Peter James and Paul Finch in Amazon's Best of 2013 eBook Collection

Two Blake Friedmann authors feature in Amazon’s selection of the best 150 eBooks of 2013: Peter James’ DEAD MAN’S TIME and Paul Finch’s STALKERS.

DEAD MAN’S TIME is the 9th book in the bestselling ROY GRACE series. Roy Grace investigates a savage burglary in Brighton, in which an old lady is murdered: although £10m of antiques have been taken, it is only a rare vintage watch that the family wants back. Grace has kicked over a hornet’s nest of new and ancient hatreds. Gavin Daly, the dead woman’s 95-year-old brother, has a score to settle and a promise to keep.

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.

Click here to see the complete Amazon Best of 2013 list.

Carole Blake wins Pandora award

Blake Friedmann co-founder Carole Blake has won the Women in Publishing 2013 Pandora Award. The Pandora Award is presented annually to a woman who has made a "significant and sustained contribution to the publishing industry".

Other nominees this year were Reading Agency director Miranda McKearney, Osprey Group c.e.o. Rebecca Smart and Penguin Digital m.d. Anna Rafferty. Previous winners include bookcareers.com founder Suzanne Collier and Pearson CEO Dame Marjorie Scardino.  The Award is a beautiful, antique writing box, which the winner keeps for a year, passing it on to the next recipient of the award.

This year Carole celebrated 50 years in the book industry, during which time she has been President of the Association of Authors Agents, and chairman of the Society of Bookman, as well as a lifelong patron and former chairman and president of the Book Trade Charity (BTBS).  

She says she “couldn’t be more surprised or honoured” to receive the award and that it was a “great honour to be on shortlist with those amazing women”.

Rachel Hirons' POWDER ROOM in cinemas tomorrow

"A smart and savvy comedy delve into the notion of sisterhood set largely in the confines of a London nightclub and its women’s toilet, the pacy and enjoyably racy Powder Room is a low-budget delight, brimming with terrific performances (especially from lead Sheridan Smith) and scintillating dialogue." - Mark Adams, Screen Daily

Everyone's talking about Rachel Hirons' new feature, POWDER ROOM - starring Sheridan Smith (featured on Broadcast Magazine's Hot 100 list), Jaime Winstone, Oona Chaplin and Kate Nash.

The film is being hailed as 'the British BRIDESMAIDS', though it's not just a film about women: 

"The odd, rather terrific thing is that even though – or perhaps because – the film is all about women, it becomes much more about people than a film doing the more usual thing of looking at the relationships between the sexes could ever manage." - Deborah Orr, The Guardian

Directed by MJ Delaney, POWDER ROOM is set in the women's toilets of a nightclub, and concerns the increasingly complex exploits of Sam (Sheridan Smith), a somewhat 'uncool' young woman desperate to fit in and gain the respect of her peers. Inspired by unguarded conversations heard by writer Rachel Hirons in Soho nightclub loos, it's a frank and honest look at the personal crises faced by its young characters. There's a strong connection with music too, as the film features fictional all-female rock band 'Fake Club', and co-stars Kate Nash who is best known for her pop music career.

The movie's already critically acclaimed; to quote but a few:

"...a striking piece of work. It's very funny and very fresh..." - DigitalSpy

"...a riotous new Britflick... a candid — sometimes funny, sometimes sordid — take on a London night out, with all the sex and drugs and rock ’n’ roll that implies." - Evening Standard

"One suspects that it would be more fun to go to the film with a crowd of friends, then talk about it, than it would be to go to the nightclub." - Deborah Orr, The Guardian

High praise indeed, and we think Deborah's right. See it in cinemas from tomorrow (6th December).

Follow @PowderRoomMovie on Twitter for more news and updates.

Four Blake Friedmann authors nominated for Sainsbury’s Best Ebook 2013

Four of Blake Friedmann’s authors have books nominated for Sainsbury’s Ebook of the Year competition.

In the Adult category, Peter James’ DEAD MAN’S TIME, Paul Finch’s SACRIFICE and Anne De Courcy’s THE FISHING FLEET have all been nominated.

In the Young Adult category, Alex Scarrow’s TIMERIDERS series are nominated, and his Doctor Who novel SPORE is nominated in the Children’s category.

For the complete list of nominees and to vote for the winner, with a chance to win a copy of each nominated book, please go here to pick your favourite.