‘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 ]
News tagged with: #consistently topped #bestseller lists #retirement-age detectives #pierce brosnan #gameshow pointless #solve murders #writer billed #bestselling novelist #rural wyoming #announcing in2020 #brother andrew #rare thing #gas tank #ve spent #cable box #first novel

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


Exploring New York in a Dozen Dishes: PW Talks with Robert Sietsema

Scrambled brains, guinea pig, and the humble pizza pie: veteran food critic Robert Sietsema discusses the story behind his new book, 'New York in a Dozen Dishes.' Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-05-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #guinea pig


Sarah Leah Chase's Return to Cookbook Writing

After a two-decade hiatus, the author of the bestselling 'Silver Palate Good Times Cookbook' is back with 'New England Open-House Cookbook,' out from Workman in June. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-05-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #cookbook writing


Our Secret Weapon

Excerpted and adapted from Ashley’s War: The Untold Story of a Team of Women Soldiers on the Special Ops Battlefield by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon, published by HarperCollins. Continue reading at Slate

[ Slate | 2015-05-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #secret weapon #untold story


Richard and Judy extend Book Club

Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan have signed a contract to continue their Richard & Judy Book Club, in association with W H Smith, until 2019. The celebrity couple help to select eight titles—mainly authored by new and emerging talent—three times a year: for Spring, Summer and Autumn Book... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-05-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #richard madeley #judy finnigan #celebrity couple #dedicated website #book club


Independent Bookstore Day was a success for many

Inspired by 2014's California Bookstore Day, the first Independent Bookstore Day was held on May 2. Many stores reported an increase in sales. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2015-05-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Apple reportedly wants free Spotify dead to pave way for Beats relaunch

As Apple works toward a relaunch of its Beats Music streaming service, it’s reportedly pushing labels to kill off the free version of Spotify.It’s a bold move by Apple if The Verge’s unnamed sources are accurate, coming less than two years after a judge found that the company colluded with... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2015-05-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #free version #bold move #unnamed sources #judge found #ebook publishers #raise prices


Dead Good Books creates crime awards

Penguin Random House’s crime community Dead Good Books has created six awards to be presented at this year’s Theakstons Old Peculiar Crime Writing Festival by authors including Lee Child and Val McDermid. Each award has been created in collaboration with the Dead Good Facebook community and... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-04-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #val mcdermid #crime writing


Harper Lee offer for PRH staff

Penguin Random House has offered staff a first edition of Harper Lee’s forthcoming novel Go Set a Watchman (William Heinemann) for a special price of £5. The offer was made to coincide with Lee’s 89th birthday today (28th April). Staff at all Penguin Random House sites, including its warehouse... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-04-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #harper lee #prh staff #14th july


Child’s Personal best in UK Top 50

Lee Child and Paula Hawkins gave Transworld two fiction number ones last week, with Child nabbing his 11th top spot on the Official UK Top 50 since records began.  Child’s 19th Jack Reacher book, Personal (Bantam), sold 31,994 copies through Nielsen BookScan’s Total Consumer Market, shifting... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-04-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #lee child #personal bantam #fiction number #records began #nielsen bookscan #train doubleday #bestselling book


Google Wants To Help European Newspapers Join The Digital Age

Google's new initiative will pay news outlets to dig into digital journalism.American tech companies have set their sights on the news business. A month after Facebook announced that it wants news outlets to publish content within Facebook, and a mere day after Snapchat poached acclaimed CNN... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2015-04-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #facebook announced #digital age #digital journalism #news business #news outlets #publish content #journalism initiatives


Sandon and Arthur meet with Harper Lee

Cornerstone m.d. Susan Sandon and William Heinemann publisher Jason Arthur have met with Harper Lee ahead of the publication of Go Set a Watchman in July, with Sandon saying the writer has a “sharp sense of humour and astonishing recall of poetry and literary references”. Sandon and Arthur went... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-04-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #susan sandon #harper lee #sharp sense


European, Middle East Experts Talk Libraries in War Zones

The European Association of Middle East Librarians are meeting in Algeria this week to discuss high risk projects in Afghanistan, Mali, Iraq and more. The post European, Middle East Experts Talk Libraries in War Zones appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-04-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #post european #war zones


Elizabeth is Missing voted favourite Richard and Judy Spring title

Emma Healey’s début novel Elizabeth is Missing (Penguin) has been voted as the best title in Richard and Judy’s Spring 2015 Book Club. Readers voted for their favourite book from the book club’s eight Spring picks on the W H Smith website. The second most-voted-for title was The Miniaturist by... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-04-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #emma healey #missing penguin #favourite book #book club #tony parsons


Witherspoon to narrate Harper Lee audio

Oscar-winning actress Reese Witherspoon will narrate the audio edition of Harper Lee's forthcoming novel, Go Set a Watchman. The audiobook will be published by Random House Audiobooks on 14th July, alongside the print edition, published in the UK by William Heinemann. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-04-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #audio edition #harper lee #14th july #william heinemann


Mark Dawson: Another Amazon KDP Success Story

After failing with traditional publishing, thriller writer Mark Dawson has struck gold with Amazon KDP, selling more than 300,000 copies of his novels. The post Mark Dawson: Another Amazon KDP Success Story appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-04-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #traditional publishing #struck gold #amazon kdp


Filling in the Blanks: PW Talks with Judah Smith

The new book from Seattle pastor and bestselling author Judah Smith asks what love is. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-04-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #judah smith #seattle pastor


Litro Magazine Presents Diversity of New Mexican Writing

The latest issue of the UK literary journal Litro Magazine, released at the London Book Fair, highlights the diversity and character of new Mexican writing. The post Litro Magazine Presents Diversity of New Mexican Writing appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-04-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #latest issue


Publishers Love to Talk About "Trust," But What Do They Mean?

Trust is currency when it comes to media. Facing the specter of a tough ad market, many top publishers fall back on “trust” as a differentiator — and excuse for higher ad rates.   “We consider ourselves mo ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2015-04-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


A Cookbook Love Story: PW Talks to the ‘Honey & Co.’ Husband and Wife Duo

The owners of London's Honey & Co. on food, what makes a good cookbook, and plans for bringing their own cookbook stateside. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-04-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


You’ve sold 17 million albums and you want to pay me nothing? Pat Pope’s row with Garbage

When the managers of indie giants Garbage asked photographer Pat Pope to use his pictures for no fee, he made a standA professional photographer for more than 20 years, and published in Q, Melody Maker and Rolling Stone, Pat Pope has worked with many of the biggest names in pop and rock music,... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-04-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #biggest names #david bowie