The new call for Exclusively Independent has now opened!
The brilliant The Snowing and Greening of Thomas Passmore by Paul Burman has been listed as a top 10 book of 2009 by Magdalena Ball writer of the Compulsive Reader blog. To see the blog look here!
One of the great joys of reviewing is happening upon a small press book from a first author that is so good, you can’t stop thinking about it. It’s a wonderful serendipity that publishers, agents and reviewers wearily hope for and rarely find. The Snowing and Greening of Thomas Passmore is one of those books. It’s tightly, expertly written, and yet so tenderly rendered, that the reader descends directly into Thomas Passmore’s dreams, struggling to surface back to reality along with the protagonist... The way in which Burman manages to traverse the line between the inner and outer world is masterful. This is a novel deeply rooted in time and place, while it moves beyond both of those things. It is an exceptional debut.
To read the review in full click here!
Lucy
We are really excited about the progress of our search to find a new Paperbooks author, in our writing competition 'A Tale of Two Halves'.
All you have to do to enter the competition is buy a copy of 'A Tale of Two Halves' and begin writing! The first half of the book is written by Paperbooks author Gary Davison, then it is up to the writer to complete the story any way they like.
There is no restriction to the style and format of your submission, whether you want to complete the story in the book or on a computer. Above all we are looking for a fantastic writer to work with on their path to publication, so we are looking to see your own individual writing style.
Since the book's release just before Christmas we have a great deal of interest in the book from writers both established and new.
For more details about the project click here!
Lucy
We have now had the panel meeting and I'm happy to announce that the following ten titles have made it into the selection:
In the Footsteps of Harrison Dextrose by Nick Griffiths (Legend Press)
The Obelisk by E.M Forster (Hesperus Press)
The Stone Gallows by C. David Ingram (Myrmidon Books)
All My Shows are Great – The Life of Lew Grade by Lewis Chester (Aurum Press)
Cut on the Bias edited by Stephanie Tillotson (Honno Press)
Duckling Chronicles by Emilie Christensen (Winged chariot Press) Baber’s Apple by Michael Marr (PaperBooks)
Falling through the Clouds by Anna Chilvers (Bluemoose Books)
The Dark Side of Love by Rafik Shami (Arabia Books)
Deadly Waters by Pauline Rowson (Fathom)
Great to see a Legend Press and a PaperBooks title in there. Lots of variety as per usual, I hope you see something you like!
Lauren
The call for the next cycle of Exclusively Independent has now closed.
Thank you to all of the publishers who submitted this time around, we have a really strong collection of titles to choose from, for the new year.
The submissions have been collated into the submission pack, and will be sent to the panel. The panel meeting is 20 January, so keep an eye out for the new ten titles to be announced!
If you have any question about the scheme, or want further details on how to submit, please email the address below.
The central aim of the publishing conference is to offer ‘straight-talking’ advice and useful information from leading industry experts, while mapping out where the future of the book industry may lie.
Building on the success of our first conference last year the event is fast becoming one of the most talked about publishing events on the calendar. Using a panel-based format including some of the most influential people in publishing, and from the outside business world, speakers will debate the current hot topics in the industry.
The conference will be tailored to its attendees’ requirements, with delegates actively invited to submit questions prior to the event to be included as part of the discussion.
Provisional speakers for 2010 include: Andrew Franklin (MD of Profile), Tom Tivnan (The Bookseller), Alexandra Heminsley (Sky and BBC Radio 2), Sam Leith (former books editor of the Telegraph), Steve Potters (The Book Depository) and Scott Pack (Director of The Friday Project).
Sponsors for the conference include Lightning Source and Judy Fisher Associates.
Tickets for the day onference cost £125 (+VAT), with a current early bird rate of £95 (+VAT). For more information please email conference@legend-paperbooks.co.uk.
Lucy
Just
to say hope everyone had a great Christmas and New Year. We hope 2010
is going to be fantastic year and a landmark one for our publishing
company. Thanks for all of the support over the last year and we look forward to continued support this year as we do all
we can to promote fantastic writers and the fantastic book in general!
We plan for 2010 to be the year of Paperbooks!
Happy New Year to all.
Tom, Lucy and LaurenThere is no restriction to the style and format of your submission, whether you want to complete the story in the book or on a computer. The book also makes a fantastic gift for Christmas for any budding writer!
We are looking for writing talent, and will be choosing a winning entry for the competition in Summer 2010. The best writer will win a publishing contract with Paperbooks Publishing!!
The successful writer will win a contract for publication of a novel, with full editorial support from our award winning team. The author will work with Paperbooks as one of our new writers, gaining invaluable creative support.
Order your copy of A Tale of Two Halves now - £7.99 
Order Overseas copy - £9.99 (inc P&P):
See this note below from sister company Legend Press - IndieBooks is now live, with the offering including a number of Paperbooks titles:
It's been a challenge to develop this fantastic idea, if we can say so ourselves, so promptly, but it's done and IndieBooks - the UK's first collective independent publisher retail site - is live!
With a wide-range of books offering something for everyone, this site is for the many millions of book lovers on the lookout for memorable, even life-changing book - and we strongly believe that independent publishers offer that quality of book in abundance.
The system is almost as beautiful as the books - there will be 50 books on offer from a vast array of publishers and each month the 25 bestselling will remain along with 25 new titles. That way publishers have the chance to showcase and the public can influence the selection by voting with their purchases. All orders will go to the publisher you will dispatch within two working days.
This is truly the alternative place to buy your books and we are hugely excited by this project - it's now down to the customers to make it a huge success.
To go to the site, simply visit www.indiebooks.net
Tom
We are pleased to announce IndieBooks, the first book retail website exclusively for Independent Publishers. The site will offer the first real alternative to the major retail sites, offering a range of new books that harness the best of independently published work.
Launching tomorrow (Tuesday, 1 December), IndieBooks will offer the perfect place to purchase your Christmas gifts, as well as throughout the year. Not only can you browse among a wide range of titles, the website will also include features on authors, publishers, event listings and advice for writers.
Each month, there will be 50 titles on offer, with the best-selling 25 remaining for the next month as the new 25 are added. Therefore, not only is the list refreshed, but the public get to decide what is repeatedly shown.
The first Legend Press titles to be showcased will be Obama Music by Bonnie Greer, 8 Rooms by Various, On the Holloway Road by Andrew Blackman, Who Goes There by Nick Griffiths, and Lord Lucan by William Coles. From Paperbooks, Ice Cream Army by Jessica Gregson, Streakers by Gary Davison and Black Mongoose by Jon Haylett will be displayed.
The site is already attracting attention from sites such as The Bookseller and The Fiction Desk
So tomorrow morning, watch this space as we post up the link, and be one of the first to purchase from the ground breaking retail site!
Lauren
Order Overseas copy - £9.99 (inc P&P):
