniel Craig’s 007 will be tackling "a minefield of treachery, murder and deceit" in Haiti, Austria and South America.The movie follows on directly from Casino Royale and sees Bond discover that love interest Vesper was being blackmailed when she betrayed him.

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The A-Team movie has a release date of June 12, 2009 and will be directed by John Singleton.

The director, whose credits include Shaft, Four Brothers and 2 Fast 2 Furious, was first linked to the job in December.

Michael Brandt and Derek Haas have written the script for the big-screen adaptation of the popular 1980s TV show, reports Variety.

The film will reportedly update the characters' back-stories to establish them as veterans of the Gulf War rather than Vietnam. No casting for the movie has been confirmed yet. However, rapper-turned-actor Ice Cube said he would be interested in the role of B.A. Baracus, originally played by Mr T, if Singleton was at the helm.

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For those of us on this side of the Atlantic we will be treated to the ITV drama adaptation of Jake Arnott’s He Kills Coppers. A stylish crime narrative concerned with the moral legacy of Flying Squad corruption in 1960s London, tells of the infamous murder of three Met officers in 1966. Check out the TV company’s website for further information.

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Clint Eastwood's Gran Torino, which was announced yesterday, may be a sequel in the Harry Callahan series, reports say.Eastwood played rogue San Francisco cop Harry Callahan in five films, starting with 1971's Dirty Harry. He last played the character 20 years ago in The Dead Pool. Callahan's "Do I feel lucky?" monologue is often quoted and parodied in popular culture. Reports supposedly made by the prodcers that hey have been trying to buy a 1972 Ford Gran Torino for the Warner Bros movie. The plot is alleged to revolve around the retired Callahan seeking to track down the killer of two young police officers, one of whom is his grandson. The only thing known about the murderer is that he drives a Ford Torino. So it's Dirty Harry on Wheels?

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Have a Happy Easter

Movie/TV round up

Clint Eastwood's next project will be Gran Torino

The screen legend will both direct and star in the film for Warner Bros and Village Roadshow Pictures.

Eastwood's involvement in the movie was revealed on Tuesday, March 18 when the studio gave the film its release date schedule. His starring in "Torino" marked his first time return on screen after his last appearance in "Million Dollar Baby" with Hilary Swank and Morgan Freeman.
His latest outing behind the camera was prohibition-era thriller Changeling, starring Angelina Jolie. The Universal movie opens in cinemas in November.

Sam Raimi is in negotiations to revive the Jack Ryan franchise for Paramount.

The studio hopes Raimi will direct a series of films based on Tom Clancy's CIA analyst character, the first of which is being targeted for summer 2010, after he completes horror film Drag Me to Hell.

The Jack Ryan character features in several novels from US author Clancy and first appeared on screen played by Alec Baldwin in The Hunt for Red October. Harrison Ford later took over the role in Patriot Games and Clear and Present Danger before Ben Affleck played a younger version of Ryan in 2002's The Sum of All Fears.

Ryan Gosling has been ">linked with the lead role in the new film, which is to take place during the character's early years at the CIA.

Paramount is yet to decide whether to use the upcoming Tom Clancy Ryan novel as the basis for the new film or come up with an original story.

Director Anthony Minghella has died of a brain haemorrhage at the age of 54.

His publicist Jonathan Rutter said he had undergone surgery for cancer of the tonsils and neck last week and the operation "seemed to have gone well". However, he suffered a fatal haemorrhage at 5am this morning and died at London's Charing Cross Hospital.

The British filmmaker and playwright, who won an Oscar for 1996 film The English Patient, recently finished work on feature-length TV pilot The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency.

Minghella was also nominated for an Academy Award in the adapted screenplay category for 1999's The Talented Mr Ripley and 2003's Cold Mountain.

His other acclaimed films include Truly, Madly, Deeply, which he wrote and directed in 1990.He had been chairman of the British Film Institute since 2003 and was appointed a CBE in 2001.

Producer Lord David Puttnam described the news as "a shattering blow", telling the BBC: "He wasn't just a writer, or a writer-director, he was someone who was very well-known and very well-loved within the film community. Frankly he was far too young to have gone."Minghella, who was born on the Isle of Wight, is survived by his wife, Hong Kong-born choreographer Carolyn Choa, and children Max and Hannah.

Danny Dyer has claimed that he would be perfect for the role of DS George Carter in the big-screen adaptation of The Sweeney.

According to UK newspaper The Sun, US producers are looking for someone to star alongside Ray Winstone in the film, but don't believe Dyer is famous enough in America to win the part.

Nick Love, who worked with Dyer on The Football Factory and The Business, is directing the movie.Dyer said: "This is the big one for me. Nick is campaigning for me but they want to sell it worldwide. There's no better combination than me and Ray for this."

The original 1970s cop show starred John Thaw and Dennis Waterman in the lead roles.

Hat tip: Digital Spy.

Crime Party - Penguin/Michael Jospeh

As usual, Ali Karim is first out of the stalls in posting his report on the yearly party held by Penguin/Michael Joseph UK. It's no good me re-telling it here, you're best to nip over to his blog on the Rap Sheet and read all about it.

What he might not know: I spent some time talking with Felix Francis (son of Dick) and he was allowed to divulge the title of their new book out this August - SILKS. Alas, Dick was unable to make the evening.

Peter Guttridge, our one-time film critic was also attending and it turns out that he is a busy little bee at the moment. Not only is he almost finished writing his "Brighton" book, (a modern day Brighton Rock, or so he says) but he has been commissioned by the National Archives to write a book on the Great Train Robbery and spends most of his time locked in a vault in Kew Gardens with only the mice for company.

I met up with Ali, Nick Stone, Charles Cumming, Mike Ripley and Ayo Onatade in the pub beforehand. Did you know that come August, Mike Ripley will be celebrating 20 years of "Angel"? I reckon that Angel is now the longest-running series of comedy crime still going. Simon Brett packed in Charles Paris ten years ago, Liz Evans only started 9 years ago. Peter Guttridge's last one came out four years ago, Jeremy Cameron last one came out in 2004 (and one straight-to-video film). Simon Shaw and Charles Spencer gave up after three books.

August must be an important time of year as Mills & Boon is to launch a crime and thriller series in its first venture beyond romance publishing since it was founded 100 years ago. Black Star Crime kicks off in August with five titles, and will initially publish five titles every two months. The heavily-­branded short novels will be priced at £3.99. Just to make it clear Black Star Crime is a completely separate brand to MIRA. Black Star Crime will include a range of genres, from cosy mysteries to hard-core thrillers, with authors to include new names as well as more established writers. M&B has liaised with Working Partners to generate some of the concepts, as well as acquiring titles itself, and is adamant the quality of the ­stories is paramount. Launch titles include Runaway Minister by Nick Curtis, Streetwise by Chris Freeman, A Narrow Escape by Faith Martin and Murder Plot by Lance Elliott.

Nick Stone tells me that King of Swords has been optioned by Brilliant Films for Martin Campbell (Casino Royale, GoldenEye, Edge of Darkness) to direct. Nick would like to see Josh Brolin play the young Max Mingus and Idris Elba (Stringer Bell in The Wire) play Joe Liston.

And also that the August paperback edition to King of Swords had undergone several book designs and was happy that they settled on this one.

Well the parties continue and tomorrow night (18th March) is the launch for Tom Rob Smith and CHILD 44. No doubt Ali will blog long before I do but he's that kind of guy. I'll let you know any asides.

Julian Rathbone R.I.P.

JULIAN RATHBONE

1935 - 2008

It’s a sad start to the week when I have to report that the Booker Prize nominated author Julian Rathbone died last Thursday (28th Feb 2008) after a long illness. He was 73 years old. To quote Bob Cornwall from his interview with Julian: “Not too many crime, mystery or thriller writers, after all, can boast two nominations for the Booker Prize. None in fact. Throw in the narrative skills that have grown over the years in both complexity and clarity, great descriptive writing, and a collection of flesh and blood characters that it is always a pleasure to encounter. Then take into account a range of political concerns that reveal his position on the libertarian Left, and a cultural framework that takes him from Wellington back to Harold Godwin (the last English king) and from Monteverdi to James Crumley. It is a combination that has resulted in a body of work that is remarkable in its range and versatility.” That kind of sums him up.
I met Julian on many occasions and found him the perfect gentlemen, possessing a keen sense of humour. He would often be found at launches in his trademark hat which he wore with panache. A dash of individualism among the norm. He’ll be missed.
A further tribute to Julian will be online soon.
R.I.P. – Julian Rathbone.

MURDER AND MAYHEM

Murder Most Famous is the latest twist on the celebrity talent show and will be shown every day next week at 1.30 on BBC2.
Brendan Cole, Sherrie Hewson, Kelvin MacKenzie, Matt Allwright, Angela Griffin and Diarmuid Gavin will be assigned murder detection challenges by our own star author Minette Walters- including dog tracking, resisting a violent attack and an autopsy, and will then have to use what they learn to inspire their own crime fiction novel.
Minette will be mentor, judge and executioner across the series, setting the celebrities their challenges, mentoring their writing efforts and "bumping off" the least impressive writer at the end of every episode. The best writer will then develop his or her idea into a novel to be published on World Book Day 2009. Proceeds from the book will go to RaW - the BBC reading and writing campaign to improve literacy in the UK.
Tune in or set the video next week- and to whet your appetite, Dreda Say Mitchell will be reviewing Murder Most Famous on Monday's Front Row at 7.15 on Radio 4.

And rumour has it that our very own Mike Ripster appears in the final episode (if he doesn't end up on the cutting room floor!

YOUR CHANCE TO WIN A SIGNED COPY OF CHILD 44

I have SIX signed copies of Tom Rob Smith's superb novel, CHILD 44 up for grabs. You may have been reading all the word of mouth going around on this, and believe me, it does match the hype. Over at SHOTS Ezine we have an interview with Tom and Ali Karim. All you need to do is send me an email with the answer to this question: what Hollywood director has optioned the film rights to Child 44 (hint: read the interview) Email: shotseditor@yahoo.co.uk

ENTRIES ONLY FROM THE UK - SORRY

Just when you thought it was safe to go to the cinema - RAMBO is back. I met his creator, David Morrell at Left Coast Crime, Bristol back in 2006 and we spent a long time talking, not only about his books but films, Westerns and family. It's no surprise that Ali Karim and I labelled him "the Daddy." A great, great guy. And if you are an aspiring writer then go out and buy his book A LIFETIME IN WRITING. A superb companion that you will read again and again. Our ezine currently has a tribute to David.

Here's a brief extract from an interview with Roger Jon Ellory now live

Ali : So for those who haven't caught up, tell us a little about the book?

Roger : The book starts in 1939 with a central character called Joseph Vaughan at twelve years old. He grows up in a small rural farming community in Georgia, USA, called Augusta Falls, and is witness to the devastating effect of a series of child murders that occur within the surrounding area over the subsequent decade, so much so that he and his friends band together in an effort to do something to stop the killings from taking place. The book spans fifty years of his life, and throughout the entirety of these five decades he is determined to identify and bring to justice the perpetrator of these crimes. I wrote the novel for a simple reason: To once again put an ordinary individual in an extraordinary situation, and at the same time highlight the sheer indomitably of the human spirit. It has always amazed me the degree to which a human being can rebound from loss or tragedy. The central character of A Quiet Belief In Angels loses everything, and yet survives. I wanted to tell his story - a story about childhood, about the way children deal with things that they should never have to deal with, how their means and methods of coping are so very different from adults. I also wanted to remind myself of the sheer magic of the written word, and how such classics as To Kill A Mockingbird enchanted me as a child, and somehow helped me deal with whatever happened personally.

THE KILLING CONTINUES

The SHOTS editors, Mike and Ali, really relish discovering new talents in the crime and thriller genre and we believe that new voices always breathe new life into the genre to keep it fresh and vibrant. That is why Shots Ezine supports ITW’s KillerYear project.

We enjoyed ourvisit to ITW’s Thrillerfest conference last summer and published a 3 part report of the Shots visit to New York at The Rap Sheet : -

Part One – Click Here

Part Two – Click Here

Part Three – Click Here

We were glad to meet up with the debut thriller writers who had grouped themselves as Killer Year; in fact we wrote about them at Shots :-

http://www.shotsmag.co.uk/features/2006/killer/killer.html

So as we progress into 2008, we have a new wave of KillerYear debuts so Shots asked CJ Lyons and Karen Dionne of Backspace to tell us what we might expect

Way back when, in 2006 to be exact, there was a group of authors facing the release of their debut novels. One of them, Jason Pinter, put out a call for fellow debut crime writers to join him. Soon he had a band of merry murderers, dubbed Killer Year.

Their goal? To see each other through their debut year, to help promote each other, to forge new connections, and to try to have some fun along the way.

I met the Killer Year group at ThrillerFest in Phoenix and stayed in touch with them throughout their debut year. ITW, under the guidance of MJ Rose and the rest of the Board, adopted Killer Year, helping them navigate the unpredictable publishing shoals and reefs.

It was a fantastic success. Killer Year members have received nominations for awards, accolades from national press, film deals, foreign rights, and now, under the editorial guidance of Lee Child, have an anthology due to be released.

Lee went to the ITW Board and proposed a long-term continuation of an ITW Debut Author Program. One that all ITW debuts could participate in, sharing knowledge with their published fellow members.

And thus, I present to you, the first group of ITW Debut Authors … Let The Thrill Begin!

CJ Lyons and Karen Dionne

To get a full rundown of the Killer Year Debuts, ITW have a special website :-

http://www.thethrillbegins.com/

And to see who exactly are the authors featured in KillerYear 2008 :-

http://www.thethrillbegins.com/who-we-are/

While the books are featured here with their release dates :-

http://www.thethrillbegins.com/about-our-books/

Who says that crime doesn’t pay?

Figures recently released show that earnings through the trade in 2007 for crime writers looked pretty healthy. Figures are shown as GBP MILLIONS

James Patterson 10.3
Ian Rankin 5.2
Martina Cole 4.8
Jed Rubenfeld 4.7
Alexander McCall Smith 4.4
Antony Horowitz 4.3
Patricia Cornwell 4.1
John Grisham 3.9
Lee Child 3.7
Tess Gerritsen 3.5
Clive Cussler 3.5
Andy McNab 3.3
C.J. Sansom 2.8


Which makes for a nice segue into NEILSON BOOKSCAN’S TOP 50 PAPERBACKS for 2007 UK – of course, only the crime titles are listed

3. The Interpretation of Murder Jed Rubenfeld (Headline)
19. The Innocent Man John Grisham (Arrow)
21. Relentless Simon Kernick (Corgi)
22. Savage Garden Mark Mills (HarperCollins)
30. Tenderness of Wolves Stef Penny (Quercus)
34. Restless William Boyd (Bloomsbury)
36. Break No Bones Kathy Reichs (Arrow)
37. Naming of the Dead Ian Rankin (Orion)
38. Cross James Patterson (Headline)
41. The Afghan Frederick Forsyth (Corgi)
44. The Last Testament Sam Bourne (Harper Collins)
46. Next Michael Crichton (Harper Collins)

And the Top 10 Fiction as of today:
  
1 Atonement, Ian McEwan Vintage £7.99
2 Book of the Dead, Patricia Cornwell Little,Brown £18.99
3 Treasure of Khan, Clive Cussler Penguin Books £6.99
4 Faces, Martina Cole Headline Publishing Group £18.99
5 More Twisted,Jeffery Deaver Hodder Paperback £6.99
6 Cross,James Patterson Headline Book Publishing £6.99
7 The Loner,Josephine Cox Harper £6.99
8 H.R.H., Danielle Steel Corgi Adult £6.99
9 Making Money, Terry Pratchett Doubleday £18.99
10 The Memory Keeper's Daughter,Kim Edwards Penguin Books £7.99

Given that Jed Rubenfeld, William Boyd and Simon Kernick were given the Richard and Judy Book Club treatment, we can expect to see Roger Jon Ellory’s A Quiet Belief in Angels up on the list for 2008.

Trade News

Emma Dunford, who recently joined Piatkus as senior editor from Jane Gregory Literary Agency acquired two crime novels by debut novelist Nick Brownlee from Jane. The series is set in Mombassa, on the east coast Kenya and the first, Bait, introduces a crime busting duo.

CWA Announces 2008 Cartier Diamond Dagger Winner

CRIME WRITERS’ ASSOCIATION 2008 CARTIER DIAMOND DAGGER WINNER

The Crime Writers’ Association has awarded its Cartier Diamond Dagger for 2008 to the best-selling American novelist, Sue Grafton.

The presentation of the award, made for sustained excellence in the genre of crime writing, will be made by M. Arnaud Bamberger of Cartier and will take place at a champagne reception at the Gore Hotel, Kensington, London SW7 on May 7th 2008.

SUE GRAFTON was born in Kentucky in 1940, the daughter of mystery writer CW Grafton. After receiving a bachelors degree in English Literature from the University of Louisville, she worked as a TV scriptwriter before her Kinsey Millhone alphabet series of PI mystery novels found success. The first in the series, ‘A is for Alibi’ was famously inspired by her own divorce. “For months I lay in bed and plotted to kill my ex-husband, but I knew I’d bungle it and get caught so I wrote it in a book instead.”

Three of Ms Grafton’s novels have won the Anthony Award at the annual Bouchercon World Mystery Convention; she has won three Shamus Awards, and in 2004 received the Ross Macdonald Literary Award given to a California writer whose work raises the standard of literary excellence.

All the books in the Kinsey Millhone series are set in the fictional Santa Teresa, CA, which Ross Macdonald used as an alternative name for Santa Barbara in his novels. Ms Grafton plans to carry the series all the way through to Z. The latest number one best-seller, ‘T is for Trespass’, was published in the US in December 2007 and will be out in Macmillan hardback in the UK in April 2008. Ms Grafton’s novels are published in 28 countries and in 26 languages, including Bulgarian and Indonesian, although she has consistently refused to sell the film and television rights, claiming her experience as a screenwriter “cured” her of the desire to work with Hollywood.

On hearing of the award, Ms Grafton said: "News of my being named the 2008 recipient of the CWA's Cartier Diamond Dagger so astonished me that I thought at first it was a practical joke. The note from my British publisher, Macmillan, was typically understated: 'I have some good news from the Crime Writers' Association. They would very much like to award you the 2008 Cartier Diamond Dagger at a ceremony in London on 7th May in Kensington.' Good news !?! I read the message three times and then checked the e-mail address just to verify that it had been intended for me. The publicity director was gently inquiring if I might attend the ceremony. I am absolutely delighted to respond that I'll be there with bells on, as they say over here. I'm thrilled with the news and honored at the prospect. I confess I'm still slightly worried there's an error in the works, but I'll be there nonetheless."

Sue Grafton wins the Cartier Diamond Dagger in its twenty-third year. Previous winners include John Harvey, Elmore Leonard, Ian Rankin, Lawrence Block, Sara Paretsky, Colin Dexter, Ed McBain, Reginald Hill, Ellis Peters, Leslie Charteris, Ruth Rendell, Dick Francis, John Le Carré and PD James.

of Templars and Awards

More on title trends: First came ‘Judas’ now it’s the turn of the ‘Templar’ – no, not Simon but the ancient order of the Knights Templar. Three books in quick succession include the November mass market release of Steve Berry’s The Templar Legacy with a far better cover, followed by Paul Doherty’s new series (does this man ever sleep?) simply called The Templar and from the medieval mystery writer Michael Jecks comes The Templar, The Queen and Her Lover (okay, a little cheat here as it is part of his Templar series but it qualifies). I understand on good authority that the launch party (held tonight 6 Dec) for Doherty’s book will be attended by Mr & Mrs Barry Norman, he of former BBC TV Film Night fame, and she as Ariana Franklin won the Ellis Peters CWA Historical Crime Award only last month for Mistress of the Art of Death. There will be photographic proof over on the website to prove this.

Over in Mike Ripley’s Getting Away With Murder Column #14, he presents his own SHOTS awards and the winners are:
Best Crime Novel: The Chameleon’s Shadow - Minette Walters (Macmillan).
Best Thriller: The One From The Other - Philip Kerr (Quercus).
Best Historical Mystery: Mistress of the Art of Death – Ariana Franklin (Bantam).
Funniest Crime Novel: Don’t Cry For Me Aberystwyth – Malcolm Pryce (Bloomsbury).
Best In Translation: The Pére-Lachaise Mystery – Claude Izner (Gallic).
Best First Novel: Little Moscow – Mick Scully (Tindal Street Press).

Conrad Black coming to London!

I blogged about Conrad Black back in June 22 and it seems that legal complications make it impossible for him to appear in person, but thanks to LongPen™, Conrad Black will autograph his latest book, the critically acclaimed The Invincible Quest: the Life of Richard Milhous Nixon (Quercus) at Waterstone’s Piccadilly, in London on November 28th, 6.30pm, from his home in Palm Beach, Florida. Lord Black, once one of the world’s most powerful press barons, is facing a prison term as he is due to be sentenced on December 10th.

Andrew Roberts, the acclaimed historian, will act as interviewer and host for the evening.

Since its publication in the spring, The Invincible Quest has received international critical acclaim. Almost forty years after he was elected president of the United States, Richard Milhaus Nixon remains one of the most polarizing leaders of the twentieth century. His was a life of contradictions: re-elected by a landslide victory, he left office in disgrace; often awkward and sometimes self-pitying, Nixon captivated legions of ordinary citizens. Yet amidst such controversies as Watergate and the Vietnam War, there were also a number of brilliant domestic and foreign policy successes such as the opening up of U.S. relations with China, the détente between the United States and the Soviet Union, the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency and the completion of school desegregation. Extensively researched and rich in detail, The Invincible Quest sheds new light on an extraordinarily complex man.

Invented by Margaret Atwood, the LongPen™ is the world's first long distance, real-time, real pen and ink autographing device. Representing a giant leap forward in marketing and publicity, it operates over the Internet and incorporates video conferencing, allowing celebrities to meet with fans and to sign autographs for them from anywhere in the world without actually being at the event location. Offering a legal signature to finalize transactions, LongPen™ also facilitates the signing of documents, contracts, treaties, and so on.

Waterstone's is the first UK book retailer to conduct a pilot project with LongPen, following its launch in Canada, and a series of exciting events at literary festivals on either side of the Atlantic.

The first transatlantic public event using Margaret Atwood's LongPen™ invention was unveiled at the Edinburgh International Book Festival in August, with Andrew O'Hagan in Charlotte Square Gardens talking to legendary US author Norman Mailer from his home in Provincetown. With the use of this extraordinary new technology, Mailer spoke for an hour, answering questions from a capacity audience, and remotely signing a number of books. This was to be Mailer’s final public appearance in the UK.
For further information on the event with Conrad Black at Waterstone’s please contact Anwen Hooson on 020 8996 4355 or anwen.hooson@waterstones.com

Tuesday 20 Nov 2008

Sorting out a newly arrived batch of books I think I’ve spotted a new trend. Much like the old adage: you wait for one bus to arrive then two come together. In this case, it’s the use of Judas in the title. In the UK we have The Judas Heart by Ingrid Black and the forthcoming The Judas by Steve Jackson. Steve, by the way, has written an article for us and will appear on the website over the weekend of 25/26 November. Stateside you had The Judas Strain by James Rollins and Cry Judas by Frederick F Meyers and out in 2008 - Judas Horse: An FBI Special Agent Ana Greg Mystery by April Smith.
Any advances?

Friday 16 Nov

British writer Martin Edwards now has entered the blogdom with his very own place http://www.doyouwriteunderyourownname.blogspot.com/ He reports that his UK publishers Allison & Busby has scheduled for February the paperback edition of The Arsenic Labyrinth, plus the return of Harry Devlin, in Waterloo Sunset, next June. Make sure you check him out.

Rick Mofina’s response to the worldwide draw to have a minor character named after winning entrants in his upcoming standalone thriller, SIX SECONDS, was terrific. Congratulations to the winners, who are:
Karen Dyer, Oakland, CA USA
Moe Holman, Calgary, AB, Canada
Carol Mintz, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Terry M., Hamilton, ON, Canada
Sobil Mounce-Bazley, Bristol, England

Freelance journalist Danuta Kean's recent blog entitled, Dreaming of having your book published? is an eyeopener for all newcomers.

Anyone who believes being an author is a pathway to riches is in for a rude awakening. Though the image of the starving writer scribbling away in their garret is dated, the average writer has seen their income drop from a measly £7,000 a year in 2000 (source: The Society of Authors) to £4,000, according to the latest research from the Authors Licensing and Collecting Society (ALCS). Although news headlines may trumpet six figure advances for debut novelists and high profile politicians, the reality is that most authors’ advances are well below £10,000. read more

My tip for next year is Michael Robotham's SHATTER pubished in UK February 2008 by Sphere. It's gone through a few title changes - Shattered Angels and The Sleep of Reason until settling on, at least in the UK, Shatter (unfortunately this reminds me of the 1974 Hammer Film starring Peter Cushing and Stuart Whitman) I thoroughly enjoyed The Night Ferry but Shatter is far and away his best title to date. I'm over half-way through it at the moment and it's superb, powerful stuff. Here's a taster and if this doesn't grab you, then I don't know what will ....

There is a moment when all hope disappears, all pride is gone, all expectation, all faith, all desire. I own that moment. It belongs to me. That’s when I hear the sound.’
‘What sound?’
‘The sound of a mind breaking. It’s not a loud crack like when bones shatter or a spine fractures or a skull collapses. And it’s not something soft and wet like a heart breaking. It’s a sound that makes you wonder how much pain a person can endure; a sound that shatters memories and lets the past leak into the present; a sound so high that only the hounds of hell can hear it.
‘Can you hear it?’
‘No.’
‘Someone is curled up in a tiny ball crying softly into an endless night.

If you want to read more you can download a sample pdf from Michael's website:
http://www.michaelrobotham.com/uk/preview.htm

Macmillan calls time on Pan Bookshop & Bond is Back

ONE OF LONDON'S most iconic bookshops, the Pan Bookshop in Fulham Road, is to close in January after 32 years trading. Parent company Macmillan cites “tough market conditions and a decline in the overall trading of independent bookshops”, as well as its position in one of the capital's most expensive high street locations.
Macmillan is in discussions with a potential new tenant and is in consultation with Manager Julian Rafot and his staff of eight full-time booksellers, who are supplemented by seven part-time assistants. One staffer, Kaaron Ramus, has been there for 20 years and Rafot for five years. Veteran bookseller Geoffrey Bailey, who works at the shop part-time and former manager of Crime In Store and Crime On Store, told Publishing News: “It's a great shock to us all. It is going to be particularly devastating for our customers, who are all local regulars and have been coming here for many years.” The shop has several high profile customers, including Jeremy Paxman, Simon Sebag Montefiore, Hugh Grant and Jemima Khan. Geoffrey can glean some consolation in being appointed an incoming judge for the CWA Ellis Peters Historical Crime Awards.

Geoffrey Bailey and literary agent, Jane Conway Gordon

There are rumours going around that Daniel Craig as been seen in London this week, and also at Pinewood Studios, where Bond 22 will be filmed.
According to reports, Craig is there to view screentests of potential actresses who could star opposite him in the 22nd James Bond film, which starts shooting in January. Media in Brazil claim Cleo Pires is the favourite to land the lead female role, but there are reportedly five others in contention, including Israeli actress Moran Atias. Dame Judi Dench (M) and Giancarlo Giannini (Mathis) will also reprise their roles. The screenplay has been written by Paul Haggis, based on a first draft screenplay developed by regular scribes Neal Purvis & Robert Wade. The story will be a direct continuation of the events of Casino Royale. Composer David Arnold is to score again and, if rumours be true, Kylie Minogue will sing the main theme. Craig also admits that he would love to appear on UK TV serial Heartbeat (created by Nicholas Rhea from his Constable series of books), as his Mum loves it and it would be a thrill to do. Heartbeat is set in the 1960s, in the fictional Yorkshire town of Aidensfield. The first seasons focus on the lives of London policeman Nick Rowan, who moves to the village with his doctor wife Kate.