Summer 2005
Jennie Erdal’s memoir GHOSTING (Canongate) has been shortlisted for the J R Ackerley Prize for Autobiography. The winner of this prize, awarded to an outstanding autobiography written in English, will be announced on 12 July. GHOSTING is published in paperback on 30 June, and has been selected as Ottakars Scottish Book of the Month for July.
Des Dillon’s anti-sectarian play SINGING I’M NO A BILLY, HE’S A TIM will be performed at the Scottish Parliament on 22 June, with extracts read by television actors Gordon Brown, Simon Weir and Andy Cameron. The play will be premiered on 12 July at the Pearce Institute, Govan, and the playscript will be published by Luath Press in August.
Chiew Siah Tei’s play THREE THOUSAND TROUBLED THREADS opens on 31 August at the Royal Lyceum Theatre as part of this year’s Edinburgh International Festival. It is the first production of a Chinese play written by a Chinese playwright living in Scotland. Set in present day Glasgow, it tells the story of Ying, a young second generation Chinese woman stranded between cultural identities. Chiew is currently completing her first novel, THE LAST MANDARIN OF PLUM BLOSSOM VILLAGE.
Recent deals
Hugh Andrew at Birlinn has acquired a book of photographs of Islay and Jura by Lord Robertson of Port Ellen, former Secretary General of NATO. Publication summer 2006.
David Wilson at Headline has bought two books from Times contributor Graham McColl. 78: How a Nation Lost the World Cup tells of Scotland’s memorably disastrous trip to Argentina, and is published to coincide with next year’s tournament in Germany; while the autobiography of football legend and Lisbon Lion, Bobby Lennox, is scheduled for 2007 and the 40th anniversary of Celtic’s European Cup success - the first of any British team.
Authors at Edinburgh International Book Festival, 13 – 29 August
Look out for a host of Jenny Brown Associates writers at the biggest public celebration in the world of books!
Taking part are Rodge Glass, Suhayl Saadi, Jamie Jauncey, Allan Guthrie, Tom Pow, Anne MacLeod, Diana Hendry, Jennie Erdal, Alex Gray, Laura Hird, Martin MacIntyre, and Laura Marney. For programme information visit http://www.edbookfest.co.uk
Summer publications
May
Chas Griffin’s account of self sufficiency in Wales, SCENES FROM A SMALLHOLDING, published by Ebury.
June
Alex Gray’s third crime novel SHADOWS OF SOUNDS, published by Allison & Busby.
July
Laura Marney’s second novel NOBODY LOVES A GINGER BABY (Black Swan).
Rodge Glass’s debut novel NO FIREWORKS, published by Faber.
August
Two books by sports writer Jeff Connor: POINTLESS (Headline), his hilarious account of East Stirlingshire’s season, and ONE KNIGHT, 44 LIONS : WITH SIR CLIVE WOODWARD IN NEW ZEALAND (Mainstream).
The paperback of Janet Morgan’s THE SECRETS OF RUE ST ROCH, published by Penguin.
Allan Guthrie’s debut crime thriller TWO-WAY SPLIT, published by Polygon. Italian and US rights sold.
GYMNIPPERS DICIADAIN (Wednesday Gymnippers), Martin MacIntyre’s debut Gaelic novel, will be launched by CLAR/Gaelic Books Council at the Edinburgh International Book Festival.
September
Erica Munro’s second novel DATING GAMES, published by Piatkus.
Lord of the Rugby
Fresh from finishing Pointless for Headline, Jeff Connor is currently in New Zealand with the British and Irish Lions. With Alistair Campbell zealously running the media relations, and an historic defeat to the NZ Maoris there’ll be plenty to read about in Jeff’s account of the tour forMainstream.
Far Pavilions
As finished copies of Dad’s Army (see under Neil Drysdale in Clients) roll off the presses, Freuchie have clinched their place in the Scottish Village Cup cricket final. Could they go on to repeat their glory of twenty years ago?
Scenes from a Small Holding
While ITV’s ‘The Real Good Life’ has floundered horribly, the real deal – Chas Griffin’s memoir of life on a rural Welsh small holding is doing brisk business in shops. After less than two months on the shelves the book has sold almost 5000 copies.
Working with Alasdair Gray: A Secretary’s Biography
Bloomsbury, long-time publisher of the Glasgow-based writer and artist Alasdair Gray, has bought world volume rights to his biography, written by his assistant Rodge Glass. Glass, whose first novel No Fireworks will be published by Faber & Faber in July, has worked with Gray for the past three years and describes his role as ‘tutee, secretary, signature forger, driver, researcher, advisor, chief technology negotiator, tea-maker and paper boy’.
In this book Glass attempts one more role – biographer. Author and subject will have the temerity to take Boswell’s biography of Johnson as a template. Working with Alasdair Gray: A Secretary’s Biography is due to be published in 2008 and will be edited by Bill Swainson.
Authors on the Road
Look out for our authors at Aberdeen’s Word Festival, 13-15 May. Taking part are Anne MacLeod, Sian Preece, Rodge Glass and Jennie Erdal. For full details visit http://www.abdn.ac.uk/word.
Jennie Erdal will be back in Aberdeen on 29 June with Janet Morgan for The Oldie Literary Lunch. Also taking part is Christopher Rush. For more details visit http://www.theoldie.co.uk.
Rodge Glass and agents Mark Stanton and Jenny Brown are speaking at the inaugural Debut Writers’ Festival at the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh 3-5 May.
Tom Pow and Des Dillon are appearing at the Borders Book Festival, 23-26 June http://www.borderevents.com
Film deal for Guthrie
Allan Guthrie’s debut novel, Two-Way Split – to be published in the UK in August by Polygon – has been optioned by Plum Films.
It has reached the final ten in Scottish Screen’s latest Fast Track programme.
Shire reach double figures
Earleir this year, with a famous win over Hampden residents Queens Park, the mighty East Stirlingshire surpassed their points total of last season (8, that’s eight). Now sitting on a massive twenty two points - with one game to go - they have, however, secured last place in the division for an unenviable third time in a row.
Jeff Connor’s diary of their season will be published in the autumn by Headline.
Kennaway seeks father
Guy Kennaway had an unusual experience at a literary festival in Wales recently. At the end of the reading he was approached by a man who said he thought he was the author’s half-brother. Read more in The Scotsman.
Psychoraag shortlisted for James Tait Black Prize; French rights sold
Psychoraag, the debut novel by Suhayl Saadi, has been shortlisted for the UK’s oldest book award, the James Tait Black Prize for Fiction. The winner will be announced in mid-March.
The novel was published in 2004 by Black and White. French rights have been sold to Editions Metailie.
Ghosting on Radio 4
Jennie Erdal’s memoir Ghosting (Canongate) will be Radio 4 Homepage’s Book of the Week from 14 February.
Posted on Jul 04, 2005 - 12:49 AM