Margie Orford at the University of York on South African crime fiction

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'Queen of South African Crime Fiction', Margie Orford is to give a talk on 'The Grammar of Violence: Writing Crime in Contemporary South Africa' at University of York on 3 February 2012 at 4.15pm.

Margie, who is an award-winning journalist, photographer, film director, children's author and Fulbright scholar is also Executive Vice-President of South African PEN and has previously starred at speaking events including the Franschhoek Literary Festival and Authors For Peace. Her Clare Hart series is published in the UK by Atlantic and Jonathan Ball in South Africa.

The talk will be followed by a reception and the launch of 'The Cambridge History of South African Literature' (edited by David Attwell and Derek Attridge) at which Isobel Dixon will be a guest speaker.

For more info on the event, click here.

Praise for Margie Orford:

'The queen of South African crime thriller writers…The energy Margie Orford creates between her characters and the tautness of her plots is attracting new readers and publishers every month.' -- Sue Grant-Marshall, The Weekender

'Orford plots so brilliantly that to stop reading is as harrowing as to carry on.' -- Jake Kerridge, Daily Telegraph

'GALLOWS HILL has got the snappy dialogue and the meticulous forensic detail you've come to expect from a Clare Hart thriller...Margie Orford has again delivered a tightly plotted thriller with solid political credentials.' -- Jacqui L'Ange, The Times (SA)

'Superstar Margie Orford's writing has garnered acclaim everywhere. Her third crime novel to feature Clare Hart, DADDY'S GIRL, has already been sold abroad, giving her a footprint in nine countries. Her writing is cinematic, powerful and so close to the bone it almost cuts.' -- Jenny Crwys-Williams

'Margie Orford is to Cape Town what Val McDermid is to the north of England.' --Anthony Egan, Mail and Guardian

Fantastic reviews for Kapka Kassabova's TWELVE MINUTES OF LOVE – and a gorgeous tango video animation!

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TWELVE MINUTES OF LOVE: A TANGO STORY has received a string of great features and reviews, and also inspired this tango video animation commissioned by Portobello. It's already been viewed more than 5,000 times on YouTube and will be featured at the Glasgow Short Film Festival's 'Words Per Minute' literary and film event on 11 February.

Kapka's memoir featured as the lead review in Psychologies magazine:

'Three reasons to read TWELVE MINUTES OF LOVE: 1. For an insight into a hobby that turns into an obsession; 2. To go on an emotional journey; 3. For a searing account of heartbreak...Here's a woman discovering herself over a decade, growing up and changing, in an understated, unassuming and unusual EAT PRAY LOVE-type memoir.'

And from Olivia Cole in GQ: 'New Zealand, to Edinburgh, Berlin and Buenos Aires, part travelogue, part memoir, this is a sexy step through the myths around tango and its physical, emotional and psychological layers. You will want to learn.'

The Scotsman ran this interview (with a picture of Kapka and her tango shoes!): 'Kassabova is that rare thing, an author who excels in every genre. She's a published poet and novelist, a writer of travel guides, and of memoirs, whose earlier book, STREET WITHOUT A NAME, is an autobiographical travelogue about rediscovering her native Bulgaria. … TWELVE MINUTES OF LOVE: A TANGO STORY is her touching and insightful chronicle of a ten-year obsession that dragged her around the world and back again by the heartstrings.'

A brilliant, glowing review has appeared in the Independent: 'An exquisitely crafted blending of travelogue, memoir, dance history and some seriously good writing on the human condition, TWELVE MINUTES OF LOVE delves deep into the obsessive nature of tango fanatics and vividly depicts a world full of beauty and heartbreak, of love and loss...This mix of travel writing, personal experience and history is something that Kapka Kassabova has done before, and she's frankly brilliant at it.'

And it's not just the reviewers who are fans, TWELVE MINUTES OF LOVE: A TANGO STORY has the mark of approval from the dance cognoscenti as well!

'A beautiful book, beautifully written …. Kassabova is brilliant on why we dance the Argentine tango, discussing the sense of melancholy and yearning experienced by anyone who has danced its steps or indeed listened to its music … an exquisitely written story.' -- Dance Today

In addition to those above, TWELVE MINUTES OF LOVE: A TANGO STORY has received wonderful reviews in Time Out, Metro, Marie Claire and Big Issue, and  press from New Zealand, (where Kapka lived after leaving Bulgaria) - a New Zealand Herald feature here - and it's been picked as a Book of the Year in The Listener: 'Equipped "with a pair of tango shoes, a dress, a silk fan, a city map with tango venues marked on it, and an eye mask - so that I can sleep through the days and dance through the nights", Kassabova takes us on a journey into tango - and her own heart. As she criss-crosses the globe in search of milongas, she explores tango's ecstasy and desperation, its unique subculture and exotic characters. A compelling read.'

Kapka was also interviewed by Harriet Gilbert on The Strand, with lots of lovely tango music.

Here is an audio review from Scottish blogger Alistair Braidwood.

'Tanguera' interviewed her for the Tango Hub site saying:' TWELVE MINUTES OF LOVE doesn't disappoint - neither does it show off. It's an endearing, heartfelt account of one woman's life with (and without) tango'.

And here is Kapka Kassabova herself on the writing of TWELVE MINUTES OF LOVE.

Kapka is currently at the Kolkata Literary Meet at the Kolkata Book Fair and has a busy year of festival appearances including the Aye Write Festival in Glasgow on 11 March (with a tango performance at the end, organised by them), the Oxford Literary Festival on 25 March, teaching at Arvon's Moniack Mhor site in Scotland, 9-14 April, and representing Bulgaria at the Poetry Parnassus Week at the Southbank Centre, 26 June-2 July.

And last but not least, TWELVE MINUTES OF LOVE continues to ride high (#3 at the time of writing) on the Dance titles on Amazon, with an array of glowing 5 Star reviews!

For more info on Kapka and TWELVE MINUTES OF LOVE, click here.

 

David Cameron singles out David Sherwin’s If... for Praise

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David Cameron has noted his appreciation for the Palme D'Or winning film If..., scripted by David Sherwin, in a recent interview with The Spectator. The PM mentioned the movie while talking to Evan Davis about the new film policy review.

If..., an anti-authoritarian eruption of a film and a bona fide classic of British cinema, has in fact been performed very successfully at the PM's alma mater Eton College in recent years. This demonstrates the enduring love/hate relationship the film has had with the public school system over the years, and the strange affection the work shows for the microcosmic power structures still found in boarding schools today.

Currently, David's memoir, GOING MAD IN HOLLYWOOD, is in development with Fiesta Productions. He is also acting as a consultant on the script.

Paul Usher heads Instinctive Film London office

Blake Friedmann is delighted to announce that new client Paul Usher will act as the UK representative and producer for Berlin based film finance and production company Instinctive Film. Paul was previously an agent for five years with CMM, and now works as a scriptwriter and producer.

Instinctive, who executive produced last year’s hit indie thriller RETREAT staring Cillian Murphy, Jamie Bell and Thandie Newton, are now looking to solidify their international presence with expansion into both the UK and US markets.

Paul will be responsible for developing co-production deals for Instinctive in the UK, as well as assembling a development slate.

Instinctive CEO Darryn Welch commented ‘2011 has been a rollercoaster year for us. We have been busy working to diversify the company and its activities to adapt to the ever-changing climates in the industry. Our plan is to have greater management over sales, marketing and distribution for the films we develop and produce.’

In addition to his work as a producer, Paul also has two scripts under option with Instinctive – a high concept thriller called THE HOLD and an action adventure entitled SMOKING HOT.