If you've written a novel (or even if you've just started a novel) which has an urban setting anywhere in the world, and if you haven't yet had a novel for adults commercially published, you might like to consider entering your work for the Harry Bowling Prize 2012.
The shortlisted entrants are invited to a party where the winner will receive £1,000 and the runner-up £100. At the party, you'll get to meet a top London agent, some of the Headline editorial team, and probably several published novelists, too.
More details - see www.harrybowlingprize.co.uk. The closing date is 30 September 2011, which seems a long way off now, but these things have a habit of creeping up on us...
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Ebooks - PS
I was just wondering - if ebooks do take over, what are the charity shops going to sell, apart from old clothes and unwanted gifts of evil-smelling bath foam?
I buy lots of books from charity shops and I always recycle them, even though I know some other authors don't approve of this. In my view, I'm supporting the charity rather than robbing the author. But that's an argument which will run and run...
What will we have in future, used ebook hubs?
I buy lots of books from charity shops and I always recycle them, even though I know some other authors don't approve of this. In my view, I'm supporting the charity rather than robbing the author. But that's an argument which will run and run...
What will we have in future, used ebook hubs?
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Ebooks - the takeover begins...
Or actually, it began years ago when someone first realised you could sell books this way. Most publishers these days buy ebook rights as a matter of course, and some authors find ebooks outsell print copies easily.
How long will it be before the printed book goes the way of the spinning wheel and the manual typewriter? I've still got my own Smith Corona manual, on which I typed my first novel, tucked away in the back of a cupboard for when the revolution comes and I need it. But could I touch-type perfectly now? I doubt it!
I read my first whole book on an ipad last weekend. I enjoyed the reading experience. So now I feel like a traitor. But should I?
How long will it be before the printed book goes the way of the spinning wheel and the manual typewriter? I've still got my own Smith Corona manual, on which I typed my first novel, tucked away in the back of a cupboard for when the revolution comes and I need it. But could I touch-type perfectly now? I doubt it!
I read my first whole book on an ipad last weekend. I enjoyed the reading experience. So now I feel like a traitor. But should I?
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Book of the Month March 2011
My Book of the Month for March is Jill Mansell's delightful romantic comedy, To the Moon and Back. If you need an antidote to all the gloom and misery of these depressing times, give Jill's lovely books a go - they're bound to cheer you up!
The mass market paperback isn't available just yet, but the book is already in several other formats. So if you can't wait for the paperback, why not consider the hardback or ebook?
Thursday, February 24, 2011
World Book Day
There'll be lots of book giveaways on World Book Day, which is on 3 March 2011.
So I'm joining in and will give away a copy of my novel The Silver Locket to the first person whose name comes out of my virtual hat when I do my own personal draw on 10 March 2011.
If you'd like to win, please email me at mail@margaretjames.com, heading up your email with the subject TSL Draw, any time between now and 9 March 2011.
Good luck!
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Wannabe A Writer We've Heard Of?
Yes, I do! So how do I go about it?
Jane Wenham-Jones is a columnist on Booktime magazine, which is free in all independent bookshops. On Tuesday 1 March at 3 o'clock Jane will be giving a talk in Paignton Library on how to make it in this most challenging of professions. She's a brilliant speaker, and I'm sure her listeners will learn a lot. I'm going along, anyway.
Tickets for this talk cost £3 and are available from the Torbay Bookshop, Paignton Library, or at the door on the day of the talk. If you can't get into Paignton to buy a ticket in advance, it might be wise to ring either the bookshop or the library to check there are tickets still available, and/or to reserve yours.
Jane is a published novelist herself, her how-to books are bestsellers, and she has a hot-shot agent AKA The Fearsome One, so she's definitely in the loop. Anyone who wants to be in the loop with Jane needs to go along and listen to what she has to say.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wannabe-Writer-Weve-Heard-Wenham-Jones/dp/1906373973/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1298207736&sr=1-1
Monday, February 14, 2011
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