Four Blake Friedmann authors nominated for Sainsbury’s Best Ebook 2013

Four of Blake Friedmann’s authors have books nominated for Sainsbury’s Ebook of the Year competition.

In the Adult category, Peter James’ DEAD MAN’S TIME, Paul Finch’s SACRIFICE and Anne De Courcy’s THE FISHING FLEET have all been nominated.

In the Young Adult category, Alex Scarrow’s TIMERIDERS series are nominated, and his Doctor Who novel SPORE is nominated in the Children’s category.

For the complete list of nominees and to vote for the winner, with a chance to win a copy of each nominated book, please go here to pick your favourite. 

THE FISHING FLEET no. 8 in charts!

Anne De Courcy’s THE FISHING FLEET will be no 8 in the UK Paperback charts this weekend. It was published in paperback last week by Orion, and already rocketed its way to 8th position. 

THE FISHING FLEET tells the story of the late nineteenth century in India where Britain's finest and brightest men settled to become businessmen, administrators and soldiers.  Young women flocked to the area for intense socializing and found themselves caught up in a whirlwind of dances, parties and marriages. After the honeymoon things often changed drastically for these husband hunting women. 

De Courcy's narrative and first hand resources, in the form of unpublished letters and diaries, make for a delightful read.

Film rights have been sold to Ridley Scott’s production company.

Praise for THE FISHING FLEET:

'An entertaining, richly detailed account of a world that vanished overnight in 1947 with independence' -- The Sunday Times

'Highly evocative... de Courcy takes the reader through an enchanted world: scarlet coats and white topis; the heat of a regimental dance with buildings picked out in tiny oil lamps and lanterns hung in the trees;… am-dram and tiger shoots; medicinal brandy and ginger ale; tiffin and sword exercises; the smell of wood fires in the hearth; a civet cat found drinking a bedtime glass of milk and a monkey snatching a silver spoon.' -- Jad Adams, The Guardian

'Through heat, dust, lust and wedlock, de Courcy's memsahibs step a lively dance' -- Saga Magazine  

'A seasoned social historian, Anne de Courcy brilliantly evokes the era, often by allowing her heroines to do the talking. We hear vivid contemporary descriptions of everything from tiger hunts and tea dances to the agonies of prickly heat... the women who married into the Raj were true adventurers. De Courcy's book restores their proper reputation: as brave, sometimes batty, irredeemably British heroines' -- Jemima Lews, Daily Mail

Scott Free London Options Film Rights to THE FISHING FLEET by Anne de Courcy

Ridley Scott's company Scott Free London has snapped up the film rights to Anne de Courcy's best-selling book THE FISHING FLEET after fierce competition from rival film and TV companies.

De Courcy's book is a vivid and compelling social history of husband-hunting in the Raj, and describes the exploits of young British women sent by the boatload to India to find love and marriage.

Scott Free London will develop the book as a theatrical release feature film, with Liza Marshall producing. Anne will act as development consultant.

The deal was negotiated by Conrad Williams for Blake Friedmann Literary Agency and Carlo Dusi for Scott Free London.

'Anne de Courcy brilliantly evokes the era…vivid descriptions of tiger hunts, tea dances to the agonies of prickly heat... The women who married into the Raj were true adventurers. De Courcy's book restores their proper reputation: as brave, sometimes batty, irredeemably British heroines' - Daily Mail

'A fascinating and evocatively told history…of the women who risked all for a husband.' - Financial Times.

Anne de Courcy at no. 4 on non-fiction charts!

Neilsen Bookscan charts, released 24 July 2012, show THE FISHING FLEET by Anne de Courcy at number 4 on hardback non-fiction.

Published in hardback just two weeks ago, THE FISHING FLEET is now in its third printing.

THE FISHING FLEET tells the story of the late nineteenth century in India where Britain's finest and brightest men settled to become businessmen, administrators and soldiers.  Young women flocked to the area for intense socializing and found themselves caught up in a whirlwind of dances, parties and marriages. After the honeymoon things often changed drastically for these husband hunting women.
De Courcy's narrative and first hand resources, in the form of unpublished letters and diaries, make for a delightful read.

We are thrilled with her well deserved success!

Praise for THE FISHING FLEET:

'An entertaining, richly detailed account of a world that vanished overnight in 1947 with independence' -- The Sunday Times

'Highly evocative... de Courcy takes the reader through an enchanted world: scarlet coats and white topis; the heat of a regimental dance with buildings picked out in tiny oil lamps and lanterns hung in the trees;… am-dram and tiger shoots; medicinal brandy and ginger ale; tiffin and sword exercises; the smell of wood fires in the hearth; a civet cat found drinking a bedtime glass of milk and a monkey snatching a silver spoon.' -- Jad Adams, The Guardian

'Through heat, dust, lust and wedlock, de Courcy's memsahibs step a lively dance' -- Saga Magazine 

'A seasoned social historian, Anne de Courcy brilliantly evokes the era, often by allowing her heroines to do the talking. We hear vivid contemporary descriptions of everything from tiger hunts and tea dances to the agonies of prickly heat... the women who married into the Raj were true adventurers. De Courcy's book restores their proper reputation: as brave, sometimes batty, irredeemably British heroines' -- Jemima Lews, Daily Mail