SERIOUS MEN on Man Asian Literary Prize shortlist

Manu Joseph's debut novel SERIOUS MEN is on the shortlist for the prestigious Man Asian Literary Prize. Founded in 2007 and sponsored by the Man Group plc, the Man Asian Prize is a leading international literary award given to the best novel by an Asian writer, either written in English or translated into English. The shortlist features writers from Japan, China and India, including Bi Feiyu, Tabish Khair, Yoko Ogawa, and Nobel laureate Kenzaburo Oe. The $30,000 prize will be awarded on 17 March in Hong Kong. 

SERIOUS MEN has received wide acclaim since its publication in the UK by John Murray in 2010. It is the winner of the Hindu Best Fiction Award 2010, listed as one of Huffington Post's Best Books 2010, chosen by The Telegraph as one of their 2010 'First Novels to Savour' and was a New York Times 'Editor's Choice'. Most recently it has also been shortlisted for the Regional Commonwealth Writers First Book Prize.

Rights have been sold in Canada (HarperCollins), India (HarperCollins), US (W.W. Norton), Denmark (Thaning & Appel), France (Phillipe Rey), Germany (Klett Cotta), Holland (Podium), Italy (Edizioni Dedalo), Serbia (Laguna) and Spain (El Aleph).

Praise for SERIOUS MEN:

'The finest comic novelists know that a small world can illuminate a culture and an age. With this funny-sad debut, Joseph does just that for surging, fractious India.' -- Boyd Tonkin, Independent

'Manu Joseph shows how petty jealousies in India can motivate and divide as surely as major societal differences. His skills as a writer are tremendous - he invests even the most ordinary interactions with keenly observed human quirks, and almost every sentence is a joy to read for its ingeniously constructed language. This is a compellingly entertaining novel - witty, subversive, extraordinarily perceptive, deliciously wicked.' -- Manil Suri, author of THE DEATH OF VISHNU

'This ambitious debut cleverly weaves diverging plots of love, knowledge, class, and ambition…Joseph's finely portrayed characters exude wit and warmth in this engaging and introspective tale.'-- Leah Strauss, Booklist

Barbara Erskine on BBC Radio 4’s Open Book

Barbara Erskine took part in a discussion with John Lanchaster (with Mariella Frostrup in the chair) on Radio 4's Open Book on Sunday 13 February. The subject was how changing technology plays a part in novel plotting, and Barbara spoke about the difference between her writing of LADY OF HAY 25 years ago and the new final chapter which brings the story up to date and into the 21st century. The sequel sees characters googling and using mobile phones - something that would not have happened 25 years ago.

LADY OF HAY has been constantly in print for 25 years and this month saw the release of an anniversary edition published by HarperCollins. The new edition includes the sequel material. LADY OF HAY has sold over three million copies and has been translated into 24 languages.

For the full discussion on Radio 4, please click here.

Praise for LADY OF HAY:
'Absorbing and hypnotic ... Barbara Erskine's writing style, with layers of plots, strong characters, exquisite imagery and graphic descriptions, plops the reader down right in the middle of events happening 800 years apart ... captivating.' -- Long and Short Reviews (blog)
 
'The story will grab your imagination and take you on a ride of twists and turns filled with intrigue, treachery, and lots of passion.' -- Thoughts in Progress (blog)

Mark Denton & Jonny Stockwood have two projects optioned by Company Pictures

KISLING, an espionage series set in 1960s Berlin and OCCAM'S RAZOR, a returning detective series, are both being developed for television with producer Faye Dorn.

Mark and Jonny are excited to be working with Company Pictures - "we love their passion and vision and can't wait to see where these projects go".

Company Pictures is one of the UK's leading independent production companies, producing television series such as SHAMELESS, SKINS, THE SILENCE, GENERATION KILL and THE DEVIL'S WHORE.

GHOST LIGHT is Dublin’s ‘One City, One Book’ for 2011

GHOST LIGHT by Joseph O'Connor will be Dublin's 'One City, One Book' in April this year. The project, designed to encourage everyone in the city to read the same book during the month of April each year, promotes reading in a city which boasts one of the world's greatest literary heritages including four Nobel Laureates. The project was a major element of Dublin's success in being named a UNESCO City of Literature. Please click here for the full programme.

2011 will be the sixth year of Dublin's 'One City, One Book' project, and as part of this year's celebration, the City Council and Library services will arrange numerous activities ranging from readings by the author to performances of Synge's plays in the Abbey. One lucky Dubliner will win the opportunity to meet Joseph O'Connor and have him read to their book club, co-workers, neighbours, friends or family in a location of their choice.

GHOST LIGHT is published by Harvill Secker in the UK and Farrar, Straus and Giroux in the US. It has also been sold to Record (Brazil), VL Publishers (Bulgaria), Fraktura (Croatia), Phebus (France), Fischer (Germany), Ambo|Anthos (Holland), Guanda (Italy), Zvaigzne (Latvia), Dom Quixote (Portugal), Salamandra (Spain)  and Norstedts (Sweden).

Praise for GHOST LIGHT:
'GHOST LIGHT is O'Connor's vivid and sometimes visionary reimagining of the love affair between Molly Allgood and the Irish dramatist John Millington Synge ... In GHOST LIGHT, O'Connor allows himself to ride the wave of Irish eloquence.' -- New York Times Book Reivew

'Joseph O'Connor's GHOST LIGHT is absolutely brilliant - a beautifully written love story.' -- Roddy Doyle, The Guardian, Books of the Year 2010

'GHOST LIGHT displays an astonishing command of voice, using tones that are both tender and powerfully emotional, with brilliant command of the period.' -- Colm Tóibín, Daily Telegraph, Books of the Year 2010

THE MALL chosen as one of ten ‘Books at Berlinale’

THE MALL by S.L Grey has been handpicked as one of ten 'Books at Berlinale'. Ten books have been specially chosen for their screen potential and the film festival in Berlin will give producers an opportunity to discover new literary material for screen adaptations at the pitching event called 'Breakfast & Books'.

Variety ran this piece on Berlinale, which mentions THE MALL. For more information on Berlinale's 'Breakfast & Books', please click here.

A deliciously twisted mash-up of horror, fantasy, thriller, satire and macabre humour, THE MALL throws two misfits together accidently and takes them through the murky back-end of a Johannesburg mall - the side which customers never see - and brings them out at a mirror world which seems to tell the truth, violently. Forced to complete a series of twisted tasks to find their way out, they finally emerge into the brightly lit food court, sick with relief at the banal sight of people shopping and eating. But something feels different. Why are the shoppers all pumped full of silicone? Why are the shop assistants chained to their counters? And why is McDonald's selling lumps of bleeding meat? Just when they think they've made it back to the mall, they realise their nightmare has only just begun…

Corvus will publish THE MALL in the UK in June. Rights have also been sold to Arbeiderspers in Holland.