Legend Press

'Here or There must be seen as a triumph'

The Small Press Review has reviewed Rebecca Strong's brilliant Here or There in its November/December issue. Here are some of the things that the reviewer, Susan Woollard, says about the book:

'To employ so many characters while ensuring that each has a prominent position within the whole is quite a feat for a debut novelist. Each character must have its own unique personality and backstory: too little would offer mere shadows of people; too much would feel cluttered. I admit to expecting the author to falter somewhere along the line, yet she never does. Each character emerges as full formed and vital to the plot.'

'The last chapter worked like a satisfied sigh for me.'

'I would very much like to see Rebecca Strong follow up this strong and successful debut with another novel sooner, rather than later.'

You can read a pdf version of the full review here:

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And of course don't forget that you can buy your copy of the book directly from us as well as in all good bookshops.

Either click on the links here or check out our Christmas Sale for special offers on gift sets and signed editions.

Here or There
by Rebecca Strong

Buy now £7.99

Happy reading, and have a lovely weekend!

Emma

Bill Coles has two page spread in the Mail on Sunday

The Well-Tempered Clavier is making headlines again, this time in yesterday's Mail on Sunday.

The article's title: 'Daisy Dooley drives me nuts, says author's ex-husband', might well lead you to guess (and you'd be correct) that the story focuses on the bizarre twist of fate that has partnered Bill's Well-Tempered Clavier with his ex-wife Anna Pasternak's novel Daisy Dooley Does Divorce.

Bill says: When I first clicked on the Amazon link to see this for myself, I thought it was some outstandingly good practical joke. But no...the Amazon listing was genuine.

Click here to read the full article, complete with photos from their £60,000 wedding day. (Aghhh, £60,000 -- imagine what we could have done with that money if we'd had it to spend on the Well-Tempered Clavier's promotional and marketing budget??!! Or just on Legend Press in general for that matter!)

Emma

The Guardian spreads the word

There's an article in The Guardian today about World Book Day's 'Spread the Word' list of 100 'hidden gems', of which, as you know, the stunning Salt & Honey is one.

Read the article here and, if you haven't done so already, vote for Salt & Honey here.

One of the latest comments from a voter on the page is as follows:

Must Read
This book is a flood of emotion. It is a beautiful story, sad and exciting, uplifting and intriguing. It is a painful love story and deals with huge issues without being overbearing or sickly. It’s funny, provocative and enthralling. I think it would appeal to a young adult audience as well as an adult reader of literary fiction. I can’t see any reason why it shouldn’t be on everyone’s reading list.

Well-Tempered Clavier in Heat Top 10!

The rise and rise of the brilliant Well-Tempered Clavier continues. Can't believe it's not even a month yet since its launch and we've had numerous events around the country, orders flying in everyday and coverage across the national papers. And now the Eton-set story has been included in the Heat Top 10 book chart - a chart used widely throughout the book chains and hugely popular with the public.

It's gone straight in at number 8 of all current books nationwide and we want to ensure it stays there - or even rises the ranks and overtakes the likes of fellow spiky-haired Gary Rhodes! It would be great if everyone could get in touch with Heat and tell them how much they love the book (they ask for feedback - heat@emap.com) as well as continuing to buy the book in huge numbers.

I did criticise Mrs Howard slightly for her wonky circling on the attached scanned copy though she promptly told me in future to do it myself...so that settled that. The write-up from Heat reads: "This sweet tale about a schoolboy who falls for his teacher will leave you hoping that love can conquer all." How nice.

This book has got to be a major hit so if you haven't ordered your copy go and do so immediately from our Online Shop!

And of course, as always, let us know your thoughts once you've read the unforgettable novel...

Tom

The Roundtable Review interviews Bill Coles

Online literary magazine The Roundtable Review has published a great interview with William Coles, conducted and written by their fiction editor Ann Morgan. Here's a small section of it:

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Far from the dirt-dishing peek behind closed doors the subject matter might lead you to expect, The Well-Tempered Clavier steers clear of whipping up sensationalism at the expense of presenting rounded, believable characters. Salacious bonkbuster, it ain’t. First and foremost, and perhaps surprisingly, this is a novel about jealousy. 

‘When I was thinking about writing it, I started recalling what it was like to be in love for the first time,’ says Coles. ‘And what hit me was this matter of jealousy. I think guys suffer from it much worse than girls do. You know, there you are doing all these things for the first time and it’s mind-blowing. But at the same time it’s hard to come to terms with the idea that your beloved might have been there before with someone else. You get better at dealing with it as you have more relationships, but it’s tricky first time round when it’s all brand spanking new.’
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Click here to read the full version, it's a really in depth and interesting interview. Many thanks Ann, another blinder!

Salt & Honey is in top 100 'books to talk about' -- PLEASE VOTE!

Great news for Legend Press and one of our wonderful authors, Candi Miller. Salt & Honey (which was published by us in July 2006) has been chosen as one of the top 100 World Book Day 'Spread the Word - Books to Talk About' titles.

It's brilliant in itself that it's made this list of 100 but if enough people vote for it then it will make the top ten shortlist and might even win the World Book Day 2008 prize. Even better! We think it more than deserves this accolade, and are sure everyone who's read it agrees, so it would be wonderful if you could help out by voting now...

HOW TO VOTE:

Click here to visit the page where Salt & Honey's info and cover image is displayed (it's the third book down on the Africa page). It seems to work best if you register on the site first with a username and password and then click on the 'vote for this book' option straight after you've logged in. Once you've voted you will then be able to read more about the book and also leave a comment of your own. Some of the comments aren't viewable yet but please do leave one anyway as I'm sure they'll be displayed at some point soon and it will be great to get lots of word of mouth buzz going about this amazing novel.

Many thanks to you all in advance for your support, it's massively appreciated both by us and by Candi.

The Bookseller focuses in on Legend Press

Today's issue of The Bookseller sports a full page independent publishing feature on no other than Legend Press founder and managing director Mr Tom Chalmers.

Many thanks to Tom Tivnan at The Bookseller for doing such a great write-up - perfect timing too on the day we re-launch our website! It must be a good omen.

Click to view a scanned copy of the article: Download november_feature_in_the_bookseller_smaller.pdf

Clavier Fever

Only two days to go until The Well-Tempered Clavier hits the shops! This stage in the publishing process is always charged with high excitement for us so forgive the amount of exclamation marks I may be tempted to use during this post! (I'll try my hardest to keep them under control and feel much better already for having got two out of my system so hopefully they won't get too wild...)

Anyway, back to WTC and what's going on for it as we approach LPLDay (that stands for Legend Press launch day, in case you were wondering). It is being stocked by every single Waterstone's shop nationwide, plus you will find it in Borders, Books etc and in loads of independent stores everywhere so if you haven't already ordered your copy online you won't find it hard to get your hands on one. There are also plenty of chances to come and help celebrate its launch and meet the author at one of the many events and book-signings we've got coming up:

Friday 26th October -- Edinburgh launch at the Valvona & Crolla deli
Sunday 28th October -- Talk and signing at the Radical Book Fair in Edinbugh
Tuesday 30th October -- London launch at Foyles, Charing Cross Road
Saturday 3rd November -- Signing at Windsor Waterstone's, the home town of Eton itself.
Friday 16th November -- Signing, talk and drinks reception at Laurence Oxley Bookshop & Gallery in Arlesford, Hampshire (Bill Coles' home town)

And there are plenty more events in the pipeline too. Let me know if you want more details of any of the above and I'll keep you posted on the rest! (ooops-- another one slipped out there, sorry.)

Also, as we showed you the article last week in The Sun, we thought you'd now be interested to see the related announcement in the book trade press here. Plus look out for an extract to be printed (fingers crossed) in the Express on Sunday 4th November.

Finally, we should mention that the book is also causing havoc in London as many desk workers are getting distracted from their jobs to get stuck in...I hope it's not just the saucy scenes that are grabbing your attention boys??

Emma
 

National coverage for The Well-Tempered Clavier begins

Today's 'The Whip' column on page 40 in The Sun begins with the following story, regarding none other than our soon-to-be-published author Bill Coles:

'Former Eton boy William Coles has written a novel about a torrid affair between a 17-year-old pupil and his 23-year-old female piano teacher at his old school. The former Sun Royal reporter says the incident is based on a "true story" -- though he wasn't the randy rascal himself.' The newspaper then goes on to speculate about which of the prestigious school's high-profile pupils the story might have been based on...

Click here to see the full scanned image of the article: Download the_sun_18.10.07.jpg  and don't forget you can order your copy here now too!

Some of reviews of the stunning Journey

'Journey was a fascinating read that kept me intrigued to the end. It is a novel that defies expectation and provides no cosy solutions.'
Writewords.co.uk

'This is a wonderful novel which I would highly recommend… [it] is the best of all worlds combining travel, mystery, adventure, self exploration and discovery.
Amazon.co.uk

'Must be a winner. Books, after all, don't just furnish a room. They fit very neatly into backpacks.'
N16 Magazine

'Ambitious and bold...this is a book which ventures off the beaten track in more ways than one; its strength lies in its intoxicating evocation of the traveller’s colourful world.'
Roundtable Review

'You need to buy this book - it's a great novel, vibrant and colourful with a rich vein of insights, wit and wisdom.'
Geoff Mather

Woman's Own magazine review Here or There

Rebecca Strong's fabulous debut Here or There has been reviewed this week in popular Woman's Own magazine.

Woman's Own magazine review Here or There

Rebecca Strong's fabulous debut Here or There has been reviewed this week in popular Woman's Own magazine. The reviewer's verdict is as follows: 'A good story with a twist in the tail: we meet 11 seemingly unconnected characters - with one thing in common. They're searching for a better life and are cleverly brought together at the end. A very good read.' So, if you haven't already, you'd better buy yourself a copy!

£7.99 - Here or There - signed copy £5.33 - Here or There - standard copy -1/3 off £9.99 - Here or There - overseas order

Some reviews of Seven Days

‘Absorbing and surprising… a heartening testimony to the health of the new-writing scene today.’
Roundtable Review

'The collection touches on a wealth of human experiences and has something to which every reader can relate.'
Western Mail

‘The stories offer a surprising range of cultural perspectives…the writing feel[s] very fresh off the press, full of energy and exuberance.’
Pulp.Net

'There is something for everyone in this book and I have recommended it to everyone I know!'
Amazon.co.uk

Some reviews of Salt & Honey

'An evocative and intriguing read.' (Chosen for Heat's top ten books)
Heat

'If you only buy one book this autumn, I strongly recommend you make it Salt & Honey.'
Waterstones.com

'Candi Miller's achievement is to have written a small book with truly big themes. It's an ambitious novel with impressive range and a very authentic feel.'
Barbara Trapido

'Salt & Honey is a heartfelt novel that is beautifully written and deals sensitively with big themes.
Bookgroup.info

'I was completely and willingly emotionally captivated by this book.There are moments of excruciating agony and sadness, at times almost overwhelming but also moments of great wisdom, clarity and hope as Candi Miller focuses on the bigger picture.'
Dovegreyreader, top Uk book-blogger

Some reviews of White Summer

'Great stuff. Wonderfully witty and sexy.'
Deborah Wright, bestselling author

‘White Summer is a page-turner, punctuated with humorous incidents that will ring true to all men and women.’
Emily Jolliffe, BBC Oxford Radio

'A sparking debut from an author with an eye for detail and wit.’
Essence Magazine

‘Reading White Summer is like a breath of fresh air.’
Roundtable Review

‘Luke Bitmead has produced a novel of wit and pace.’
Leicester Mercury

UK Lanka Times feature Legend Press' newest author Rebecca Strong

The UK Lanka Times have printed a feature length article and interview with Here or There author Rebecca Strong. The article can be read in full here (you'll see Rebecca pictured on the front cover but will need to scroll down to page 22 for the article) and the editor of the publication describes Rebecca as 'an incredibly mature and introspective writer' who 'accurately capture[s] and project[s] the intricacies at work with characters that have everyday ordinary lives.'

The article ends with a paragraph dedicated to Legend Press where in her interview Rebecca says:

' Legend Press is fantastic and I've had the pleasure of seeing it rapidly grow and achieve a lot. Being a small publisher, they really believe in every book they publish, and put great time and effort into each one.

She continued: 'They are approachable and innovative, and very supportive of new writers, which is great. There is so much financial pressure on the publishing industry these days that the focus is shifting away from the intellectual value of books. Legend Press, like any other publisher, is a business, but they continue to promote the art of writing and the pleasure of reading; I feel fortunate to be published by them."

And we didn't even ask her to say all that, honest!

Some reviews of Heading South

'A great romantic comedy that will appeal to both sexes.'
Closer Magazine

'There's masses of energy in the writing, it's hugely engaging, and...very funny. Heading South is indeed a 'sparkling romantic comedy', perfect for summer reading, and sharing.'
Zoe King, Writewords 

'The battle of the sexes? Or maybe just some hilarious misunderstandings between them! The path of love never did run smooth and Heading South explores and delights in the problems Nick and Cassie have in getting together in such a funny and touching way that this novel is sure to be a big hit.’
Pen Pusher magazine

'A light-hearted, funny...insightful novel about the minefield that is the dating game.'
Roundtable Review

'Charming! I think that is the one word that would sum up this book.'
James Stone, Waterstone's bookseller

'Bitmead and Richards skillfully weave together a sweet recounting of two slightly displaced people meeting and falling in love.'
Helen Griffiths, N16 magazine

'I love the idea of books written by a man and woman together and I never would have guessed that each character had been written by the author of the opposite sex.'
Trashionista

'A sparkling romantic comedy which tells both sides of the story - both girls & guys will love it!'
Bestselling author, Deborah Wright

The Sheffield Star gets behind Legend Press author Catherine Richards

After hearing about Heading South following a successful book signing at the Sheffield Orchard Square Waterstone's, the Sheffield Star newspaper has shown its support for local Rotherham first-time author Catherine Richards. Click here to read their article and interview with Catherine in full.

To find out even more about Catherine and show her your support, you can visit her personal MySpace page and blog at www.myspace.com/caaahferin.

A 'treat for book lovers' -- first Amazon reviews appear for Here or There

It's only just over a week since it's launch and the first few readers of Here or There have given their feedback on Amazon.co.uk.

One customer describes the novel as 'an excellent read and a treat for book lovers' while another says: 'after reading the very first chapter of 'Here or There' I was hooked. I was immediately sucked in.' Read the reviews in full here

Here or There shortlisted for Five Live Book of the Month

Rebecca Strong had plenty of reasons to celebrate last week at the launch party for her stunning debut Here or There as, not only was the launch a wonderful occasion with 111 books sold (the packed room at Foyles is shown in this picture on the left), but we found out that the novel had been shortlisted for Five Live Book of the Month on the Simon Mayo BBC radio programme.

The book is now officially on sale and in shops so if you haven't already got your copy now is the time to do it.

The SYP publish the first interview with Here or There author Rebecca Strong

The SYP (Society of Young Publishers) have published the very first public interview with Rebecca Strong, author of the upcoming and much-anticipated Here or There (out on 28th July).

Rebecca is ex-editor of InPrint, the SYP's magazine, and in this special InPrint Online interview she answers some questions about her novel, what it's like to be published by Legend Press and some general probes about writing and her favourite authors. Read in full here.

'Heading South is indeed a 'sparkling romantic comedy', perfect for summer reading, and sharing.'

A review has been posted for the fantastic HEADING SOUTH by Luke Bitmead and Catherine Richards. It's written by Zoe King for the major writers' community site, WriteWords, view in full here.

Heading South reviewed by Trashionista

The popular website Trashionista, where they 'read books as if they're going  out of fashion', is the latest review site to feature Heading South.

Click here to read the review and the rest of their great stuff or buy Heading South now from our online shop.

Five stars for Salt & Honey -- 'a book to have, to hold and to savour'

Dovegreyreader, one of the UK's most respected and most followed book bloggers, has now finished reading Salt & Honey and has given it a top rating of five stars and a wealth of praise.

She writes: 'I was completely and willingly emotionally captivated by this book.There are moments of excruciating agony and sadness, at times almost overwhelming but also moments of great wisdom, clarity and hope as Candi Miller focuses on the bigger picture.

'Despite the fact I have some cracking good reads on the go at the moment, Salt and Honey flatly refused to be interrupted and so I read it straight off over several sittings. Each time I put it down I was desperate to get back to it.'

The review can be read in full here, along with other excellent book thoughts from Dovegreyreader.

Salt & Honey selected as bookgroup website's 'Book of the Month'

Candi Miller's stunning novel Salt & Honey (published last July by Legend Press) has been selected for special recommendation by popular book-group information and advice website bookgroup.info

The website describes Salt & Honey as 'a heartfelt novel that is beautifully written and deals sensitively with big themes' also saying, in a personal interview with Candi, that the book is 'wonderful' and that 'the sense of place is very strong'.

Members of the Bookgroup website have also been given the chance to win one of 30 copies of the novel by entering this month's competition.

Closer Magazine reviews Heading South

Closer, the popular weekly magazine, has reviewed Legend Press' next-out novel Heading South.

The reviewer describes the book as 'a great romantic comedy that will appeal to both sexes'.

The magazine chooses just two books per week to recommend to its readers and the fact that they have selected Heading South is yet another sign that this unique, fun, dual-authored comedy is going to be one of the hits of the summer.

Journey reviewed in WriteWords

Popular writer's community website Writewords has published both an author interview and a review of Journey by Jae Watson. 

The reviewer, a member of Writewords, sums up by saying:
'Journey was a fascinating read that kept me intrigued to the end. It is a novel that defies expectation and provides no cosy solutions.'

To read the review in full click here and for the interview click here.

Seven Days has 'something to which every reader can relate'

Following the hugely successful book signing held with one of the Seven Days' writers Josie Henley-Einion at The Hayes Waterstone's branch in Cardiff, the store's event organiser Gareth Davies has reviewed the book in his regular column in The Western Mail.

Many thanks to Gareth for this great review, and to Josie for having hosted such a wonderful book-signing event.