‘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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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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Best-Selling Author Warns ‘You Might Not Want to Buy’ His Book

Patrick Rothfuss is the author of the mega-bestselling novels The Name of the Wind and The Wise Man's Fear, and is currently hard at work on The Doors of Stone, the final volume in his epic fantasy trilogy The Kingkiller Chronicle. In the latest episode of Geek's Guide to the Galaxy he discusses... Continue reading at Wired

[ Wired | 2014-10-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book appeared #patrick rothfuss #final volume #latest episode


Finland, Very Cool: “A Huge Success” in Frankfurt

Finland was a hugely successful Guest of Honor country at the Frankfurt Book Fair, prompting more than 7,500 news articles and numerous rights deals. The post Finland, Very Cool: “A Huge Success” in Frankfurt appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-10-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Survey: 80% of Premium Publishers Want to Sell Ads Based on Time

Just weeks after the Financial Times said it would begin selling digital ads based on the time for which they're exposed to readers, a new survey shows other digital publishers are growing bullish about the tactic. The survey, from Digital Content Next, found that 80% of "premium" publishers are... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2014-10-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #digital content #time-based metrics


Who wants to sleep over at a Waterstones bookstore?

After an American became accidentally locked inside a Waterstones location after it closed, the UK book store chain is inviting contest winners to stay the night. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-10-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Mining a Rich Backlist: PW Talks with Joyce Meyer

Publishing powerhouse Joyce Meyer has written some 100 books and in the past 12 years alone racked up more than 30 million in sales, since FaithWords acquired her backlist in 2002 for more than $10 million. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-10-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Italian Writing Festival Takes Women, Self-Publishing Seriously

The Women's Writing Festival in Matera, Italy was a showcase for the growing importance of women's fiction and self-publishing in Europe. The post Italian Writing Festival Takes Women, Self-Publishing Seriously appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-10-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #writing festival #growing importance


Avon signs cozy crime from Bennet

Avon has signed up the first in a series of cozy crime mysteries featuring Monty, a crime solving dog and his adopted owner Asha Sidebottom. Katy Loftus signed UK and Commonwealth rights in Monty and Me by Louisa Bennet from Philip Patterson at Marjacq Scripts. Bennet is a pseudonym for... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-10-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #philip patterson #marjacq scripts #thriller writer #wrong direction


Grisham: 'some don't deserve prison for viewing child images'

US thriller giant John Grisham has made widespread headlines by telling the UK press that prison sentences for some people convicted of viewing indecent images of children are “harsh”. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-10-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Keane and Doyle to speak at London's sports writing festival

Roy Keane and Roddy Doyle will be among the big names appearing at the second London Sports Writing Festival, taking place next week at Lord's Cricket Ground.   Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-10-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Will you discover a great unpublished book through Amazon?

The new Kindle Scout program has the average reader voting the books that should be published. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-10-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Baking Like the French: PW Talks With Dorie Greenspan

The James Beard Award-winning author chats with PW about why the French don’t bake for fun, how women in France never say “non” to dessert, and one French take on a very American treat. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-10-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Richard Flanagan takes the Man Booker Prize, National Book Awards finalists are announced

Flanagan took the Man Booker Prize for his book 'The Narrow Road to the Deep North,' while works such as 'All the Light We Cannot See,' by Anthony Doerr and 'Age of Ambition,' by Evan Osnos made the cut for the National Book Award shortlists. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-10-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Australia’s Richard Flanagan Wins Man Booker Prize

Though this was the first year that Americans competed, the Man Booker Prize was awarded to an Australian, for his novel The Narrow Road to the Deep North. The post Australia’s Richard Flanagan Wins Man Booker Prize appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-10-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Richard Flanagan Wins 2014 Man Booker Prize

Australian writer Richard Flanagan was awarded the 2014 Man Booker Prize for his novel, 'The Narrow Road to the Deep North,' at a ceremony at London's Guildhall on Tuesday evening. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-10-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Short story of a writing life

Author Emily Perkins about imaginary worlds, acting and the ebooks v print debate. Continue reading at Stuff

[ Stuff | 2014-10-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Minecraft maker talks movies, YouTube and why it's not making birthday cakes

Mojang COO Vu Bui: Licensing is a small portion of our business and we want to keep it that wayWhat is Minecraft? Its a game, obviously: one that its developer Mojang has sold nearly 54m copies of across computers, consoles and mobile devices so far.Its a series of books published by Egmont that... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-10-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Q&A with Richard Charkin, Future IPA President

Richard Charkin, CEO of Bloomsbury and future president of the International publishers association, on copyright, authors and international rights. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-10-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Want to work at a bookstore in Scotland? This residency may be for you

Through the Open Book Residency, members of the public are invited to come work in a bookstore in Wigtown, Scotland, for several weeks. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-10-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Stories Keep Coming: PW Talks with Lauraine Snelling

Novelist Lauraine Snelling has authored 80 books since she began her writing career in 1982, has more than two million books in print, and has just published the first in her fifth historical series set among Norwegian immigrants to North Dakota, where her mother was born and raised: “Strong... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-10-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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