‘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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'I Am Legend' author Richard Matheson has died at 87

Author Richard Matheson, who was 87, has died at home. His family announced his passing in a protected Facebook post; the news was shared by publisher Tor/Forge.Author Richard Matheson, who was 87, has died at home. His family announced his passing in a protected Facebook post; the news was... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2013-06-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Lutherville company makes Stan Lee cologne

JADS International creates scent for comic book iconCreate a fragrance that smells heroic with a touch of villainy — that's what Andrew Levine's Lutherville company set out to do. Continue reading at Baltimore Sun

[ Baltimore Sun | 2013-06-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Walker pre-empts on Parsons crime

Century and Arrow publisher Selina Walker has bought three crime novels from author and... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-06-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Lutherville company introduces Stan Lee cologne

Comic book icon's super scent includes ginger, basil and violetEver wonder what comic book icon Stan Lee smells like? Continue reading at Baltimore Sun

[ Baltimore Sun | 2013-06-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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SIBA's 'Code Read' Off to Successful Start

In order to better gauge social media success, and help usher foot traffic into bookstores, SIBA has launched the marketing initiative, "Code Read.” Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-06-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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How to Launch a Successful Multiplatform Marketing Campaign in Nine Easy Steps

Scholastic's Julie Amitie and Gavin Brown offer nine steps to successful multi-platform storytelling and promotion, using The 39 Clues and Infinity Ring series as examples. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-05-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Brown and Child triumph for Transworld

Dan Brown’s Inferno (Bantam Press) has retained pole position in the official UK book... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-05-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Century buys Washington DC-set crime novel

Century has acquired a crime novel set in 1990s Washington DC by US author Neely Tucker. Jack... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-05-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Book Marketing Q&A: Jeff Yamaguchi Talks Advertising

Jeffrey Yamaguchi, Director of Digital Marketing at Abrams Books, talks about what today's book marketers need in their toolbox to execute successful advertising campaigns. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-05-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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WHS campaign for Theakstons crime award kicks off

W H Smith's promotion of the 2013 Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year award... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-05-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Egypt’s Ibrahim Issa on Reading and Writing After the Arab Spring

Egyptian journalist and bestselling author Ibrahim Issa believes the Arab Spring has added religious oppression to the existing political hardships of the region. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-04-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Pan Mac to explore Secret Life of Dogs

Pan Macmillan has acquired Off the Leash: The Secret Life of Dogs by cartoonist Rupert Fawcett,... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-04-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Third World Book Night hailed as success

Julia Kingsford, chief executive of World Book Night, reported that the promotion was carried out... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-04-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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‘Stoner’ Finds Overseas Success

The most surprising bestseller in international markets in March was in the Netherlands, where John Williams’s classic novel Stoner reached #1. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-04-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon Snaps Up Goodreads, A Partner Apple Wanted

This article branches off of a longer story we're tracking called Apple's New Technology Partners: What Developers Need To Know.Steve Jobs once said said, "people don't read anymore." He wasn't the only tech pundit pronouncing books dead in the middle of the last decade, as people turned to... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2013-04-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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New imprint Moth to publish Northern crime

A new crime fiction imprint based in the north of England has been launched to publish the... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-04-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Lebanese-Canadian Author Rawi Hage’s Winding Road to Success

Lebanese-Canadian author Rawi Hage, a featured speaker at this year's Abu Dhabi Book Fair, discusses his long, transcontinental path to becoming a novelist. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-04-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Iraq the latest crime hotspot for Bitter Lemon Press

Crime publisher Bitter Lemon Press has acquired two new novels set for publication in spring 2014... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-04-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Give ’em What They Want?

In his last column, Brian Kenney did a good and fair job of outlining the Douglas County Libraries ebook model, in which we host and manage our own digital content. Yet, his conclusion was a little puzzling. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-03-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Brooks’s ‘World War’ Tops Talk

Oscar season is over, which means one thing: it’s on to the summer blockbusters. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-03-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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