Pan Macmillan acquire new standalone Peter James thriller and two new Roy Grace novels

Pan Macmillan have acquired a new Peter James thriller plus two brand new Roy Grace novels from Carole Blake at Blake Friedmann. They will publish the standalone this autumn, which will be Peter's first standalone novel for Pan Macmillan.

Last year Peter James enjoyed his first number one bestseller in both hardcover and paperback with DEAD LIKE YOU. The seventh Roy Grace Novel, DEAD MAN'S GRIP, will be published this June with a paperback edition in October. Pan Macmillan have been publishing Peter since 2005 with DEAD SIMPLE, the first book in the Roy Grace series. He is now published in 34 languages around the world.

Peter says:
'Being published by Pan Macmillan is a great joy for me, and a true adventure. I'm thrilled they will be publishing my standalone novel which pushes the boundaries of science, and is a project I have been researching and planning for ten years.'

Carole Blake, Peter's agent, comments:
'Last year we had a number one hardback, number one paperback, number one iPad: and still in the top 10 ebook charts 56 weeks on… Now to top it all with the standalone. It's a dream team'.

Anthony Forbes Watson, Pan Macmillan Managing Director, says:
'This new standalone novel is a vivid testament to the energy and ingenuity of Peter's imagination and to his great storytelling gift:  It will delight his many existing fans and bring him a host of new readers.'

Jeremy Trevathan, Pan Macmillan Publisher adds:
'We're extraordinarily proud of Peter and everything that we've achieved together with his Roy Grace novels. I look forward to this wonderful new opportunity that Peter has given us to grow his profile and sales both in the UK and internationally.'

Orion signs Liz Fenwick for two books

Orion's Kate Mills signs debut author, Liz Fenwick, for two books. Liz Fenwick, is a glamorous and elegant Bostonian/Irish mother of 3 who lives with her British husband in Dubai.  But she regards her house in Cornwall as her home.

A CORNISH HOUSE is a romantic/suspense novel about which Kate Mills said in her offer letter to Carole Blake of Blake Friedmann earlier this week:

"I'm very excited at the prospect of publishing Liz's fiction.  Something about this book really got under my skin.  It's a story I can see women of all ages falling in love with.  Who wouldn't want to inherit a house in Cornwall?  Liz is a very engaging writer, who clearly enjoys what she does.  There's something delightfully old-fashioned about A CORNISH HOUSE. It reminded me of the fat, juicy paperbacks I hoovered up when I left university.  I see Liz  as a baby Rosamund Pilcher; writing those gorgeously big, sprawling family stories that are touched with escapism and a little bit of aspiration.   Totally getting ahead of myself here, but I've got the jacket in my head already...

Carole  Blake said: "I met her on Twitter: how modern is that?  I've known her socially for more than a year and have seen how professionally she handles her writing.  Three other agents offered her representation so I'm very pleased that last month she chose to be represented by me.  She's the first debut novelist I've taken on for many years. I was bowled over by Kate Mills' enthusiasm: Liz has a big future ahead of her and it's in good hands with Kate signing up two books.

"The first deal came in from Holland: Chris Kooi of De Boekerij bought rights earlier this week and said: "De Boekerij lives and breathes books like A CORNISH HOUSE."  We have an auction going on among German publishers which will be resolved soon."

Liz Fenwick said:  "I'm really thrilled to have my first publishing deals for THE CORNISH HOUSE and very much look forward to joining the magnificent Kate Mills list at Orion in the UK, and De Boekerij in Holland and to know that I will be published in German."

Photo Credit: Paul Sumner (Stu Williamson Photography)

Sphere signs Elizabeth Chadwick for an Eleanor of Aquitaine trilogy

Sphere has signed a blockbusting Eleanor of Aquitaine fiction trilogy by award-winning novelist Elizabeth Chadwick, for an undisclosed six-figure sum.

Sphere Senior Editor Rebecca Saunders bought UK and Commonwealth rights in three novels - THE SUMMER QUEEN, THE WINTER CROWN, THE AUTUMN THRONE - through Carole Blake at Blake Friedmann.

Sphere will publish the first novel in hardback in summer 2013 supported by major publicity, marketing and digital activity, and will implement an entire backlist reissue programme.

Chadwick, who is published in 19 languages, won the RNA's 2011 Best Historical Novel Prize for TO DEFY A KING last month.

Saunders said: "When Carole submitted the proposal to me I immediately began to imagine what the jackets would look like, the subject completely captured my imagination. After reading the first three chapters I was hooked and knew we had to publish these books - and in a big way. The story of Eleanor has all the ingredients for a huge commercial success: only 13 when she married Louis of France, Eleanor was a great heiress, and a queen of France and England, destined to change the map of Europe. She's a wonderful heroine."

"Most importantly these novels will present a very different Eleanor, an Eleanor told through her own words, her own feelings. As one of the most respected authors of historical fiction in the world, Elizabeth is best placed to reveal her."

"I am so excited that Sphere has given me the opportunity to write these three novels about Eleanor," Chadwick said. "I have wanted to tell her story for a while, using research that is absolutely unique to me. It's long past time the truth was told about this incredible woman, and the real Eleanor allowed to stand in her own light."

Little, Brown is investing heavily in this summer's publications of Chadwick's LADY OF THE ENGLISH in hardback, and the paperback of TO DEFY A KING.

Carole Blake said: "It was obvious from the marketing presentation Little, Brown made to us last month that their team are very serious about propelling Elizabeth Chadwick into enduring bestsellerdom. It's a happy partnership."

GHOST LIGHT all over Dublin!

Dublin's One City, One Book project is in full swing with GHOST LIGHT being celebrated throughout the city.  Street banners adorn Dublin's busiest street and the books are on display in bookshop windows all over the city. Click here for more photos.

The month long GHOST LIGHT 'One City, One Book' project in Dublin promotes reading by encouraging everyone in the city to read the same book. 2011 is 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 have arranged numerous activities including readings by the author, events with readings and original music onstage and performances of Synge's plays in the Abbey Theatre. For the whole programme please click here.

Back at no 2 in the paperback bestseller charts in Ireland, Joseph O'Connor has also been honoured by membership of the Aosdána. This is a prestigious body established by the Arts Council in 1981 to honour artists whose work has made an outstanding contribution to the arts in Ireland. Click here for the news story.

GHOST LIGHT has also been shortlisted for the Walter Scott Prize for historical fiction. The winner will be announced on June 18 at the Borders Book Festival and will receive £25,000. For more information on this award, please click here.

 GHOST LIGHT is published by Harvill Secker and Vintage in the UK and Farrar, Straus & 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 Review

'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

Peter James becomes new Chair of Crime Writer’s Association

Peter James became the new Chair of the Crime Writer's Assocation on Saturday. He was inaugurated into his new position at their annual general meeting and received the John Creasey Bell, donated by John Creasey, Founder of the Crime Writers Assocation. Past Chairs in recent years have included Val McDermid, Ian Rankin, and the most recent, Tom Harper. The CWA aims to promote the crime genre and provides support to professional writers. The CWA also runs the prestigious Dagger Awards every year.
 
DEAD LIKE YOU is the sixth book in the Roy Grace series, and was published by Macmillan in October 2010. The Roy Grace series is sold around the world to 33 languages. His new title in the series, DEAD MAN'S GRIP will be published by Macmillan in May this year.

Praise for Peter James:
 
'A terrific thriller...DEAD LIKE YOU is a haunting page-turner that seamlessly blends psychological suspense with police procedure, echoing the heart and voices of such authors as P. D. James and Ian Rankin at their best.' -- Jeffery Deaver, author of ROADSIDE CROSSES
 
'Sinister and riveting...Peter James is one of the best British crime writers, and therefore one of the best in the world.' -- Lee Child

'Roy Grace ... is fast becoming one of the more memorable coppers in modern crime fiction ... A first class police procedural.' -- The Times