Book and publishing news

ITV's forthcoming crime awards to be broadcast by ITV3 have announced the short-list for the categories that relate to crime writing.

Breakthrough Novel Award:

Heartsick - Chelsea Cain
Broken Skin - Stuart McBride
Shatter - Michael Robinson
Messenger of Athens - Anne Zouroudi


International author of the year:

Jeffrey Deaver
Steig Larsson
Karan Slaughter
P J Tracy


Author of the year
Lee Child
Robert Harris
Peter James
Ian Rankin

My guess is Broken Skin for the breakthrough award and Karan Slaughter and Ian Rankin for the other categories.


THE OFFICIAL UK TOP FIVE BOOKS ARE:
1 No Time For Goodbye -Linwood Barclay
2 Breaking Dawn-Stephenie Meyer
3 The Final Reckoning - Sam Bourne
4 Exit Music - Ian Rankin
5 The Sleeping Doll-Jeffrey Deaver

The number one title is responsible for a massive 328,963 in total UK sales. The book is part of the Richard and Judy Good Summer Read promotion which shows how influential TV's golden couple are for book sales. Mind you it helps that it's a damn good read.


Have finally gotten hold of the five titles that are launching the new crime imprint from romantic fiction giant, Mills and Boons. They all look great with their uniform cover designs and I'm looking forward to reading them and giving an opinion sometime later this week.

Quick punchy thrillers that could be an antidote to all the bloated tomes on the shelves. If I read any more padding I'm going to scream.




Random House US have provoked an almighty row after withdrawing the Jewel of Medina by Sherry Jones from its forthcoming book lists. The book, billed as an Islam inspired love story, has been pulled because of fears of a backlash from the extremist Muslim community and the safety of the author.

Random House said - 'This is a difficult decision and one we seldom have to take. And we hope not to have to take such again.'

The publishing house have been branded cowards by UK publisher, Andrew Franklin - 'editorial judgement is very important but free speech is sacred.'

The trouble started when the publishers sent a proof copy to Denise Spellberg, a professor if Islamic history at the University of Texas. The publishers were hoping for a quote to put on the back of the book but the academic called the book - a very ugly, stupid piece of work. She warned that this could cause offence with extremists and may even incite acts of violence by a small extremist segment.

What concerns me about this is that we are now letting Muslim fanatics dictate our media content. I can understand the publishers not wanting to stir up trouble but their decision here is so craven. The book is now free for the author to offer it to another publisher so will the UK PUBLISHER Andrew Franklin, who has been so strong in his public denouncement of Random House US, put his money where his mouth is and publish the book?

If he does, then good on him.


TOP FIVE UK HARDBACK BIOGRAPHIES

1 Pushed to the limit-Katit (JORDON OF THE BIG CHEST) Price
2 My Booky Wooky - Russel (inane overrated comedian) Brand
3 Anything Goes - John Barrowman (and knowing the actor I'd say it's an apt title)
4 On the Edge - Richard Hammond (a true hero)
5 Westlife: our story - Westlife (Teeny bopper boy band memories)


TOP FIVE UK CHILDREN'S BOOKS

1 Breaking Down - Stephanie Meyer
2 Artemis Fowl - Eoin Colfer
3 Horrid Henry Robs the Bank - Frencesca Simon
4 Angus thongs and perfect snogging - Louise Rennison
5 Twilight - Stephanie Meyer