‘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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ITV and BBC told to learn lessons from graphic Lee Rigby murder coverage

Ofcom clears broadcasters after complaints, but tells them to consider explicit warnings before airing 'challenging' footageRead the full Ofcom ruling on TV news coverge of Woolwich killing (P22)Ofcom has told broadcasters including ITV and the BBC to learn lessons after they aired graphic... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-01-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Good Enterprises Wants S&S to Keep Selling its Books

Christine Shubert, the trustee overseeing the Chapter 7 proceedings of Good Enterprises, has asked the bankruptcy court to give Good Books’ distributor, Simon & Schuster, the authority to continue to sell the company’s titles. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-01-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Richard & Judy Book Club titles announced

Two titles from publisher Black Swan are in WH Smith’s Richard & Judy Book Club to kick... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-01-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Independent bookstores, Amazon all report successful holiday season

Many independent bookstores reported holiday sales as good or better than last year's, while Amazon called the 2013 holiday season its best ever. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-01-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Richard Desmond appoints Barclays to explore sale of Channel 5

Process at a very early stage and follows owner taking soundings from television rivals including ITVRichard Desmond has appointed Barclays to advise on a possible sale of Channel 5, after turning the loss making Big Brother broadcaster into a profitable operation.The process is understood to be... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-01-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Dohle Thanks PRH Employees for Great Start

In a brief year end note to Penguin Random House employees worldwide, CEO Markus Dohle thanked everyone for putting merger distractions aside did give the company a solid start. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-12-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Crime writers fundraise with OxCrimes

Following OxTales (2009) and OxTravels (2011), Profile Books will publish fundraising collection... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-12-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Exprima Talks: Peter Meyers, Content Innovation at Citia

In this debut of the Exprima Interview series, Corey Pressman talks with Peter Meyers of Citia about the future of ebooks and how digital storytelling might evolve. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-12-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Greenwich crime series for Old Street

Old Street Publishing has bought two titles from former journalist Murray Davies. Ben Yarde-... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-12-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Best World Children’s Book Award Winner Talks to PP

By Dennis Abrams South African writer Anita Pouroulis, a former primary school teacher from Johannesburg, won the Best World Children’s Book Award at the China […] Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-12-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Hearst Magazines Digital Chief Troy Young Discusses Finding Great Editors

Specs Who Troy Young Age 45 New gig President, Hearst Magazines Digital Media Old gig President, Say Media What’s it been like coming from pure-play digital companies like Say Media to Hearst, which has had a print mind-set? It was different at first, for sure. There were a lot more steps... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2013-12-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Riverhead Goes 3D for Chang-rae Lee

For Chang-rae Lee's forthcoming novel On Such a Full Sea, his publisher, Riverhead Books, is testing some visual fireworks. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-12-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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'Cosy crime' community site for Constable

Constable & Robinson has launched a website dedicated to the "cosy crime" genre as... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-12-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Facebook Wants to Be a Newspaper. Facebook Users Have Their Own Ideas.

It's tough to make everyone happy. Can Facebook reconcile its high-minded design ideals with the interests of users and publishers? Continue reading at AllThingsD

[ AllThingsD | 2013-12-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Trinity Mirror builds on the success of UsVsTh3m with launch of Ampp3d

Buzzfeed-style site has managed to lure 7 million users – but it still seeks commercial successThis week the Daily Mirror's publisher will make its second foray into socially shared content with the launch of data journalism experiment Ampp3d, as mainstream media companies inspired by the... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2013-12-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Manil Suri Wins the One Book Prize Most Authors Don’t Want

The Literary Review has awarded its 21st annual Bad Sex in Fiction Award to Manil Suri for a scene in The City of Devi featuring a, err, stellar climax. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-12-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Take Your Child to a Bookstore Day continues to grow

Take Your Child to a Bookstore Day will be celebrated on Dec. 7 this year and founder Jenny Milchman says she hopes to expand the message of the holiday to year-round initiatives, including field trips to bookstores in at-risk areas. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-12-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Kent apologises for children’s writing slur

The University of Kent has apologised for a statement on its website that seemingly belittled... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-12-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Johnston Press in talks to sell off Irish newspapers

Johnston Press is trying to dispose of its Irish newspapers. According to the Sunday Times in Ireland, the company "is in advanced talks" to sell its 12 Irish titles to the British advertising executive Malcolm Denmark.The indebted publisher paid about £115m in 2005 to acquire the stable of... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2013-12-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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ALA 2014 Preview: Let’s Talk It Out

The conference theme of the 2014 ALA Midwinter Meeting, set for January 24–28 in Philadelphia, is “the conversation starts here.” It is a perfectly appropriate theme. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-11-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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