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Archive
Behind-The-Books Blog
Does my computer do it on purpose?
Friday, July 30th, 2010
This week has been a bit of a more technical week for me…ie I’ve been glued to the computer working on a lot of web related content ready for our August highlights and also on one of our fab Morganville Vampire Competition prizes, the Morganville Yearbook (School Diary).
That means a lot of work in Content [...]
Never judge a book by its cover…
Thursday, July 29th, 2010
Last weekend, I found myself at a heavy/death metal gig (as you do), and my first impression on venturing through the door was that everyone looked a bit scary: lots of dark clothes and heavy make-up, tats and piercings everywhere, leather in abundance, long hair and beards, and a variety of skulls on clothes/jewellery/drum kits…
If [...]
Wednesday Cover Story: The Crash of Hennington
Wednesday, July 28th, 2010
An example of a book I picked up solely because of the cover. It lept out at me - how could anyone miss these big and bold colours? The bright pink, offset by a softer band of blue, plus the contrasting yellow of the title - it all works brilliantly together. And then, once your [...]
Cathy Lamb and Chocolate-eyed Labs
Tuesday, July 27th, 2010
I’ve been chatting on email to our author Cathy Lamb, whose next book Julia’s Chocolates will be available soon. Cathy lives over in the US and was telling me about her recent stay on the Kindness Ranch where her sister is a ranch manager. She described the place so beautifully and sounded like she had [...]
Not for the needle-phobic
Monday, July 26th, 2010
Today, in amongst the usual post that arrived at 13 Charlotte Mews (and the not so usual - a Russian food delivery service also caught my eye…) was a leaflet from the NHS Blood Donation people. Now I am the not- so-proud possessor of a Donor card given that in the past 6 or so [...]
Where the Sidewalk Ends
Thursday, July 22nd, 2010
I was incredibly suprised to read in The Bookseller that Penguin will be publishing Where The Sidewalk Ends, by Shel Silverstein for the first time in the UK this autumn. Surprised, because I couldn’t believe the book had never been published here before!
This book - a collection of quirky, funny and imaginative poems inextricably tied [...]
Wednesday Cover Story: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Wednesday, July 21st, 2010
I can’t get on the tube these days without spotting a poster for the new DVD release of the film The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. And of course, you will also find the obligatory film tie-in version of the novel by Stieg Larsson in bookstores. The film poster makes an equally effective cover to [...]
Market research and free wine…
Tuesday, July 20th, 2010
I’m a bit of a sucker for market research. A few years ago I remember being very pleased with myself when I got paid to spend an hour talking about women’s deodorant, but hey, that’s just me. I also spent hours in a MRA scanner doing brain experiments at university, an easy way to make [...]
Poet Laureate’s The Shirt
Monday, July 19th, 2010
Just as the nation is beginning to get over the shame of our World Cup failure and move on, Carol Anne Duffy, the poet laureate, has stirred those painful memories up again in her new poem, ‘The Shirt’, focusing on the England footballers’ woeful performance and their tendency to blame everything but themselves…
Afterwards, I found [...]
Wedding Fever
Friday, July 16th, 2010
It’s that time of year when there seems to be a wedding every second weekend and I find myself regularly oohing and aahing over pictures weeks later.
But when a friend of mine sent me her wedding photos recently, I was snapped out of white dress ennui. Up and coming photographer, Paul de Vries, is making [...]
Non-Psychic Pet of the Week
Thursday, July 15th, 2010
Anyone following the World Cup last week will have noticed that by the time the day of the final arrived, team selections, player form, tactics and anything actually football related had been eclipsed by the acres of newsprint and cyberspace granted to Paul, the psychic octopus of Oberhausen zoo who had correctly managed to foresee [...]
The Hungry Caterpillar v Hamlet…
Tuesday, July 13th, 2010
As a soon-to-be aunty, I’ve already started amassing a small library of children’s books ready to read to the littel one when he/she arrives. My collection (so far) includes: A Bear Called Paddington (by our very own Michael Bond), The Hungry Caterpillar (another must-have classic), Bright Stanley (featuring Stanley the sparkly goldfish and his fishy [...]
Colouring in the World Cup
Monday, July 12th, 2010
So, that it then. The World Cup is over and everyone around the world, even those who detest football, probably won’t be able to avoid the news and pictures of Spain’s win.
What many people may not know is that England’s lacklustre performance has had a ripple effect in the publishing world - news is that [...]
It’s official: I am a Survivor
Friday, July 9th, 2010
Last night, the rest of the A&B girls and I, sauntered off (yes, we sauntered) to the Riverside Studios in Hammersmith to attend the hit show How to Survive A Zombie Apocalypse - an interactive seminar on surviving the undead.
If you haven’t seen this show - all I can say is G0. Go now. Because [...]
Fishy reads… (literally)
Thursday, July 8th, 2010
There are a number of anglers in my family. My dad, my husband and my father-in-law are all keen anglers which has its up and downsides. The gutting of fish being one of the latter. But on the plus side, buying birthday presents for any one of them is actually quite easy as I can [...]
Wednesday Cover Story: Hang some cover-art on your wall
Wednesday, July 7th, 2010
Do you have a blank wall in the house needing a bit of colour? Do you balk at the idea of another samesame ikea flower print or lighthouse scene? Then check out Art Meets Print, a one-stop shop for iconic book cover designs that would make stunning artwork. For example…
I know we’ve been harping on [...]
To Kill A Mockingbird celebrates its 50 years
Tuesday, July 6th, 2010
This week sees the 50th anniversary of the publication of To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee’s famous novel about racism in the Deep South. So many schoolchildren read this as part of their Literary lessons, but I wonder how many realise the enormous effect it had in helping to quash segregation in America – and [...]
A Summer Scoop
Monday, July 5th, 2010
There is never a dull summer evening in London. Living on an otherwise rainy island makes one so appreciative of the rare balmy nights, that there is no chance of spending it cooped up indoors. And there’s no need to spend a fortune either. This past Friday evening saw us taking advantage of a free [...]
Creative fan mail
Friday, July 2nd, 2010
It’s always lovely to receive fan mail from readers who love our books, and such a pleasure forwarding them on to our authors. But one particular fan letter was such a delight that I can’t help but share it on the blog. Here is the card we received from Brian Howard-Heaton - fan of Edward [...]
Bookcrossing
Thursday, July 1st, 2010
While out shopping on my lunch break I noticed a little plastic bag left on a table outside a cafe. At first I thought it was one of those free colouring-in packs for children and was about to walk on by when I spotted ‘FREE BOOK’ written in big letters across the front. It turned [...]
Currently we are...
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...reading
Tully, by Paullina Simons Louise: Even though I know what to expect, this book still manages to reduce me to tears with ease. It’s a real emotion-trembler and I’m so glad I picked it up again.
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