‘I wanted to write a suburban Reacher’: Richard Osman talks to Lee Child about class, success and the secret to great crime writing

The two bestselling authors who both started in TV discuss writing as a second career, natural justice – and what they really think of literary fictionIn the four years since Richard Osman published his first Thursday Murder Club novel he has consistently topped the bestseller lists, and now his quartet of retirement-age detectives will be portrayed on screen by a cast including Helen Mirren and Pierce Brosnan. Having grown up in Sussex, Osman started out in TV, where he created and co-hosted the gameshow Pointless. His forthcoming novel We Solve Murders – the start of a new series – features a writer billed as the world’s bestselling novelist, “if you don’t count Lee Child”. Child, the creator of former military police officer Jack Reacher, has enjoyed phenomenal popularity since he left his career – also in TV, where he worked on shows including Brideshead Revisited, The Jewel in the Crown and Cracker – and started writing, with his first novel published in 1997. Raised in Birmingham, he moved to the US in 1998 and now lives between Manhattan and rural Wyoming. He wrote 24 Reacher novels before announcing in 2020 that he would be handing the series to his brother Andrew.Lee Child I feel that writing is always a second-phase career, or at least should be. It’s that rare thing that not only can you do it when you’re older, but you should do it when you’re older. Pick your cliche: your gas tank is full, your database is compiled. You are a person. You are ready to write.... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2024-09-14 09:00:23 UTC ]
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Richard Desmond: ‘I hate to admit this, but I’ve never actually hit anyone’

He’s not a thug, he doesn’t trust his celebrity friends, and he’s definitely not a pornographer. Over a cigar delivered on a silver platter, the self-appointed king of Express Newspapers lays into scruffy booksellers and sets the record straightRichard Desmond held a party at Claridge’s in... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-06-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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D&Q Marks 25 Years of Great Literary Comics

Twenty-five years after its birth as the publisher of a modest comics anthology, Montreal-based Drawn & Quarterly has become one of North America’s most acclaimed literary graphic novel publishers. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-06-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Faith, Fear, and Politics: PW Talks with Ebola Survivor Kent Brantly

The first American to contract and survive Ebola during last year's outbreak says the epidemic raises not just medical, but also ethical and theological questions. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-06-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A reading from the Book of Desmond: and lo, Richard created the Beckhams

Media mogul Richard Desmond’s typically self-effacing new autobiography shows how he took virtual unknowns David and Victoria and made it all OK!A rival emerges to the claim that Al Gore invented the internet. It turns out that Richard Desmond invented the Beckhams. Please adjust your records... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-06-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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BEA 2015: PW Talks to Giorgio Fontana

On May 28 at BEA, Italian writer Giorgio Fontana spoke with PW’s Mark Rotella about his new novel Death of a Happy Man, published by Sellerio Editore in 2014. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-06-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Rare wants to be the conservative BuzzFeed

Rare, a conservative political website aimed at millennials, started two years ago as a social digital experiment by Atlanta-based Cox Media Group. But while millennials may be the most liberal age group, in less than a year, Rare's monthly traffic has soared to 9 million uniques in May,... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2015-06-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Three debuts on Theakstons crime novel of the year shortlist

Three debuts have made the shortlist for the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award 2015. Antonia Hodgson’s debut The Devil in the Marshalsea (Hodder & Stoughton), a murder mystery set in the Marshalsea prison in 1727, is shortlisted alongside Hachette stablemate Sarah... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-06-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Christopher Lee: How a new generation learned about him with 'Lord of the Rings'

Lee portrayed evil wizard Saruman in the 'Lord of the Rings' trilogy, which was released between 2001 and 2003, as well as the later 'Hobbit' films. He was a big fan of the book series himself and recalled how those on set would ask him obscure 'Rings' questions. 'They never caught me out – not... Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2015-06-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Waterstones' midnight openings for Harper Lee

Waterstones stores across the country will host midnight openings to celebrate the release of Harper Lee’s forthcoming novel Go Set a Watchman (William Heinemann), while the company’s flagship Piccadilly shop will host a festival. M.d. James Daunt has called the launch a "thrilling"... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-06-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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What’s Next for Scholarly Publishing? PW talks with John J. Regazzi

The former Elsevier CEO is the author of a new book, Scholarly Communications: A History from Content as King to Content as Kingmaker Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-06-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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What 50 Years of Writing Have Taught Me

Anne Roiphe, a major voice in feminist lit, reflects on her 50-year writing career as her 10th novel is published. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-06-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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'Portlandia' Meets the Evanglicals: PW Talks with Kevin Palau

The CityServe movement started in famously liberal Portland, Ore., when an evangelical leader joined forces with the city's gay mayor, the LGBTQ community, and organizations of many stripes. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-06-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Harper Lee artwork competition launched

Penguin Random House has today launched a fan artwork competition for Harper Lee’s Go Set a Watchman (William Heinemann), asking people to create works inspired by the only line released from the new book. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-06-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Teenage Sex and National Security: PW Talks with Sara Moslener

What could the sexual choices of teenagers have to do with America's national destiny? According to some evangelicals, quite a lot. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-06-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Germany's 'Publisher of the Year' Talks Local Trends

Georg Reuchlein, who was named 2014 Publisher of the Year by Germany's 'BuchMarkt' magazine, talks digitization, discoverability and the German thriller he's publishing this season that he described as "a kind of Berlin 'Chinatown.'" Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-06-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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How One Writer Cooked Her Way Through Great Literature

From Jane Austen's white soup to a liver mousse inspired by 'Silence of the Lambs,' butcher and writer Cara Nicoletti explores recipes inspired by classic and contemporary book. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-06-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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How Do Writers Measure Success in Global Publishing?

Lori Nelson Spielman, an American author, has written books that became global bestsellers — just not in the USA. How should authors measure success? The post How Do Writers Measure Success in Global Publishing? appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-06-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #global publishing #american author #written books


BookCon 2015: YA Panel Celebrates WNDB, Talks Up Diversity

What a difference a year has made with BookCon, with this year's literary fanfest featuring not one but two author panels specifically addressing issues of diversity in books and in the publishing industry itself. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-06-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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BEA 2015: Writing About Tough Topics for Teens

YA authors Aaron Hartzler, Ellen Hopkins, Patrick Ness, Lynn Weingarten, and Cammie McGovern came together on May 29 at BEA for a panel discussion titled Talking to Teens About Tough Topics, moderated by Margot Wood of Epic Reads. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-06-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Windham-Campbell Prizes, Yale to Launch 'Why I Write' Series

Yale University Press will publish the Windham-Campbell Prizes's annual keynote addresses in a new series titled "Why I Write.” Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-06-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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