'I've never felt less festive': the art of writing Christmas novels, 365 days a year

Drinking sherry, bingeing Downton Abbey ... how authors keep up the spirit of the season, even when writing during heatwaves and a nightmarish ChristmasChristmas novels are not a new phenomenon. Charles Dickens sold out of his first print run of A Christmas Carol in days in December 1843, while Agatha Christie played on seasonal stresses with titles including The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding in 1923 and Hercule Poirot’s Christmas in 1938. But these days, there are acres of festive crime and rags-to-riches romances under the mistletoe to choose from. All tastes are catered for, whether it’s a love of trains (Edward Marston’s Victorian railway detective story A Christmas Railway Mystery), religion (Unlikely Santa: An Amish Christmas Story) or even festive erotica. Ebook retailer Smashwords stocks romance titles including The Old Dragon of the Mountain’s Christmas, and the inventive-sounding A Cyborg’s Old Terran Christmas. (“Interstellar bride Nell and her three children are forced to enter space-sleep capsules in the hope of surviving a calamity. She wakes over 700 years later on a ship of cyborg warriors. In this strange environment, Nell can’t imagine what their future will hold, but she is determined to keep her promise and make Christmas for her children.”)It may sound futuristic, but it is part of a long tradition beloved by readers. As Christina Storey at Allison & Busby, an independent publisher whose titles this year range from Anna Jacobs’ Christmas in... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2020-12-17 15:22:04 UTC ]
News tagged with: #print run #allison busby #wonderful time #independent publisher

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HarperCollins to publish first George Macdonald Fraser novel

HarperCollins has acquired the first novel written by Flashman author George Macdonald Fraser, Captain in Calico. The book will be published on 10th September, but throughout August, it will be available from Heywood Hill in Mayfair. Fraser was a longstanding customer at the shop, which... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-05-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #10th september #heywood hill


BEA 2015: Charles Belfoure - The Architect Who Builds Novels

Charles Belfoure's writing career began when he wrote his thesis while studying for an M.A. in architecture at Columbia University. While he'd done a lot of drawing in his bid to become a professional architect, it was the first time, he says, that he actually wrote anything of any significant... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-05-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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ACE puts £1.2m into creative writing in schools

Arts Council England (ACE) has launched a £1.2m fund to support creative writing in schools. Meanwhile, ACE's recently appointed chief executive Darren Henley has urged the government to cease cuts to art funding. Between October 2015 and October 2018, ACE will invest in three funding awards... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-05-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #creative writing #separate awards #south west


Twenty-Five Years Of Discovery

On May 12, nearly 300 people gathered at the Standard Hotel in New York City’s Meatpacking District to celebrate 25 years of Barnes & Noble’s Discover Great New Writers Program. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-05-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #barnes noble


Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas in graphic novel reincarnation

Hunter S Thompson’s ‘gonzo’ account of a drug-addled road trip has been adapted into a graphic novel by artist Troy LittleHunter S Thompson’s Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas – intimately bound up in most readers’ minds with Ralph Steadman’s hallucinatory illustrations – is set to be turned into a... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-05-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #las vegas


How the Modern Detective Novel Was Born

From Chesterton to Christie to Conan Doyle to Highsmith, tracing the modern detective novel back to its roots. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-05-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Studio 28 to publish original novel

Studio 28, the digital-publishing arm of Curtis Brown Literary & Talent Agency, is to publish its first original title. The Swiss Spy by Alex Gerlis will be published as an ebook on Monday 1st June. Studio 28 officially launched in March this year, and will publish in the UK and other... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-05-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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'Hashtag' crowned kids' 'word of the year'

Oxford University Press has chosen hashtag as its ‘children’s word of the year’ because of its significant use in the 500 Words 2015 competition. The 500 Words competition was launched by presenter Chris Evans on the BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show in 2011, and is for stories of 500 words or less by... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-05-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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BEA 2015: Europa Editions Marks 10 Years

The last time indie publisher Europa Editions had a booth at BEA was in 2011, according to editor-in-chief Michael Reynolds. Last year, the house exhibited as part of the Translation Market, and, he recalls, “we enjoyed the energy.” Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-05-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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BEA 2015: Graphic Novels Make Their Mark

Although the big two of comics publishing, Marvel and DC Comics, have opted to sit out BEA this year, there will still be plenty of comics publishers dotting the Javits Center floor. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-05-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #comics publishing #dc comics


Phyllis Tickle, Founding Religion Editor of Publishers Weekly, Is Writing Her Final Chapter

The religion authority, author, and pioneer in the coverage of spirituality and religion publishing has been diagnosed with inoperable stage 4 lung cancer. Still, she has book projects in the works and no plans to abandon them. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-05-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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BEA 2015: Sexy Toys to Celebrate 35 Years

In celebration of its 35th anniversary, Cleis Press will offer a wide assortment of lively events and promotions during BEA. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-05-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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U.S. Market Ripe for French Graphic Novels

A one day conference brought together publishers from both the U.S. and French markets to share statistics and explore the potential for bringing more Francophone comics to the U.S. market. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-05-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #market ripe


French Graphic Novel Publishers Meet in New York

Things are changing in U.S. comics and French comics publishers are meeting in New York to discuss the U.S. market and look for ways to stoke demand for French graphic novels in North America. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-05-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #french graphic #publishers meet


USA Today Could End Daily Print Edition in 'Five or Six Years,' Editor-in-Chief Says

USA Today could stop publishing a daily print newspaper as soon as in the next "five or six years," the paper's editor-in-chief, David Callaway, said in response to a question during an Internet Week New York panel Wednesday.To be sure, a print product of some kind will likely continue for "the... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2015-05-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #usa today #stop publishing #internet week #print product #top editor #business insider #trade desk


Sphere signs autism and Minecraft novel

Sphere is to publish a “moving father-son novel” about autism and Minecraft by journalist Keith Stuart. Senior editor Ed Wood approached Stuart after the journalist, who is games editor at the Guardian, wrote about his experience of playing Minecraft with his autistic son. Wood secured all... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-05-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Wainwright to write Bronte drama

“Happy Valley” creator Sally Wainwright is to write and direct a drama about the Brontes for BBC1. “To Walk Invisible: The Bronte Sisters” will explore the relationships between Charlotte, Emily and Anne Bronte and their brother Branwell, who was an alcoholic and drug addict. It will be filmed... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-05-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #drug addict #rural ireland


Does writing a memoir help an author to heal?

Three writers share their thoughts and concerns about sharing deeply personal secrets in a memoir. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2015-05-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #writers share


Octopus to launch food and drink festival

Octopus Publishing Group is to launch a food and drink festival at London’s Southbank Centre this year, featuring authors including Marco Pierre White, Sabrina Ghayour and Gizzi Erskine. Cookbook Confidential: The Food & Drink Festival will be held on Saturday 5th September and feature... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-05-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #drink festival #southbank centre #sabrina ghayour #gizzi erskine #cookbook confidential #official bookseller


Book Soup Marks 40 Years on Sunset Strip

Six years after Book Soup founder Glenn Goldman’s death, his iconic bookstore on Los Angeles’s Sunset Strip is getting ready to celebrate its 40th birthday over the June 12–14 weekend. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-05-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #sunset strip #iconic bookstore #40th birthday