Matt Rowland Hill: ‘My mother says she will sue me if I ever write another book like it’

The author of Original Sins, an account of addiction and shame, on his book’s impact on his evangelical parents, reading the Patrick Melrose series while waiting for drug dealers, and how looking middle class saved him from arrestMatt Rowland Hill, 38, is the author of Original Sins, about growing up as the son of a baptist minister before falling into a decade-long addiction to heroin while studying at Oxford. Out in paperback, it was longlisted for last year’s Baillie Gifford prize for nonfiction while being praised by Geoff Dyer for its “novelistic virtues of vivid scene-making, fully realised characterisation and psychological subtlety”. Hill and I sat in a park near his home in east London.I might have read this as a novel had it not been subtitled “a memoir”.The subtitle wasn’t my choice: I was open to it being published as fiction if my publisher had wanted that. I approached it like a novel, thinking about point of view and how I’d produce moments of irony and humour, which maybe liberated me to write with an emotional distance that paradoxically allowed me to be more honest. Nothing is fabricated. I did go to psychiatric units. I was a heroin addict for all that time. I used my imagination to make vivid the bits of dialogue or details about what we were wearing, although it’s surprising how detailed your recollections are once you dig in; what my father told my mother on that car ride to Guernsey – “If you died tonight, I’d dance on your grave” – was scored into... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2023-04-29 17:00:41 UTC ]
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‘Tehran Book Fair Uncensored’ Adds an Anthology of Writings Forbidden in Iran

The third year of the International Alliance of Independent Publishers' Tehran Book Fair Uncensored program includes an anthology of writings censored in Iran but not yet published outside the country. The post ‘Tehran Book Fair Uncensored’ Adds an Anthology of Writings Forbidden in Iran... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2018-05-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Mother's Day: consumers back alcohol, romance and cookery books

Books about alcohol, romance and cooking are among those winning the consumers’ buck for Mother’s Day gifts in the run up to the event on Sunday. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-03-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #cookery books #day gifts


Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones is co-writing a book with 'The Game' author Neil Strauss

Alex Jones, the conspiracy theorist, radio show host and publisher of the extremist right-wing website InfoWars, is co-writing a book with "The Game" author Neil Strauss, CNN reports. The network obtained a proposal sent to major publishers for a book to be titled “The Secret History of the... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2018-01-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Indie Rapha's second book scoops William Hill Award

The second book published by premium cycling brand Rapha Editions has scooped the 29th William Hill Sport Book of the Year for its “startlingly intimate portrait” of Tour de France trailblazer Tom Simpson . Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-11-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Books: Matthew Weiner of 'Mad Men' fame writes a novel; an edgy local debut; bestsellers and more

Hello! I’m Carolyn Kellogg, books editor of the L.A. Times. Let’s get to this week’s newsletter. THE BIG STORY Matthew Weiner concluded “Mad Men,” the show he created, with a shelf of Emmys and the ability to do anything he wanted. It’s not as easy as it sounds, he told Meredith Blake, explaining... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2017-11-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Guinness sues Scholastic for its Book of World Records

Guinness World Records has reportedly claimed Scholastic is trying to "steal its business" with its Book of World Records and has filed court papers against the publisher. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-10-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Christmas In October: UK Rights Rustler Matt Haig Sleighs to Frankfurt Book Fair

Canongate flies in Matt Haig to meet his international publishers at Frankfurter Buchmesse on the eve of the release of 'Father Christmas and Me.' The post Christmas In October: UK Rights Rustler Matt Haig Sleighs to Frankfurt Book Fair appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2017-10-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #father christmas #matt haig #international publishers #frankfurter buchmesse


Book doulas: the new way to push your writing into the world

A cuddly new publishing service has arrived to help struggling authors with ‘bookbirthing’ – and for all its new-age trappings, it seems to be catching on“Are book doulas a thing?” asks a writer I know. “I’d love to get one.”Book doulas are a thing, because where there is a need, there is a... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2017-09-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Mitch Johnson on writing his debut children's book

Author and bookseller Mitch Johnson talks about writing his debut children's, Kick. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-08-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Polarising right-wing writer sues over cancelled Simon and Shuster book deal

Polarising right-wing writer Milo Yiannopoulos filed a $10 million lawsuit against a New York publishing company on Friday over a cancelled book deal. Continue reading at Stuff

[ Stuff | 2017-07-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Spell binders: How Juliette MacIver, Toby Morris, Mary-anne Scott and Lisala Halapua write their acclaimed children's books

We meet four finalists in the NZ Book Awards for Children and Young Adults and ask them how they create the words and images that capture kids' imaginations. Continue reading at Stuff

[ Stuff | 2017-07-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Will Writing That E-Book Really Boost Your Business?

Self-published authors share what they wish they’d known from the beginning. If you haven’t written a book yet, you probably know someone who has—particularly if you’re an entrepreneur. A recent industry report found ISBN registrations for self-published titles have grown more than 375% since... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2017-07-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Nicky Morgan to write book for John Catt

Former education secretary Nicky Morgan is to write a book for indie John Catt Educational on character education. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-05-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Hill, Wright, Rutherford and Pavey go head to head in Cross Sports Book Awards

Formula One champion Damon Hill, Arsenal football legend Ian Wright, London 2012 Olympic Gold medallist Greg Rutherford and Olympic Games runner Jo Pavey have each been shortlisted for 2017's Cross Sports Book Awards. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-04-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Alesha Dixon to write children's book about girl superhero

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's a children's book about a girl superhero by Alesha Dixon. Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2017-03-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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‘Game Change’ Authors Writing Book About ‘Trump the Man’ and His Campaign

Mark Halperin, left, and John Heilemann on a panel about their series on Showtime, “The Circus,” in January 2016. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2017-03-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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George Galloway to write children's books

The former MP says the books about an 'ethical pirate' will be published later this year. Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2017-03-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Norwich's Book Hive 'astounded' by Susan Hill's 'anti-Trump bias' claim

The Book Hive in Norwich has said it is "astounded" by author Susan Hill's claim of anti-Trump bias. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-03-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Ruth Davidson to write book on powerful women for H&S

Hodder & Stoughton has commissioned Scottish Conservative Party leader Ruth Davidson to write a book about the life lessons learned by the world’s most powerful women. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-01-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Chapel Hill Restaurant's Book Prize Nourishes Southern Writers, Booksellers

The Crook's Corner restaurant in Chapel Hill has sponsored a literary award since 2013, and recently increased the prize to $5,000 for the best debut novel about the South. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-12-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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