McDermid to join Man Booker judging panel…

Published December 20, 2017 by Benedicte Page

The Bookseller

The panel of judges for the 2018 Man Booker Prize will include crime writer Val McDermid and feminist writer and critic Jacqueline Rose.

The panel, chaired by philosopher Kwame Anthony Appiah, will also be made up of cultural critic Leo Robson and artist and graphic novelist Leanne Shapton.

Gaby Wood, literary director of the Booker Prize Foundation, said: “This year’s judging panel is not only stellar in its distinction, its members have a stunningly broad range of tastes and enthusiasms too. They are all long-standing champions of creative work who will be open to any excellent novel that may come their way, regardless of genre or geography.”

The judging panel will be looking for the best novel of the year, selected from entries published in the UK between 1st October 2017 and 30th September 2018, with the shortlist to be announced next July.

The prize will mark its 50th anniversary next year with a range of celebrations.

Original article…

Honey and hacorns and thistles: Author Stuart MacBride on his ‘favourite book of all time’…

Author: Stuart MacBride, 01 December 2017

Book Week Scotland runs until the 3rd December 2017.
This year the theme is Nourish.
To celebrate, Scots crime writer Stuart MacBride has written a piece on his favourite book… and it might surprise you!

IT should come as no surprise to anyone that books are by far the healthiest thing you can consume.

They don’t make you fat, have no history of causing heart disease, cancer, or type two diabetes, and they genuinely make you attractive to the opposite sex. That’s because they don’t just nourish our bodies, they nourish our souls.

New books, old books, thin books, fat books, novellas and doorstops, they’re all good for us. They build understanding and empathy and character. Books! Books! Books!

But then I would say that, wouldn’t I? I make my living writing the things, so I’m hardly going to tell people they’re evil sinful things. Even if they were (which they’re not).

Read the full Article…

Signed Harry Potter first edition to go up for auction as part of Book Week Scotland…

The online charity auction is part of Book Week Scotland, with proceeds going towards the Scottish Book Trust’s programmes.



Signed Harry Potter book (Book Week Scotland)
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets has been signed by author JK Rowling and is sure to be a popular item among fans looking for a piece of Potter magic.

Also on offer is the chance to win a portrait from illustrator Chris Riddell, who was the 2015 – 2017 UK Children’s Laureate and also a political cartoonist for the Observer.

Chris will produce a portrait illustration of the winning bidder, or someone of their choosing, creating a unique keepsake or a wonderful gift.

Other items up for grabs include the opportunity for an unpublished writer to receive advice on getting published from leading literacy agency, Jenny Brown Associates.

Read more…

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Category: Events (page 9 of 28)

Val McDermid