Legend Press

Places at Writers' Workshops for £49.99

Write-Connections are delighted to be holding three Writer Workshops this year, offering the chance to meet with fellow writers and some of the industry's top literary professionals - from agents, editors and publishers, to marketers and authors. They are taking place in London and you can book your places now for just £49.99. 

Our workshops have received a fantastic response over the last year and you can read a list of testimonials by clicking here. Details of the three are events below and you can book your place directly by clicking here or by emailing info@write-connections.com

We hope the workshops prove of as great interest and use to you as they have to others.
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Saturday 26th May, 12-4pm Phoenix Artists Club, Charing Cross Road, London

Book Pitch Event - Your chance to pitch a proposal or idea to a number of top industry professionals - from editors and publishers, to agents and authors.

Panel:

James Wills, Managing Director, Watson Little Literary Agency
Bill Coles, author of five novels, film script-writer and journalist
Gareth Howard, founder of Authoright PR, UK's leading book PR company
Tom Chalmers, Managing Director, Legend Press and Paperbooks Publishing

.....................................................................................................

Saturday 15th September, 12-4pm Phoenix Artists Club, Charing Cross Road, London

How to Write a Book and Get it Published - Your chance to hear from and ask the questions you want answered to a panel of literary professionals, including Commissioning Editors, Publishers, Agents and Authors. To discuss from writing, submissions, what publishers and agents are looking for, through to marketing your work and raising your profile as an author.

Panel:

Catherine Coe - Children's Books Editor and Author, formerly Senior Commissioning Editor at Hachette Children's Books
Michael G.R. Tolkien, Author
Hannah Shepperd, Senior Commissioning Editor, Young Adult and Crossover Fiction, Headline Publishing
Darin Jewell, Literary Agent, Inspira Group
Tom Chalmers, Managing Director, Legend Press and Paperbooks Publishing

.....................................................................................................

Saturday 24th November, 12-4pm Phoenix Artists Club, Charing Cross Road, London

Book Pitch Event - Your chance to pitch a proposal or idea to a number of top industry professionals - from editors and publishers, to agents and authors.

Panel:

Catherine Coe - Children's Books Editor and Author, formerly Senior Commissioning Editor at Hachette Children's Books
Sophie Lambert – Director, Tibor Jones & Associates Literary Agency
Polly Courtney – author of five novels, with Harper Collins before deciding to self-publish instead
Sam Mills – author of THE QUIDDITY OF WILL SELF and BLACKOUT
Sophie Duffy – author of THE GENERATION GAME and THIS HOLEY LIFE
Tom Chalmers – Managing Director, Legend Press and Paperbooks Publishing

The Body is a Temple Launch

Last night was the launch party for the fantastic The Body is a Temple by Luke Bitmead. This was a particularly special evening as Luke was the first novelist to be published by Legend Press and we are delighted to be publishing his final novel.

The launch was held at Thai Square in Aldgate and was wonderfully atmospheric, reflecting the Thai setting of the novel.

You can see photos of the evening by clicking here, more photos to follow on Monday.

Lucy

The Body is a Temple is published on 1st June and is available to order by clicking here

Mark Piggott blog - 70 days to the Olympics

Olympic countdown: 70 days to go...

A couple of years back in “The Independent” I pondered what had become of the English “state of the nation” novel; the sprawling, all-encompassing book that tackles the state we’re in, in a way the Americans seem to do so well:

As the author of two novels set in modern England, I want my fiction to reflect some of the themes of the modern age, such as terrorism, race, and the inherent illogicality of capitalism, but as Martin Amis says, one should never set out with the intention of writing a state of nation novel:

"As a writer you must never think about what a publisher, agent or the public want – if you do that you are dead. Good writing needs to be universal." (“Word on the street”, Independent, 26 January 2010).

As Mr Amis says: the writing comes first, all else is secondary. Yet when I wrote the book I did so partly as a response to what I saw around me, and from a frustration that so few novels seemed to really get beneath the skin of London, to talk about the issues people talk about on “the street”: race, religion, immigration and crime. Or rather, discusses these topics in the same uninhibited way you hear down the pub, in the cafe, and on the bus.

The London portrayed in “Out of Office” is one many would recognise, but it’s seedier, more dangerous; a terrorist campaign has put soldiers on every corner, and even daytime Soho is a dangerous place thanks to the thieves and vagabonds who lurk:

Extract...

Hook can’t go home and as he’s had one what the hell so he limps through Soho looking for trouble. Entering the Pillars of Hercules he takes a swift pint then takes another at the Blue Posts on Berwick Street; his liver nudges him so he nudges right back.

Back on the street he looks north and sees the post office tower, its restaurant back in business and spinning slowly, so diners can look down as they nibble on blow-torched otter. Hook spits at the building, falls short. Holding up his hands he sees his fingers shaking and he puts them in his ears as if to dig out the ringing noise, then walks toward another swinging sign.

Outside a tattoo parlour Hook leans his forehead against the glass and looks at the dreamy drawings of large-breasted women and snakes, crosses and lightning. As his eyes adjust he becomes aware of a middle-aged rocker looking out, frowning through his beard. The man raises his eyebrows: Hook shakes his head and in the Magpie’s cool cellar takes three pints of cider in quick succession to shut out the sun. Why has he never had a tattoo? Never wild enough, he supposes: even as a fourteen-year old scrote on the Holloway streets he was too afraid to permanently mark his own skin, to do anything that might leave an indelible reminder of childhood.

Darkness is falling but many of the streetlights stay off. Some of the shops are brightly lit but some have metal shutters over the entrance so that it isn’t clear if they’re even in business. It’s rare that Hook comes to Soho now. He’s always felt safe in this neighbourhood but today he’s shocked by the menacing figures lurking in doorways, the expletive-riddled shouts and angry conversations, the prostitutes. A young woman in a mini and fishnets stands outside a shop smoking; as he limps by a smile passes over her lips like a cloud over fields. Hook stops; if he had a titfer he’d tip it.

“How much?”

The woman’s face is transformed; Hook has never seen such loathing, such utter hatred. He backs away, almost tumbling over a pile of rotting vegetables. “I’m so sorry, I –”

The woman screams. Hook runs painfully, certain he’s being followed by Albanians or vampires through the narrow, bustling streets. After several corners he slows, his ankle a knot of pain, and catches his breath. Hook wipes his brow and his eyes and leans against a wall, trying to gather his wits as midges congregate on his forehead.

After a final drink in Molly Moggs Hook feels he’s had enough. At Leicester Square he descends into the bowels, liver spiking and weeping. When the northbound tube thrusts through, Hook hops into the quiet first carriage and pulls out the fold-down by the driver’s door. Newspaper headlines fill the empty seats but his eyes water too much to read so he stares down the carriage, chest heaving, one hand ensuring the BlackBerry is still in his jacket.

As the tube accelerates out of the station he watches all the light, noise and dark being sucked out of him like a long intestine. The past isn’t a foreign country, decides Hook, it’s another world, where people don’t just do things differently but become their own guilt-edged ancestors.

Mark

Out of Office by Mark Piggott is available to order by clicking here

Foriegn editions of The Woman Before Me by @ruthdugdall

The rights for the fantastic The Woman Before Me by Ruth Dugdall have been sold all over the world, including in Australia to Text Publishing and in Germany to Piper. It is always fascinating to see different publishers interpretions of the book and the way in which they portray this in their covers.

Here are 3 covers for The Woman Before Me (in order they are the UK, Australian and German versions). They are all very different and all very striking.

The Woman Before Me has received fantastic praise including:

"An enthralling psychological thriller - perfect for fans of Sophie Hannah" - Best-selling author Sam Mills ‘Dark, disturbing and authentic’ - CWA judging panel

‘Impressive in its unflinching realism, this is a dark and haunting psychological thriller that possesses both depth and sensitivity.’ - Crime Time

‘This novel is an extremely addictive debut… a real page-turner… As a debut novel, this is a remarkably assured and well-written book.’ – Petrona

‘Authentic… diverting debut’ – The Daily Mail

Lucy

The Woman Before Me is available to order by clicking here

 

Places at Writers' Workshops for £49.99

Write-Connections are delighted to be holding three Writer Workshops this year, offering the chance to meet with fellow writers and some of the industry's top literary professionals - from agents, editors and publishers, to marketers and authors. They are taking place in London and you can book your places now for just £49.99. 

Our workshops have received a fantastic response over the last year and you can read a list of testimonials by clicking here. Details of the three are events below and you can book your place directly by clicking here or by emailing info@write-connections.com

We hope the workshops prove of as great interest and use to you as they have to others.
------

Saturday 26th May, 12-4pm Phoenix Artists Club, Charing Cross Road, London

Book Pitch Event - Your chance to pitch a proposal or idea to a number of top industry professionals - from editors and publishers, to agents and authors.

Panel:

James Wills, Managing Director, Watson Little Literary Agency
Bill Coles, author of five novels, film script-writer and journalist
Gareth Howard, founder of Authoright PR, UK's leading book PR company
Tom Chalmers, Managing Director, Legend Press and Paperbooks Publishing

.....................................................................................................

Saturday 15th September, 12-4pm Phoenix Artists Club, Charing Cross Road, London

How to Write a Book and Get it Published - Your chance to hear from and ask the questions you want answered to a panel of literary professionals, including Commissioning Editors, Publishers, Agents and Authors. To discuss from writing, submissions, what publishers and agents are looking for, through to marketing your work and raising your profile as an author.

Panel:

Catherine Coe - Children's Books Editor and Author, formerly Senior Commissioning Editor at Hachette Children's Books
Michael G.R. Tolkien, Author
Hannah Shepperd, Senior Commissioning Editor, Young Adult and Crossover Fiction, Headline Publishing
Darin Jewell, Literary Agent, Inspira Group
Tom Chalmers, Managing Director, Legend Press and Paperbooks Publishing

.....................................................................................................

Saturday 24th November, 12-4pm Phoenix Artists Club, Charing Cross Road, London

Book Pitch Event - Your chance to pitch a proposal or idea to a number of top industry professionals - from editors and publishers, to agents and authors.

Panel:

Catherine Coe - Children's Books Editor and Author, formerly Senior Commissioning Editor at Hachette Children's Books
Sophie Lambert – Director, Tibor Jones & Associates Literary Agency
Polly Courtney – author of five novels, with Harper Collins before deciding to self-publish instead
Sam Mills – author of THE QUIDDITY OF WILL SELF and BLACKOUT
Sophie Duffy – author of THE GENERATION GAME and THIS HOLEY LIFE
Tom Chalmers – Managing Director, Legend Press and Paperbooks Publishing

The Body is a Temple launch - Thursday 17th May

Legend Press are delighted to be celebrating the launch of The Body is a Temple by Luke Bitmead, with a special event tomorrow Thursday 17th May at Thai Square Aldwych. Come help us celebrate the launch, raise a glass and a prawn toast!

If you would like to attend please rsvp to lucyboguslawski@legend-paperbooks.co.uk

Lucy