New client Duncan McLaren longlisted for the Orwell Prize for Blogs 2011

Duncan McLaren, who has recently joined Blake Friedmann as a client of Isobel Dixon's, has been longlisted for the Orwell Prize for Blogs 2011 for his moving diaries about visiting his mother, Mabel, in her care home. He is writing a memoir about his parents based on this blog.

Duncan's 'Visting Mabel' blog on the Saga site is one of 20 on the Orwell blog prize longlist, with the shortlist to be announced on 16 April, and the final awards ceremony to be held in Westminster on 18 May.

'Visiting Mabel' blog

Visit the website of The Orwell Prize for more information.

Jenni Armstrong shortlisted for BBC's Laughing Stock

With nearly 2000 entries, just 26 writers have been selected for a comedy masterclass on 5th April, from which 10 will be chosen for a week-long residential masterclass in May.

Working with BBC comedy producers and established comedy talent, the writers will be developing sitcom projects that reflect modern Britain and showcase new voices.

Jenni Armstrong has previously written for BBC radio comedy shows including WATSON'S WIND UP and NEWSJACK, and the web-project THIS JUST IN for Zeppotron and Channel 4. She is currently working on a new television sitcom and an online comedy series.

Lailaps to produce Greg Latter's adaptation of award-winning real-life drama by Peter Harris

Lailaps Pictures have optioned Greg Latter's adaptation of Peter Harris's award-winning courtroom thriller, A JUST DEFIANCE (South African title: IN A DIFFERENT TIME) and Bille August has been attached to direct. August directed one of Latter's earlier screenplays, 'Goodbye Bafana'

A JUST DEFIANCE is a devastating and moving book which tells the true story of an elite team of anti-apartheid soldiers on trial. Peter Harris was their lawyer.

For the full story, click here.

Praise for A JUST DEFIANCE:
Winner of the SA Sunday Times Literary Alan Paton Non-Fiction Prize 2009, Shortlisted for Booksellers' Choice 2009 and the University of Johannesburg Debut Prize 2008/9, Jenny & Co's Best Non-Fiction Book of the Year, and Best Book of the Year 2008.

'Scrupulously written, heartbreaking and powerful.' -- Alexandra Fuller, New York Times

'Reads like a John Grisham novel ….a compelling read.' -- The Telegraph

'This book is a triumph, partly because of Harris's humility and honesty.' -- The Sunday Times

'Stunning ... a page-turner with a heart.' -- The Observer

Simon Passmore's radio play LEVERAGE is Time Out's Pick of the Week

Don't miss this fast-paced thriller on BBC Radio 4 on Saturday 26th March at 2:30pm, starring Claire Foy, Blake Ritson and Charlie Cox; directed by Sasha Yevtushenko.

This taut, character-driven conspiracy thriller, writhing with twists and heavy on menace, will be compelling Saturday afternoon entertainment.

David and Helen, a professional couple in their mid-twenties, are shocked when Jamie, an old friend from university, dies unexpectedly. At the funeral, they meet Mark, another mutual friend. Mark implies that he works for Special Services, and tells them that Jamie, a high-flying investment banker, may have killed himself - and that his bank has been under investigation. Did Jamie contact the couple before he died? As Mark teases out information, Helen begins to suspect he is not entirely innocent. Mark's questions turn into threats, and people start getting hurt. David and Helen find they must expose a murder before it's too late.

The lead roles are played by three top young British actors; Claire Foy (THE PROMISE, LITTLE DORRIT), Charlie Cox (STARDUST, DOWNTON ABBEY) and Blake Ritson (UPSTAIRS DOWNSTAIRS, ROMANTICS and the lead in Radio 4's four-week serial THE FAR PAVILIONS, Feb 2011).

Simon Passmore has had a string of recent successes on radio with ACCOMPLICES, OFFSHORE and GOING TO GROUND.

Andy Briggs adds new dates to his UK Reading Tour

Schools all over the country will have the opportunity to be part of Andy Briggs' reading tour of his latest book TARZAN: THE GREYSTONE LEGACY from May onwards. MG Harris, author of THE JOSHUA FILES, calls it a 'cracking jungle adventure with the one and only, all- time best eco-warrior, Tarzan.' So far only a few dates have been announced, but there are many more to come.  

Readers of all ages are invited to join Andy at the Hay Literary Festival on 2nd June as well.

For all dates and more information go to Andy's website and follow him on Twitter.

The reworking by Briggs will have Tarzan as far 'edgier and more feral' than the original, and deeply concerned about the destruction of his environment in the Democratic Republic of Congo. His Jane is also decidedly modern - her father, Archie and his friend Phil, who in Burroughs' version are a couple of amiable academics are now involved in illegal logging. Jane hates what her father is doing and she and Tarzan plot to stop it.

Praise for TARZAN:

'Tarzan is back with a bloodcurdling roar! An epic re-book of the classic series.' -- Eoin Colfer, author of ARTEMIS FOWL

 'Wow! All the things I loved about the original Tarzan books rebooted for modern-day Africa, with a plot that will whisk you off your feet and swing you through the trees at breakneck speed.' -- Roderick Gordon, author of TUNNELS

'This is a lion-roaring read of an adventure that seized me from the first page and refused to let go.The action is breathless, the characters are enthralling and the environmental message is vital. Tarzan is not only stunningly reborn, he is more relevant today than he ever was.' -- Chris Bradford, author of YOUNG SAMURAI

'A hero that doesn't have special powers, can't do magic, and isn't an angel? Andy's Tarzan doesn't need them; he kicks ass from the moment he appears in the first chapter.' -- David Gatward, author of THE DEAD, THE DARK, THE DAMNED