Paul Finch’s STALKERS scales e-book charts

This week, STALKERS jumped from 18th to 15th best selling digital book on Amazon.  Placed 4th on the Crime, Thrillers and Mystery list, it is currently HarperCollins' third best-selling e-book.

Retired police office and journalist, Paul Finch's macabre horror stories have garnered great acclaim. In recent years, his novella KID won him his second British Fantasy award in 2007. He was also awarded the International Horror Guild Award for his mid-length story, THE OLD NORTH ROAD. Dubbed the herald of a brighter 'future of horror' by John Pelan, US editor of the best-selling 'Darkside' series, his debut crime novel has been a resounding success.

In STALKERS Paul Finch plunges the reader into the violent and unforgiving underbelly of modern-day London and Manchester. Detective Sergeant Mark 'Heck' Heckenburg attempts to uncover the mystery behind the disappearance of several dozen women and soon finds himself furiously battling for his life and the truth with a ruthless criminal organisation.

Five of Paul's horror and thriller scripts are currently under option.

Praise for Paul Finch:

'Consistently inventive. Consistently excellent…' -- Simon Clark, author of THE FALL and VAMPYRRHIC

'Paul Finch is unique. He creates modern thriller and crime stories with supernatural overtones one minute, and sparkling traditional horror stories the next. One of the most exciting story writers in the business today.' -- Masters of Terror, International Horror Magazine

'Paul Finch is an exciting new voice in the realms of macabre fiction. He sketches out a disturbing landscape, filled with deep shadows and uneasy emotions where stories both traditional and modern are played out to chilling effect. Highly recommended.' --  Mark Chadbourn, author of WORLD'S END and SCISSORMAN

Tony Pitts’ short film RUPERT airs tonight at 9pm on Sky Atlantic’s new comedy strand COMMON GROUND

RUPERT is written by and stars Tony Pitts and Johnny Vegas, and is set entirely in a tattoo parlour. Following the death of his father, Rupert (Vegas) reluctantly takes on the family business. As the story begins, Rupert's Australian girlfriend Jill (Celia Pacquola) delivers the news that her visa has just run out, putting pressure on him to move.

There's also a visit from local gangsters, Spinks (Paul Kaye) and his boss, Sunshine Simon (Tom Davis). Tony Pitts plays Ade, an Alzheimers sufferer who tattoos himself with essential information. Rupert's father's girlfriend Fiona is played by Josie Lawrence.

Produced by Baby Cow, RUPERT goes out on Sky Atlantic's 10 part series COMMON GROUND for Comedy Mondays. You can see a clip here.

In related news, Tony Pitts' award-winning radio play ON IT is repeated on Radio 4 on Tuesday 19th February at 2.15pm.

And Other Stories acquires DOUBLE NEGATIVE

Stefan Tobler of And Other Stories has acquired DOUBLE NEGATIVE, by one of South Africa's most acclaimed writers, Ivan Vladislavić. DOUBLE NEGATIVE focuses on apartheid-era university dropout Neville Lister whose life is changed when he is sent to photographer Saul Auerbach to gain some sense of perspective and purpose. So begins a delicate, funny and beautifully written exploration of the art of depiction, and the haunting power of photographs, those 'odd little memorials that owe a lot to chance and intuition'. This spare, memorable novel tracks the changing face of Johannesburg over the decades and the crooked path of Neville's career, and throws new light on our ways of seeing and recording, on how and what we remember, and the art of getting lost.

Of the deal with And Other Stories Ivan Vladislavić said: 'And Other Stories have shaken up my sense of what's possible with their innovative approach to publishing. I love the cosmopolitan diversity of their list - exactly the sort of company I would want my own work to keep. I'm very excited to be joining the imprint.'

Stefan Tobler, And Other Stories Publisher: 'There's no doubt in my mind that Ivan Vladislavić is one of the major writers in English. After Deborah Levy and Helen DeWitt, he is only the third novelist we have picked who writes in English. Like them, this is an extraordinary writer who is confident on the world stage.'

Blake Friedmann's Isobel Dixon said: 'Ivan's work has always negotiated the seam between prose and art - an exploration brilliantly evident in DOUBLE NEGATIVE. I look forward to a beautiful And Other Stories edition, and to the new audiences they will reach for this fine author.'

DOUBLE NEGATIVE is also published by Random Umuzi in South Africa, Editions Zoe in France and Contrasto in Italy.

Praise for Ivan Vladislavic:

'Vladislavić seeks the poetry of the city he has known and loved for 30 years ... He finds the human behind Johannesburg's sorry reputation.' -- Ross Leckie, The Times (South Africa)

'Ivan Vladislavić is one of a handful of writers working in South Africa after apartheid whose work will still be read in fifty years.' --The White Review

'One of the most imaginative minds at work in South African literature today.' -- André Brink

'Ivan Vladislavic is the most significant writer in South Africa today.' -- Focus on Africa

THE ILLICIT HAPPINESS OF OTHER PEOPLE in Dutch Top Ten

After the influential DWDD TV programme picked Manu Joseph's THE ILLICIT HAPPINESS OF OTHER PEOPLE as January's Book of the Month, the book has climbed steadily and has just entered the Dutch bestseller lists at Number 8, with more than 10,000 copies in print. Podium have just ordered their 4th printing since the book was launched in January.

See here for a short film made for the programme: http://vimeo.com/58533211

THE ILLICIT HAPPINESS  OF OTHER PEOPLE is published in the UK by John Murray, the US by Norton, Canada and India by HarperCollins, and sold in France to Philippe Rey and in Germany to Beck, who will publish as a lead title this Autumn.

Praise for THE ILLICIT HAPPINESS OF OTHER PEOPLE:

'Ingeniously constructed… Joseph is using his witty, incisive writing to explore the great philosophical questions of happiness and life.' -- Mani Suri

'Joseph writes with extraordinary wit, cunning and sympathy about both family relationships and ultimate mysteries.' -- Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews

'Joseph's sublime new novel takes place in early 1990s Madras, India, where Ousep Chacko has reinvigorated his pursuit for the truth about his son Unni's inexplicable death three years ago…Joseph's witty narrative adds depth and vigour to the Chacko family's tale and assuredly explores the complexity of self-perception amidst present-day life.' -- Leah Strauss, Booklist

'Joseph's smart new novel is laced with black humour and keen observations on human nature… Joseph's rich characters intersect in moments of tenderness, yet each continues along a path that gracefully highlights the titular Other and the emotional divides that separate individuals. Lucky for us, Joseph's empathic prose deftly bridges those gaps.' -- Publishers Weekly

'Manu Joseph perfectly captures his characters in his precise, sharp prose. His perfectly named novel, THE ILLICIT HAPPINESS OF OTHER PEOPLE, is terribly funny. This beautifully written work is cleverly organised and engaging. Manu Joseph's prose is clear, wry, dry and witty - reminiscent of the work of Haruki Murakami. THE ILLICIT HAPPINESS OF OTHER PEOPLE will make you smile and even laugh - and it's definitely legal.' -- Ariel Balter, New York Journal of Books

'A wonderful novel which injects dark, rueful laughter into an immensely touching story of loss.' -- Sam Sacks, The Wall Street Journal

Kerry Hudson shortlisted for the South Bank Sky Arts Literature Award

Kerry Hudson's debut novel TONY HOGAN BOUGHT ME AN ICE-CREAM FLOAT BEFORE HE STOLE MY MA is shortlisted for the prestigious South Bank Sky Arts Literature Award.  She is nominated alongside Hilary Mantel's BRING UP THE BODIES, which won the Costa and Booker Prizes this year and Will Self's UMBRELLA.

The South Bank Sky Arts Awards celebrates the best of UK achievements across all the arts. The shortlist was decided by a panel of nine judges, and the winners will be announced on 12 March and aired on TV on 14 March.

TONY HOGAN BOUGHT ME AN ICE-CREAM FLOAT BEFORE HE STOLE MY MA was published by Chatto & Windus in July 2012 and has been shortlisted for the Guardian First Book Award, Green Carnation Prize and Scottish First Book of the Year.

Praise for Kerry Hudson:

'What a brilliant thing to turn the chaos and trauma of a hectic childhood into a debut novel as colourful, funny, joyful and compelling as this.' -- Nicola Barr, Guardian

'Kerry Hudson's fine eloquent debut novel traces the peripatetic childhood of Janie Ryan...[Janie's] tale is full of warmth and bittersweet humour...' -- David Evans, Financial Times

'From the (unrepeatable) hilarious first sentence, this debut sucks you in with its idiosyncratic style...Kerry Hudson's writing is very funny, and her deft touches give the book a reality that makes it all the more powerful. Hudson certainly has a bright future.' -- We Love This Book