‘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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Caravéo launches writing competition at Skylark

Amber Caravéo, former editorial director at Orion Children’s Books, is launching a competition for unpublished writers at her new agency, with judges from Puffin, Orion and Macmillan Children’s Books. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-11-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Consortium to Distribute Alternative Comics, Secret Acres

Indie graphic novel publishers Secret Acres and Alternative Comics have signed with Consortium for distribution; the Minneapolis-based distributor has been very proactive in courting new graphic novels publishers as clients. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-11-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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This woman is Hearst Magazines’ secret digital weapon

Kate Lewis is a print veteran, but she may be Hearst's savior in its bid to boost its digital business. The post This woman is Hearst Magazines’ secret digital weapon appeared first on Digiday. Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2014-11-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Dan Brown on the Writing Life as a Global Megaseller

What's it like to sell over 200 million books worldwide? Dan Brown speaks with Publishing Perspectives about his writing life in the wake of enormous success. The post Dan Brown on the Writing Life as a Global Megaseller appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-11-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Tom Weldon: 'Book readers don't want subscription'

Penguin Random House's c.e.o. Tom Weldon has said the company will not be exploring subscription, as he is not convinced it is what readers want. Weldon, in conversation with The Bookseller's editor Philip Jones at today's FutureBook conference, said PRH UK is betting on three things for the... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-11-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Hodder signs crime from Meyer

Hodder and Stoughton has signed three new novels by South African crime writer Deon Meyer. Publisher Nick Sayers acquired UK and British Commonwealth rights, excluding Canada, from literary agent Isobel Dixon of Blake Friedmann. The first book in the contract, Icarus, will feature Meyer’s... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-11-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Two Iolani grads find success with photo book app SimplePrints

Two graduates of Hawaii's Iolani School, Matt Sullivan and Landen Buckley, have taken on the photo book market with their StoryTree Inc. app SimplePrints. Unlike online photo services such as Shutterfly and Snapfish, SimplePrints was designed for mobile devices to make photo books, clearing... Continue reading at Silicon Valley Business Journal

[ Silicon Valley Business Journal | 2014-11-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Mackenzie tells SYP: 'Amazon's success could cause it problems'

Things are "only going to get tougher for traditional publishers unless we can show ourselves to be very good at what we do,” Ursula Mackenzie told the Society of Young Publishers (SYP) at its annual conference on Saturday (8th October). Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-11-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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German news publishers want Google to rip their content after all

At some point, we've all said no to an offer of help before realizing that some help would actually be rather useful. It's a situation that German news publisher Axel Springer has found itself in after spending months lobbying Google to stop indexing... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2014-11-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Execs Talk Translation at Sharjah Book Fair

At the Sharjah International Book Fair, currently happening in the United Arab Emirates, a panel about translated books saw execs from various countries talking about the difficulties of getting titles that do not originate in English into the Western markets. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-11-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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PW Talks to James and Jack Patterson

In House of Robots, the first book of James Patterson’s new middle-grade series, Sammy, a fifth grader, is humiliated when his genius inventor mother insists that he bring her latest creation, a robot named E, to school. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-11-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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News Corp's Thomson talks of online progress at the Times and Sun

But he doesn't provide any figures to back up his positive claims about subscriber totalsThe Times "is delivering both volume and higher revenue per subscriber", says the News Corp chief executive and former Times editor Robert Thomson.He added: "Digital, which already accounts for nearly... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-11-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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New Rowson crime series to Severn House

Severn House Publishers has bought world English language rights to the first in a new crime series by Pauline Rowson, author of the DI Horton marine mystery crime series. The new book, titled Silent Running, centres around former Royal Marine Commando, Special Boat Services Officer, Art... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-11-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Cornerstone releases Harper Lee enhanced ebook

Cornerstone today releases an enhanced digital edition of Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird. Lee’s book was released as an ebook for the first time in July, after Cornerstone acquired UK and Commonwealth rights, excluding Canada, to the ebook and digital audio. The special enhanced digital... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-11-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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What Are Your Writing Habits?

How do successful authors keep their writing on track? Twenty-three client authors of the The Andrew Lownie Literary Agency outline their writing habits. The post What Are Your Writing Habits? appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-11-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Begin with a Question: PW Talks with Philip Yancey

Philip Yancey’s books have sold more than 15 million copies worldwide and include the 1997 bestseller as 'What’s So Amazing About Grace?' His new book continues Yancey's study of that favorite topic. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-10-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Family Affair: PW Talks with Sandro Ferri and Sandra Ozzola Ferri

Sandro Ferri and Sandra Ozzola Ferri, the husband-and-wife team behind Edizioni E/O, a leading publisher of Italian fiction since 1979, are also the founders of Europa Editions. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-10-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Ina Garten Talks 'Make it Ahead'

Garten, the popular food personality and prolific cookbook author (her ninth, 'Make it Ahead,' just published), talks about the ultimate make-ahead Thanksgiving menu, her culinary influences, and what book is on her bedside table. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-10-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Harris and May win at Specsavers Crime Thriller Awards

Robert Harris (pictured) and Peter May were among the winners at the Specsavers Crime Thriller Awards 2014. The awards, held on Friday (24th October) at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel, included accolades for books as well as for film and television. Harris won the CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-10-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Bringing Back the Family Dinner: PW Talks with the Pollans

Can the “family dinner” be revived? In a new cookbook, Corky, Lori, Dana, and Tracy Pollan (mother and sisters to Michael Pollan) set out to find an answer. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-10-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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