Beatles biographer Philip Norman: 'Yoko was waiting for me – with two lawyers'

He has charmed Elton John, angered Paul McCartney – and horrified Yoko Ono. What will he uncover about the ‘murky’ death of Jimi Hendrix? The great rock writer reveals the pain – and pleasure – of chasing starsSlowhand: The Life and Music of Eric Clapton is my eighth rock biography since Shout! The True Story of the Beatles in 1981. It left me feeling more than ever that writing books about such people is no job for a grownup and determined never to be talked into another one.I had intended Shout! to stand alone, but it started a chain reaction that has kept me chained ever since, with only temporary breaks for novels, short stories, plays, TV documentaries, musicals and journalism.Yoko asked me: 'How can you say that John masturbated?' Related: Slowhand by Philip Norman review – Eric Clapton and the years of excess Slowhand: The Life and Music of Eric Clapton is published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson. Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2018-11-11 00:00:00 UTC ]

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Short story writers lament profile problem

Short stories are gaining ground in the UK, but authors working within the format are finding it more difficult to break into the public consciousness than novelists, writers have told The Bookseller. Awards that cover all forms of fiction such as The Folio Prize, won in 2014 by George... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-06-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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W&N to reissue T H White's 'The Goshawk'

Weidenfeld & Nicolson is to reissue T H White’s The Goshawk, with a forward by award-winning author Helen Macdonald. First published in 1951, White’s memoir is an account of how he came to train a wild goshawk. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-06-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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BookCon 2015: Julianne Moore and Brian Selznick: From Screen-to-Page and Page-to-Screen: Star Power in Children’s Book

Actress Julianne Moore and award-winning writer and illustrator Brian Selznick have more in common than writing books for children. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-05-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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W&N signs exploration of pain

Weidenfeld & Nicolson has acquired an investigation into the pain industry by debut author Julia Buckley. Bea Hemming, editorial director at Weidenfeld & Nicolson, signed World English rights in Heal Me in a deal with Ed Wilson at Johnson & Alcock. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-05-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Serpent's Tail signs Orange Prize-winner Martin

Serpent's Tail has signed two books from Orange Prize-winner Valerie Martin, a novel and a collection of short stories. Commissioning editor Rebecca Gray signed UK and Commonwealth rights (excluding Canada) from Peter Straus at RCW, on behalf of Molly Friedrich at the Friedrich Agency. Short... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-05-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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W&N signs psychologist Cuddy

Weidenfeld & Nicolson is to publish a book by Harvard social psychologist Amy Cuddy, whose TED Talk on body language has been viewed more than 25m times. Deputy publisher non-fiction, Amanda Harris, bought UK and Commonwealth Rights from HBG USA for Presence: How to Bring Your Boldest Self... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-04-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Johnson short stories to Cape

Jonathan Cape has acquired a book of short stories by Daisy Johnson at auction. Editorial director Alex Bowler signed UK and Commonwealth rights to two books by Johnson from Jack Ramm at Eve White Literary Agency. Johnson is a 24-year-old prizewinning graduate of Oxford University’s Fiction... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-04-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Serpent's Tail picks up French bestseller

Serpent's Tail has acquired Adrien Bosc's Constellation, a literary sensation in its native France. The novel is based on the true story of the crash of a Lockheed Constellation passenger plane which went down when travelling between Paris and New York in 1949. The book combines stories of the... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-04-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Keys to Writing Books for Very Young Readers

The cherished French children’s book author and editor of hundreds of books Grégoire Solotareff offers his tips for creating books fore very young readers. The post Keys to Writing Books for Very Young Readers appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-03-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Rotherham abuse survivor memoir to HC

Harper Element has signed a first-person account from a survivor of the Rotherham abuse scandal. Publisher Natalie Jerome and interim editorial director Kate Latham acquired world English language rights in Violated: My True Story as a Survivor of the Rotherham Abuse Scandal by Sarah Wilson... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-03-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Sophie Stark digital tale from W&N

Weidenfeld & Nicolson has acquired a novel about an enigmatic film director which it will publish as a digital exclusive. Commissioning editor Sophie Buchan bought UK and Commonwealth rights to The Life and Death of Sophie Stark by Anna North from Caspian Dennis at Abner Stein on behalf of... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-03-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Myrmidon buys memoir from occupied France

Myrmidon has acquired the true story of a young British girl and her family trapped in France during the Second World War after her father is incarcerated by the Nazis. Kate Nash, director at Myrmidon, acquired world rights to the memoir, titled Nell and the Girls, direct from the author,... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-03-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Atwood novel due out in September

Margaret Atwood's first stand-alone novel in 15 years will be published in September, alongside a new collection of short stories. Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2015-03-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Seafaring cat tale to S&S

Simon & Schuster will publish a novel inspired by the true story of Simon, the ship cat on HMS Amethyst, written by Lynne Barrett-Lee. Assistant editor Carla Josephson made her first acquisition buying World rights to Able Seacat Simon from Andrew Lownie at the Andrew Lownie Literary Agency. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-03-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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True story of survival to Pan Mac

Pan Macmillan has acquired the account of fisherman Salvador Alvarenga who survived 14 months at sea, written by journalist Jonathan Franklin. UK and Commonwealth rights in the book, titled 438 Days: A Fisherman's True Survival at Sea, were acquired from Annabel Merullo at PFD. The book tells... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-02-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Bloomsbury signs Russian tale from Michaels

Bloomsbury has signed a début novel from Sean Michaels, following the true story of Russian inventor and spy Léon Theremin, creator of the theremin.  Publishing director for fiction Helen Garnons Williams signed UK and Commonwealth rights, excluding Canada, in Us Conductors, in a deal with... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-02-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Aird awarded CWA diamond dagger

Catherine Aird has been awarded the Crime Writer’s Association Diamond Dagger award. The Diamond Dagger winner is chosen by the CWA committee from a shortlist of writers judged worthy by their peers. Shortlisted authors must have sustained excellence in their careers and made a significant... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-02-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Granta buys Lacey story collection

Granta Books editor Anne Meadows has acquired a “darkly funny, whip-smart” novel and a collection of short stories from Catherine Lacey, whose debut novel Nobody is Ever Missing will be published - also by Granta - this week. Meadows acquired UK and Commonwealth rights, including Australia New... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-02-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Terry Wogan pens short story collection

Pan Macmillan is to publish a collection of short stories by television and radio presenter Sir Terry Wogan. Editorial director Trisha Jackson acquired UK & Commonwealth Rights from Luigi Bonomi at LBA. Jackson said: “I’ve been a huge fan of Terry’s for many years and these incredibly... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-01-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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