Latest News
Chaz Brenchley
“I had a new fantasy series out in the States in January '09 (under a pseudonym which I'm not really supposed to divulge, which is why I'm being boringly discreet about it, which leaves me far too little to say): all very Chinese, with a dragon and jade and an emperor in exile on a small island not at all unlike Taiwan. I've also been writing science fiction for the journal Nature, and ghost stories for my own small press and hardly any crime at all at the moment, except for the other Taiwan book, a contemporary crime thriller which is all about identity and confidence tricks and has no murders at all. That's, ah, ongoing. Slowly. In between everything else...”
chazbrenchley.co.uk and desperance.livejournal.com
Ann Cleeves
“The most exciting event of the year has been the filming of Hidden Depths by ITV Productions under the title Vera. Brenda Blethyn stars as Vera Stanhope, and absolutely captures the spirit of the character. Gina McKee, David Leon and Juliet Aubrey feature too. I've been fortunate enough to be included in the process throughout and have just spent a day freezing on set. It will be shown Autumn 2010. Raven Black has been adapted for BBC radio and will be a Saturday afternoon drama on Radio 4 at the end of January.
“Blue Lightning, the final novel in the Shetland Quartet will be published in the UK in February 2010 to conicide with the paperback edition of Red Bones. Blue Lightning will be published in the US in the autumn of 2010 and Red Bones was Publishers' Weekly pick of the week there.”
Martin Edwards
“I'm very much looking forward to publication of my fourth Lake District Mystery, The Serpent Pool. It will be published by Allison & Busby (UK) and Poisoned Pen Press (US) in February 2010. A German translation will be published by Luebbe shortly afterwards. The first book in the series, The Coffin Trail, short-listed for the Theakston's Prize for best crime novel of 2006, is due to be reprinted in the UK for a third time, with new series cover artwork, to coincide with the appearance of The Serpent Pool.
This past year, as well as working on the Lake District Mystery series, I've given a number of talks about Dr Crippen, the centrall character in my historical crime novel, Dancing for the Hangman. A US edition of the book is due to be published in December 2009, and it has already started to receive reviews as positive as those which greeted the UK edition. The UK edition was quickly reprinted, and so was the recently published German editon of The Arsenic Labyrinth.
I've had great fun presenting several Victorian Murder Mystery events at libraries up and down the country, and I'm hoping to write a brand new murder mystery event set in the 1920s before long, as many venues are keen to run an interactive mystery event again.
During 2009, I've been involved with Crimefest, where I had the daunting but enjoyable experience of participating in 'Criminal Mastermind', the Harrogate Crime Festival, where I presented a workshop for new writers at 'Creative Thursday', and the St Hilda's Crime and Mystery Weekend, where I delivered a paper on 'Original Sinners'. I've been persuaded to defend my 'Criminal Mastermind' title at next year's Crimefest, and I hope to attend other conferences, both in the UK and overseas during the course of 2010.
I've contributed essays to Barry Forshaw's British Crime Writing and to a book about settings of fictional crime edited by Maxim Jakubowski, due to appear in 2010. I've also been asked to contribute to a forthcoming biography about a best-selling crime novelist.
For up to the minute info, please take a look at my website, www.martinedwardsbooks.com,, which is updated weekly, and my crime fiction blog, www.doyouwriteunderyourownname.blogspot.com which is updated daily.”
Margaret Murphy
“A large chunk of my time has been taken by the business of chairing the CWA. Many of you will have seen the Specsavers Crime Thriller Awards on ITV3; the negotiations for the involvement of the CWA in those awards began in October of 2008. It’s been demanding, time consuming and sometimes exhausting, but also incredibly exciting, and the outcome for the CWA and the authors shortlisted for the CWA Gold, John Creasey (New Blood) and Ian Fleming Steel Daggers has been worth the effort. For six consecutive weeks, ITV3 ran author profiles, turning the spotlight on a different author of stature, and each author profile contained TV trailers which highlighted the CWA Gold, Ian Fleming Steel and John Creasey (New Blood) Daggers shortlists.
In the run-up to the awards ceremony, glossy brochures promoting both the CWA and the Daggers were distributed to booksellers, including WH Smith, Borders, Orange, Waterstones and a wide range of independent booksellers. In addition to this, six hundred Specsavers stores took copies of the brochure for in-store displays and distribution to their customers. Play.com, Amazon, the BookPeople, and the Book Depository all had special promotional features online, and BooksDirect, sponsors of the CWA Gold Dagger at the Specsavers Crime Thriller Awards, will be promoting the CWA Daggers in three consecutive issues of BooksDirect magazine. The Reading Agency distributed stickers, posters and magazines to six hundred and twenty-nine libraries across the UK. The winners were announced at the very glitzy Specsavers Crime Thriller Awards ceremony on October 21st, and broadcast on ITV3 on Tuesday, 27th October.
Planning for next year is ongoing, with information due to be sent out shortly to libraries taking part in the Young Crime Writers’ Competition, the winner of which will be presented with their prize during National Crime Fiction Week. Entries will be judged by members of the Crime Writers’ Association, and regional winners will automatically be qualify for the national shortlist. Members will be taking part in readings, discussions, readers’ group events and workshops from Cumbria and Co Durham, to London and Hampshire. More announcements will be made soon re. dates for the National Crime Fiction Week, Oxfam Bookfest and next year’s Dagger Awards. So not much to report on the writing front, but I think you will understand why...”
Stuart Pawson
“After a quiet and not very productive summer I had a burst of activity in September with events in Reading, Castleford, Leeds and Calderdale. The Reading Festival was a huge success and is one to look out for in the future. Bookwise, I’m just past the tipping point at halfway with number 13 and hoping for a good run to the finish, but it’s not happening. Perhaps finding a title for it will help. Allison and Busby are working through the list and repackaging them in a startling new format, stark and monochrome, and doing a great job with them. I’m really happy with the new look. THE JUDAS SHEEP has been issued by Magna Story Sound on CD and cassette, read by Andrew Wincott, better known as the only gay in Ambridge. He makes a good Charlie Priest and we hope he’s available for the rest of the series.
“Meanwhile, a steady trickle of emails comes in from the furthest corners of the planet saying how much the books are enjoyed. I am grateful for them.”
http://www.meanstreets.co.ukCath Staincliffe
“The Kindest Thing my new, very different, stand-alone novel will be published by Constable & Robinson in April 2010. When Deborah reluctantly agrees to help her beloved husband Neil end his life she is charged with his murder. As the trial unfolds and her daughter Sophie testifies against her, Deborah, still reeling with grief, fights to defend her actions. Twelve jurors hold her fate in their hands – and if found guilty she will serve a life sentence. But is the assisted suicide of a person you love murder? Meanwhile I am busy writing my next novel WITNESS and also working on development ideas for television and radio drama.”
John Baker
John Baker was a founder member of Murder Squad who continues to write, but his writing has taken him away from the crime genre and he is no longer a member of Murder Squad. You can follow John via his website johnbakersblog.co.uk/.
“His novel, Winged with Death, was published by Flambard in March 2009, and launched it at the York Literary Festival. You can read an excerpt from it on my blog.
