Michael Caine’s novel will most likely be rubbish, but I’m glad he’s found his happy ending | Xan Brooks

Most actors make terrible novelists – but writing the ‘cracking thriller’ Deadly Game was life-affirming for the veteran star, so never mind the finished productGod spare us another millionaire actor who fancies themself as a bestselling author –unless the actor is Michael Caine, in which case good on him, raise your glass. The 90-year mainstay of British cinema spent lockdown writing his first novel, tapping away at his iPad every day, toiling to master the intricacies of the craft. “Paragraphs,” he said. “Punctuation, all that.” The book might be awful. It won’t trouble the Man Booker panel. But in finally completing the thing, Caine has indirectly written himself a happy ending of sorts – the most knackered and lovely writer’s cliche of them all.According to Caine’s publishers, Deadly Game is “a cracking thriller with a real voice and a super twist”, although quite frankly, what else would they say? Specifically, it’s about a London DCI, Harry Taylor, who’s on the trail of a stash of uranium. Potential suspects include a posh art dealer called Julian Smythe, and a dodgy oligarch, Vladimir Voldrev. Also in the mix: a couple of neo-Nazis, a Colombian drug cartel (possibly several, going from the press release) and a pair of cockney refuse collectors. Caine says he got the basic idea from a newspaper story he once read about two East End blokes who found uranium on the rubbish tip. Everything else (the Nazis, the Colombians, dodgy Vladimir) is 100% uncut Michael Caine.... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2023-06-08 12:30:07 UTC ]
News tagged with: #happy ending #press release #basic idea #bestselling author #novelists

Other Publishing stories related to: 'Michael Caine’s novel will most likely be rubbish, but I’m glad he’s found his happy ending | Xan Brooks'


Dan Brown: Happy 'Inferno' publication day

Happy publication day to Dan Brown, whose latest Robert Langdon thriller, "Inferno," officially hits shelves Tuesday. Online, it's already declared its dominance: It's Amazon's No. 1 bestselling book.Happy publication day to Dan Brown, whose latest Robert Langdon thriller, "Inferno," officially... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2013-05-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #dan brown #publication day


An End To The Aggregation Debate? Repost Makes It Easy To Embed Articles

A new startup called Repost aims to make it easy for online publishers to distribute their articles via embedding — the same way I can share a video from YouTube or a document from Scribd directly in a blog post.   Right now, if I saw ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2013-04-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #online publishers


Horrible Histories 'to end'

Terry Deary's long-running Horrible Histories children's books series is coming to an end... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-04-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #horrible histories #terry deary #books series


Horrible Histories books to end

Horrible Histories author, Terry Deary, says his book series has "naturally come to an end" after 20 years of writing the popular children's books. Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2013-04-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #terry deary #book series #popular children


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 ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #world war


Sony ends 20p promotion

Amazon is raising prices on its 20p ebooks after Sony ended the 20p promotion on its own eReader... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-03-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #20p ebooks


Michael Joseph acquires Woodhouse

Michael Joseph has acquired two novels by debut British thriller writer Jake Woodhouse, following... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-03-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #michael joseph


Bloomsbury reports end-2012 profit rise

Bloomsbury has reported a year-on-year profit boost in the final quarter of 2012, at the same... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-01-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #final quarter


Condé Nast Time Ends for Maurie Perl

Maurie Perl, the longtime chief spokeswoman at Condé Nast, is hanging it up after 21 years at the company. For 12 years, Perl built and oversaw the PR machine of the publishing company, reporting to parent Advance Publications Chairman Si Newhouse and then-Condé Nast CEO Steve Florio, who since... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2013-01-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #special projects #bill clinton #presidential campaign #hot list #great fun


Happy holidays for indie bookstores – but not for Barnes

Barnes & Noble reported disappointing holiday sales numbers while, in contrast, some independent bookstores said they had their best month ever. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-01-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #happy holidays #indie bookstores #independent bookstores


Happy Holidays! Here's a Free E-Book of Our Best Stories From 2012

A free ebook of our best work just in time for the holidays. Makes a great gift for wordy nerds! And much cheaper than a Battlestar Galactica box set. Continue reading at The Atlantic

[ The Atlantic | 2012-12-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #happy holidays #free ebook


E.L. Doctorow, Michael Henry Heim Honored in 2012 PEN Literary Awards

E.L. Doctorow, Michael Henry Heim and many other poets, authors and translators were given awards and honored during the 2012 PEN Literary Awards. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2012-10-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Springer CEO Says "Free Beer" Era for Internet Ending

(Reuters) - Germany's largest newspaper publisher will introduce a paywall for its flagship national daily Die Welt by the end of this year and is confident competitors will follow suit, Axel Springer Chief Executive Mathias Doepfner said. In an ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2012-10-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #reuters - #follow suit


Waterstones to sell Paperwhite 'end of the month'

The Kindle Paperwhite is go on sale through Waterstones stores by the end of the month, the... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-10-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #waterstones stores #kindle paperwhite


Michael Joseph snaps up The Rosie Project

Penguin imprint Michael Joseph has snapped up an Australian debut novel which they describe as a... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-09-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #rosie project #australian debut


Agreement Could End Europe’s E-Book Price-Fixing Inquiry

The European Commission said it was prepared to drop its investigation after Apple and four publishers agreed to let retailers sell ebooks at a discount for two years. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2012-09-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #european commission #publishers agreed


Michael Joseph to launch ebook short from Keyes

Michael Joseph is launching a digital campaign to support publication of The Mystery of Mercy... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-08-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #michael joseph #digital campaign #support publication


Apple Wants DOJ to Wait Till End of Trial for Settlement With Three Publishers

Apple has opposed a government proposed judgment in an ebooks price-fixing lawsuit, stating that the judgement seeks to terminate and rewrite its contracts... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2012-08-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Alternate endings for Hemingway novel revealed

Random House imprint William Heinemann has acquired rights in a unique edition of Ernest... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-08-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #acquired rights #unique edition


The Anniston Star to End Monday Edition in October

The publishers of The Anniston Star on Monday announced a series of changes to cut expenses while concentrating on digital growth, including the discontinuation of the Monday print edition of The Star and the Friday Escapes section. The changes com ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2012-07-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #monday announced #digital growth