Madeleine, the Junior Press Officer at Sphere, travelled to Guildford in the freezing cold last Saturday morning for Charley Boorman’s latest signing event, at WH Smith.  Vines, the BMW dealership in Guildford , were supporting the event in a big way, and had sent a huge bike down to Smiths, which by all accounts posed quite a challenge to the WH Smith staff.  However, they managed to install it comfortably upstairs by the signing table, where it sat, looking suitably daredevil.

Charley had a hectic programme of bike-related activity that day, starting at Vines, who had their season launch and were cooking up a hearty breakfast for all visitors.  Madeleine met Charley at WH Smiths, where there was a good turn-out of Extreme Frontiers fans!  The staff were very charming, and had a long photo session with Charley and the bike at the end of the event.  Then Charley was off on his bike again for the BMW Motorrad UK Event in Bracknell.

Coming up in Charley’s calendar is Essex Book Festival on March 13^th  and a talk at Jarrold’s Norwich on March 16^th , WH Smith Milton Keynes on the 17^th March, Waterstones Liverpool on the 19^th March, and a talk at Bookmark, Spalding on the 20^th March.

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If you want to know more about what it’s really like to be a midwife . . . and a twenty-first-century midwife at that . . . then the One Born Every Minute book tells it like it is. Midwives Ros Bradbury and Maria Dore, stars of the first two series, reveal what drew them into the profession, what their training entailed, what it’s like to deliver a baby for the first time and how on earth you switch off at the end of the shift, when your job is anything but the usual 9-to-5.

They’ve no shortage of amazing, inspiring and often very funny stories. And if you have ever wondered what happens to the families who agree to bare all and appear on the series, the book now includes updates on the progress of the bouncing babies born in series one and two.

As Maria herself says, ‘To be part of anyone's birth experience is just the best. You never quite get over that miracle.’

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We are offering you the chance to get your mits on a signed advance reading copy of  Welcome to Rosie Hopkins' Sweetshop of Dreams,  the delightful new novel from Jenny Colgan (released on 29th March 2012),

To win one of five copies simply fill in your details in the boxes below and you will be entered into a prize draw which closes at midnight 21st February.

Literally fizzing with fun, brimming with hope and bursting with laughter, we guarantee you will want to devour Welcome to Rosie Hopkins' Sweetshop of Dreams in one sitting.

Were you a sherbet lemon or chocolate lime fan? Penny chews or hard boiled sweeties (you do get more for your money that way)? The jangle of your pocket money,  the rustle of the pink and green striped paper bag…

Rosie Hopkins thinks leaving her busy London life, and her boyfriend Gerard, to sort out her elderly Aunt Lilian's sweetshop in a small country village is going to be dull. Boy, is she wrong.

Lilian Hopkins has spent her life running Lipton's sweetshop, through wartime and family feuds. As she struggles with the idea that it might finally be time to settle up, she also wrestles with the secret history hidden behind the jars of beautifully coloured sweets.

Welcome to Rosie Hopkins' Sweetshop of Dreams.

Entry Form

Name:
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	I'm interested in receiving updates about Jenny Colgan and her books

Don't forget to read the full terms and conditions before entering. Good luck!

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The paperback edition of Kate Colquhoun’s fantastic Mr Briggs’ Hat is published this week.

Nominated for the prestigious CWA non-fiction crime dagger award, and met with widespread critical acclaim in hardback, Mr Briggs’ Hat is a meticulously researched, thrillingly evoked account of the first railway murder in Britain.

About the book

In July 1864, Thomas Briggs was travelling home after visiting his niece and her husband for dinner. He entered a First Class carriage on the 9.45pm Hackney service of the North London railway. At Hackney, two bank clerks entered the carriage and discovered blood in the seat cushions; also on the floor, windows and sides of the carriage. A blood-stained hat was found on the seat along with a broken link from a watch chain.

The race to identify the killer and catch him as he fled on a boat to America was eagerly followed by citizens on both sides of the Atlantic – and his eventual capture culminated in one of the first ever ‘celebrity’ murder trials. Kate Colquhoun tells a gripping tale of a crime that shocked the nation.

An absolute must-have for fans of real life historical murder mysteries like The Suspicions of Mr Whicher, Mr Briggs’ Hat is available from all good bookshops now.

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No one knows where it came from.

No one knows when it was made.

But now, the greatest mystery in religious history holds the key to a present-day serial killer who devises savage, bizarre deaths for his victims.

And only two American cops, following a trail that stretches from California to the Vatican, can expose the secret of the Shroud.

From internationally bestselling author Sam Christer, comes the long-anticipated follow up to The Stonehenge Legacy. Packed with relentless action, shocking twists and astounding research, The Turin Shroud Secret is the most suspenseful and intelligent novel of its kind since The Da Vinci Code.

Get in on the action and grab your copy today! And if you want to find out more about the secret behind the shroud, head over to Sam's Facebook page for the latest news, reviews and an exclusive quiz.

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Presents, flowers and breakfast in bed? Or an evening alone with a giant box of chocolates, licking your wounds after a morning spent waiting for cards that never came?

Whether you're lucky in love or still waiting for The One, we've got something guaranteed to inject a little romance into your Valentine's Day this year.

14th February sees the launch of Piatkus Entice, an irresistible new eBook-first romance imprint from Piatkus, the pioneers of romantic fiction.

With brand new titles every month from authors including Eloisa James, Laura Wright, Sarah MacLean, Mariah Stewart and many more, we hope that Piatkus Entice will be your one-stop-shop for romance reads, whether you're looking for fairytale endings, sexy vampires or raffish rakes. And with all titles available in eBook only format and from as little as 99p, the gratification is pretty much instant – one click and they're all yours!

Temptation at your fingertips is the motto of this list, and we really hope to offer something for every romance reader over the coming months.

To keep up to date with all the latest from Piatkus Entice, you can follow them on Twitter, like them on Facebook, or sign up to our exclusive Piatkus romance enewsletter here.

Related posts:

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2. The Abbey: discover the US ebook sensation available in the UK 15th Dec
3. Curl up this Christmas with three Fabulous Festive Reads from Sphere

Related posts:

1. The Abbey: read the ebook everyone is talking about
2. The Abbey: discover the US ebook sensation available in the UK 15th Dec
3. Christmas karaoke: Confessions of a Karaoke Queen hits Selfridges

Sounds like you’re having a manic mum-day. But don’t drop your bundle just yet – Sphere has the perfect competition for you . . .

To celebrate the release of Just Another Manic Mum-Day, the hilarious new novel from Mink Elliott, author of the bestselling The Pi**ed-Off Parents Club, we are offering you the chance to get your hands on one of three manic mum-day survival kits, containing everything you could possibly need to get you through even the most manic of (mum) days. Kits include teas, yummy chocs and face masks to soothe, hard liquor and ear plugs to blot out the pain and, of course, a copy of the fantastic new book. Three runners-up will also win a copy of the book.

This competition is open to mothers, fathers and the child-free alike. To be in with a chance of winning, simply tell us which five items get you through even the most manic of days, using the form below. Don’t forget to read the full terms and conditions and our privacy policy before entering.

About the Book

Perennially ticked-off first-time mum Roxy, her husband Jack and their daughter Joey, are building a new life for themselves in sunny Sydney, Australia, but Roxy is finding it hard to settle down. When she discovers she's pregnant again, things become even more complicated– how will she cope with a second child?

Frustrated at the lack of places for stressed-out mums to go, Roxy and her new friend Shoshanna set up Just Another Manic Mum-Day–  a café catering exclusively for parents (with registered child-minders on site, not to mention a liquor licence!). But when an opportunity arises for Roxy to return to England, she realises just how much she's missed home . . .

Highly original, jam-packed with laugh-out-loud twists and turns and unreservedly frank about the truths of modern parenting, Just Another Manic Mum-Day is the perfect read for fans of comic commercial fiction, regardless of their parental status!

Just Another Manic Mum-Day is available from all good booksellers now. To read a first chapter extract visit Mink’s website.

Mink Elliott’s debut novel, The Pi**ed-Off Parents Club is also available to buy now.

ENTRY FORM

Name:
Email address:
Your five manic (mum) day survival essentials (max 250 characters):

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The Abbey now has an incredible 222 5-star readers reviews on amazon.com, it's pacy with a fantastically realised main character in the shape of US Muslim Detective Ash Rashid. To find out just why everyone is raving about it and what they are saying, we have included a small selection of reader reviews below.

 The Abbey  captured the attention and imagination of over 1/2 million people to rise from humble beginnings as a self-published ebook to the top of the bestsellers, and is now available to buy in the UK for just £1.99. 

'Chris Culver's The Abbey is an exceptional work in the genre.
Characters are elaborately created. The story is simple but details are perfectly given. Gripping pages are flowing and you are trying to reach the end to find the answer.
Briefly, very successful book and promising writer.'

'Ash Rashid is one of the best main characters I've come across in a while. You can't help but like this guy, even when he does some pretty stupid things; this is the kind of cop as main character you don't see enough of. I was rooting for him all the way through the book, and I can't wait for the next one.'

'Chris is great in pulling the reader into the story right away with the opening chapter through captivating scenes, vivid descriptions and characters that are easy to relate to. His writing comes with a rich choice of words that gave the story a well-observed depth.'

Source: Amazon.co.uk

The Abbey is available at £1.99 on ebook now. Tell us what you think #Abbeycrime

Read the ebook everyone is talking about.

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World Book Night launched in 2011 and saw 20,000 people accross the UK share their love of reading.

World Book Night 2012 will be held on April 23rd, and we are incredibly excited that our very own Mark Billingham is one of just 25 authors on the list, which features an eclectic mix of contemporary novels and classics across all genres.

The aim of World Book Night is very simply to promote reading, an extremely worthy cause we think!  The idea is that of putting a book into another person's hands, and saying 'this is amazing, you must read it', but on a huge scale.

World Book Night 2012 are looking for 20,000 volunteer 'givers', who will each get 24 copies of their favourite book from the list to giveaway. So register by 1st feburary and sign-up to get copies of  Mark Billingham's gripping first thriller Sleepyhead into the hands of your friends and family.

Sleepyhead, the very first novel to feature prickly DI Tom Thorne, is a superbly crafted, high-concept, gritty British thriller. It asks you the question – what could possibly be worse than being dead?, and sees Thorne propelled on a race to find a serial killer quite unlike any other. Sleepyhead is unique, original, pacy and will more than likely keep you up-all-night.

Whether you are a Mark Billingham fan, or a lover of crime and thrillers in general, we thoroughly urge you to register for this worthy cause, and be part of 2012's biggest book event.

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Now that Christmas is over and the New Year well and truly started we have three brand new thrillers to help see you through the long dark nights. These novels promise to grip, thrill and chill, so wrap-up warm and simply enter your details below to be in with a chance of winning one of the five sets we have to give away.

She's Never Coming Back by Hans Koppel.

Get your hands on the book that has obsessed readers across Scandinavia for the past year .

When Ylva, a loving mother and wife, fails to come home from work, her husband is not initially suspicious. But as time passes he becomes frantic with worry. And by the time he finally contacts the police, he is almost hysterical. Given the mysterious circumstances of her disappearance, he becomes the number one suspect.

But what no one knows is that she's being held hostage in the cellar of the house opposite her own.

A camera is rigged against her own house and Ylva can only watch her family on the screen. They cannot see her – and they most certainly cannot hear her scream…

She's Never Coming Back promises to be one of the most terrifying books of the year.

 The Map by T.S. Learner

An ingenious thriller of mazes, riddles, witchcraft and centuries-old secrets from the author of The Noah's Ark Quest, one of 2010's biggest selling thriller debuts.

An Oxford classics scholar has discovered an ancient scroll.

A band of black-magic worshippers has gathered in London.

A map to three labyrinths hidden within Europe has been unfolded.

And an ancient mystery is calling . . .

Pursued by spies and secret agents, guarding the map from unseen enemies, August Winthrop plunges headlong into a Europe ravaged by war. But the map will lead him farther than he ever dreamed – into a series of labyrinths with the power to change the world.

The Wreckage by Michael Robotham

Intelligent, thoughtful and gripping;  Robotham returns with a thrilling new masterpiece that will be loved by fans of Michael Connelly and John Le Carre. Set in the turbulent aftermath of the global financial crisis and the war in Iraq.

Two seemingly unrelated stories collide in unexpected ways in this ambitious, compelling thriller that demonstrates why Linwood Barclay says 'Michael Robotham doesn't just make me scared for his characters…he makes my heart ache for them'.

'A writer of the highest class who can create terror from the commonplace and crush the breath out of you' Daily Mail

ENTRY FORM

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Remember to read the full Terms & Conditions before entering.

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The Abbey, the debut novel from Chris Culver,  has everything crime fans and beyond could possibly want, it's the perfect thrilling read for these long, dark nights. Gripping premise, elaborate plot and brilliantly realised characters, discover for yourself the ebook that everyone is talking about.

Ash Rashid is a former homicide detective who can't stand the thought of handling another death investigation. In a year's time, he'll be out of the department completely. That's the plan, at least, until his niece's body is found in the property of one of the city's wealthiest citizens. The coroner calls it an overdose, but the case doesn't add up. Against orders, Ash launches an investigation to find his niece's murderer. But the longer he searches, the darker the case gets – and if he doesn't solve it fast, his niece won't be the only family member he has to bury…

Addictive and thrilling, The Abbey is the debut novel in a major new series, featuring one of the most fascinating, complex detectives in crime fiction.

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With just a few days left until the big day, it's easy to feel overwhelmed – presents to buy, mince pies to make, stockings to fill and halls to deck. In amongst the madnesss, a book can be the ultimate escapism, and if you're looking for romance, fun and laughter this Christmas, Sphere has just the reads you need.

Breakfast at Darcy's is the fabulously fun new rom com from bestselling author of From Notting Hill with Love…Actually, Ali McNamara. A Christmas corker with a film-themed hook, Breakfast at Darcy’s tells the story of magazine journalist Darcy McCall, who is unexpectedly left an entire uninhabited island in her great aunt’s will. Darcy soon realises she has to live there for twelve whole months before she can fully inherit it. If you are looking for a scrummy dose of pure unadulterated fiction pleasure, Breakfast at Darcy’s is the book for you! Read a first chapter extract or listen to a snippet from the first chapter of the audio edition which is published this week, now.

Meet Me at the Cupcake Cafe by Jenny Colgan is 'pure indulgence' ( so says Sophie Kinsella anyway!). Bursting with fabulous recipies at the beginning of every chapter, this warm and witty novel has everything you could possibly want to help whisk you away from Christmas shopping madness. When Issy Randall is made redundant from her job little does she realise that her dreams are about to come true! Armed with recipes from her Grampa and with the (rather dishy) local bank manager on her side, she decides to seize the moment and open The Cupcake Cafe. But Issy has no idea what she has let herself in for!

Finally Wrapped Up In You is the perfect novel to get you in the festive spirit. Carole Matthews writes funny, romantic, heart-warming fiction at its best, and the story of hairdresser Janie Jones is no exception. Leaving behind her humdrum life and a catalogue of disastrous dates, Janie embarks on an exotic holiday to Africa, only to fall unexpectedly in love…with a Masai warrior. But back at home in England, can Janie face spending a snowy Christmas without him?

Romantic, escapist and unforgettable, these three reads are the perfect way to get you through the holiday season. So what are you waiting for? Go out and grab your copies now. For wonderfully heart-warming winter reads, Sphere has it all wrapped up this Christmas.

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Manhattan is the gorgeous, glamorous and oh-so-sexy new novel from Ronni Cooper. Revolving around the lives, loves and so much more of three very different women and the New York night club they run, this book is as alluring, thrilling and unforgettable as the city itself.

Perfect for fans of Sex and the City and books by Lauren Weisberger, pick up a copy while you're doing that last minute shopping as a pre-Christmas treat!

To get you in the Manhattan mood, we've come up with a little quiz. Answers at the bottom of the page (no peeking!):

Manhattan Quiz

1. What is the name of the Manhattan deli where that scene in When Harry Met Sally takes place?

2. Which fruit is commonly associated with New York?

3. Which famous Manhattan store puts your purchases in little brown bags?

4. What’s the name of the New York night club owned by Jay-Z?

5. Why are New York cabs yellow?

6. Which real-life editor is said to have inspired the character of Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada?

7. What is the real name of Mr. Big from Manhattan-based show Sex and the City?

8. Which spirits form the base of a Manhattan cocktail?

Got your answers lined up? See how you compare to the correct ones below:

1. Katz’s Delicatessen
2. The apple. Or Big Apple to be precise.
3. Bloomingdales
4. 40/40 Club
5. Yellow is the easiest colour for the human eye to spot.
6. Anna Wintour
7. John
8. Whiskey and sweet vermouth

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An incredible ebook sensation this year in the US, crime fans in the UK can now find out what all the fuss is about.

 Ash Rashid is a former homicide detective who can't stand the thought of handling another death investigation. In a year's time, he'll be out of the department completely.
 
That's the plan, at least, until his niece's body is found in the property of one of the city's wealthiest citizens. The coroner calls it an overdose, but the case doesn't add up. Against orders, Ash launches an investigation to find his niece's murder. But the longer he searches, the darker the case gets – and if he doesn't solve it fast, his niece won't be the only family member he has to bury…
 
Addictive and thrilling, The Abbey is the debut novel in a major new series, featuring one of the most fascinating, complex detectives in crime fiction. It has been an ebook phenomenon in the US, selling over half a million copies in just a few weeks and soaring up the New York Times bestseller list. Discover for yourself the ebook everyone is reading.

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At one point the novel was selling over 4,000 copies a day on Amazon alone. It was in the top five of the New York Times bestsellers ebook list for seven weeks this year and also charted highly on the combined ebook/print list on the basis of ebook sales alone.

Little, Brown Book Group are incredibly exciting to be publishing The Abbey as an ebook at £1.99.

Meet Ash Rashid, Muslim and a former homicide detective who can't stand the thought of handling another death investigation. In a year's time, he'll be out of the department completely.

But then his niece's body is found in the property of one of the city's wealthiest citizens. The coroner calls it an overdose, but certain details don't add up. Against orders, Ash launches an investigation to find the murderer. But the longer he searches, the darker the case gets – and if he doesn't solve it fast, his niece won't be the only family member he has to bury…

Addictive and thrilling, The Abbey is the debut novel in a major new series, featuring one of the most fascinating, complex detectives in crime fiction. An ebook phenomenon in the US, this is the chance for UK crime fans to discover the ebook everyone is reading.

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2012 sees a brand new thriller from this bestselling author; an ingenious, exciting adventure that will take readers across 1950s Europe, through riddles, mazes and century-old secrets.

The Map will be available in January 2012, the perfect post-Christmas read. And if you can't wait that long, take a little look at the teaser trailer below:

T.S. Learner is also online:

'Like' T.S. Learner on Facebook
Follow T.S. Learner on Twitter

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You know that Halifax ad? The really heinous one I have to run from every time it comes on in case my eyes start bleeding? There’s a chance you’ve suppressed the upset, but in case those stinging recollections aren’t yet surfacing in the dark lonely hours of the night, I’ll remind you. It’s the one where they say ‘ISA ISA Baby.’ Yep, it’s smart. Not because they say ‘ISA’ instead of ‘Ice’ (see what they did there?) but because it’s a subliminal weapon. Whenever you feel compelled to come over all Vanilla (and if you don’t now, you will: it’s part of their evil plan), before you know it you’re merrily piping on about Independent Savings Accounts, not a VIP who’s so cool he’s frozen solid. No one’s going to wreck the mic like a vandal doing that. The song is ruined, I tell you. Ruined.

That’s what happened to me. Vanilla’s timeless rap, all waxing chumps, poisonous mushrooms and cooking MCs, is a firm favourite of mine in the karaoke booth (my friend and I learned the whole thing at school once and then tested each other – sad but true). Witnesses to this are yet to let me live it down. I tuned into Halifax FM that night and I’ve never fully got over it.

Two years ago I was a karaoke fiend. It was a dangerous addiction. Things came to a head one night when two of us left work on the dot of 5.30, made a swift job of a bottle of Pinot in the bar round the corner and headed to Soho armed with a Tesco Express plastic bag full of deli treats (see how sensible we were? – and classy). An hour later we were spitting couscous into the microphone on a rendition of ‘Nobody Does It Better’. The truth was that somebody did do it better. In fact, most people did. And most people could wait till after dinner to start warbling pointlessly in a virtually empty booth. But anyway, there it was. We were in bed by 9, horribly drunk, and woke the next morning feeling we had visited a dark, desperate place and could never contemplate setting foot there again. Embarrassing. That friend is still in recovery. She hasn’t been seen at a karaoke mic since.

I don’t think you’re doing karaoke properly unless you make at least a bit of a fool of yourself. But whether it’s attempting a Whitney yodel, strutting about like Tina and ending up with a locked knee, or doing that Jacko crotch-grabbing thingamajig, rest assured you’ll be in good company this Christmas. Yes, the season of the office party is fast approaching, meaning many of us will be getting our karaoke on regardless of how embarrassing we find it. And everyone finds it embarrassing.

Saving grace is that Christmas has to be the easiest playlist to negotiate. Cue ‘Fairytale of New York’, which the entire office will join in on ‘cause it’s great; that gem from East 17 where you can pretty much speak the verse; and, of course, Band Aid, where you can bumble a line then quickly pass it on (though you’ll have a fight on your hands for the Bono bit). If in doubt, just yell ‘It’s Chriiiiiiiiiiiiiiistmas!’ into the mic Slade-stylee. You can’t go wrong (unless you’ve got a mouthful of couscous).

Happy karaoke Christmas, everyone!

Ella x

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On 8th December Ella Kingsley's hilarious debut, Confessions of a Karaoke Queen, hits the shops. Reality TV shows meets quirky karaoke bar in this funny, fresh new novel from the team that brought you From Notting Hill with Love…Actually.

So what better way to celebrate publication than with a little real-life karaoke?

On 13th December, we're inviting all you karaoke queens to head down to the London Selfridges store where fabulous karaoke bar Lucky Voice will be hosting The Big Duet competition in an attempt to find London's most entertaining karaoke duo. With Karaoke Queen freebies, an exclusive discount on the book, the opportunity to win copies and even a day in a recording studio, what are you waiting for?

Find a partner, pick a song and get yourself down to Selfridges on 13th December. And watch this space for more updates on the book including exclusive competitions, videos and more!

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Translated from the Farsi by Sara Khalili, it is his first full-length novel to be published in the UK.  In Iran he has won numerous awards for his novels, short stories and non-fiction, although he was unable to publish his fiction between 1992 and 1997 because of censorship.

The novel garnered lots of praise when it was published. The Daily Mail said ‘this important, timely novel is sharp and playful and zesty with life’.

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After months of excitement,  including breakfast-themed activity, a quiz, a mammoth breakfast eating author challenge, a fantastic blog tour, a new look website and of course lots of fabulous suggestions from you,  Breakfast at Darcy’s is available now from all good book shops! (Run, don't walk, ladies and gentlemen!)

To celebrate publication we are announcing the number one film in our movie breakfast countdown and we also have ten copies of the winning film to giveaway. Read on for more information, and don't forget the audio download edition of Breakfast at Darcy's will be available in December.

1

Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)

Sometimes a girl just needs to don her best dress, grab a croissant and hot choc (preferably from Paul) and loiter with intent outside Tiffany’s . . .

The number one slot had to go to Breakfast at Darcy’s namespiration – the iconic, aspirational and unforgettable Breakfast at Tiffany’s. See below for the most memorable movie scene ever to involve a croissant and don't forget to complete the entry form for your chance to be in the running to win a copy of the film on DVD. Remember to read the full Terms and Conditions and our privacy policy before entering.

Director: Blake Edwards

Writer: Truman Capote (based on the novel by), George Axelrod (screenplay)

Stars: Audrey Hepburn, George Peppard and Patricia Neal

ENTRY FORM

Name:
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If you've missed numbers 10 – 2 in our Top 10 Most Memorable Movie Breakfasts countdown, search 'breakfast' in the search bar above or check out the Related Articles list below to view them now.

And once you have read the book, why not let us know what you thought about it using the comments box below, or via the Between the Sheets Facebook Fanpage or Twitter feed (using the hash tag #breakfastatdarcys). Happy reading!

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Our number one most memorable movie breakfast scene will be announced here and on the Between the Sheets Facebook fanpage and Twitter feed tomorrow! Stay tuned for your chance to win a copy of the iconic movie that makes the number one slot.

Breakfast at Darcy’s will be available nationwide tomorrow and is, of course, still available for pre-order now. The truly scrumptious audio download edition will be available in December, just in time for all those digital Christmas stockings!

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2

Oliver Twist(1948)

Please sir, give him some more!

Who could say no to a face like that? Not us, which is why Oliver Twist (aka John Howard Davies) gets our number two spot!

Director: David Lean

Writer: Charles Dickens (author), David Lean (screenplay), Stanley Haynes (screenplay), Eric Ambler (contributor to screenplay, uncredited) and Kay Walsh (contributor to screenplay, uncredited)

Stars: Robert Newton, Alec Guinness and Kay Walsh

With just two days to go until Breakfast at Darcy’s hits UK book shops, we come to the penultimate title in our Top 10 Most Memorable Movie Breakfasts countdown. Catch up on numbers 10 to 3 in our countdown by searching 'breakfast' in the search bar above  or check out the related articles below to view them now.

And if you have any last memorable movie breakfast scene suggestions or any thoughts about our selections so far, remember there is still time to get in touch with us about them using the comments box below, or via the Between the Sheets Facebook Fanpage or Twitter feed (using the hash tag #breakfastatdarcys).

Breakfast at Darcy’s is available in all good book shops this Thursday, and is still available for pre-order now. The fantastic audio download edition of Breakfast at Darcy's will be available in December.

Related posts:

1. The Top 10 Most Memorable Movie Breakfasts – 8
2. The Top 10 Most Memorable Movie Breakfasts – 5
3. The Top 10 Most Memorable Movie Breakfasts – 4

3

When Harry Met Sally(1989)

If you are watching this in public, you might want to pop your headphones in!

And before you say it, yes, they are having sandwiches for brunch, which counts. That’s our final answer and we’re sticking to it!

Director: Rob Reiner

Writer: Nora Ephron

Stars: Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan and Carrie Fisher

Missed numbers 10 to 4 in our Top 10 Most Memorable Movie Breakfasts countdown? Search 'breakfast' in the search bar above or take a look at the related articles below to view them now.

Keep your suggestions for memorable movie breakfast scenes coming in and let us know what you think about our selections using the comments box below, or via the Between the Sheets Facebook Fanpage or Twitter feed (using the hash tag #breakfastatdarcys).

Breakfast at Darcy’s is available in all good book shops from Thursday 24th November, and is available for pre-order now. An audio download edition of Breakfast at Darcy's will be available in December.

Related posts:

1. The Top 10 Most Memorable Movie Breakfasts – 6
2. The Top 10 Most Memorable Movie Breakfasts – 4
3. The Top 10 Most Memorable Movie Breakfasts – 8

4

Elf (2003)

‘We elves like to stick to four main food groups: candy, candy cane, candy corn and syrup’

He forgot spaghetti, of course. And coke. The whole movie has us rolling on the floor at Christmas, but this scene in particular is an especially memorable Christmas corker!

Director: Jon Favreau

Writer: David Berenbaum

Stars: Will Ferrell, Edward Asner and Bob Newhart

Missed numbers 10 to 5 in our Top 10 Most Memorable Movie Breakfasts countdown? Search 'breakfast' in the search bar above or take a look at the related articles below to view them now.

Keep your suggestions for memorable movie breakfast scenes coming in and let us know what you think about our selections using the comments box below, or via the Between the Sheets Facebook Fanpage or Twitter feed (using the hash tag #breakfastatdarcys).

Breakfast at Darcy’s is available in all good book shops from Thursday 24th November, and is available for pre-order now. An audio download edition of Breakfast at Darcy's will be available in December.

Related posts:

1. The Top 10 Most Memorable Movie Breakfasts – 6
2. The Top 10 Most Memorable Movie Breakfasts – 8
3. The Top 10 Most Memorable Movie Breakfasts – 5

5

Honey I Shrunk The Kids(1989)

Honey Nut Cheerios will never be the same again!

Those of a squeamish disposition may want to skip the ending of this clip. Unfortunately the original version isn’t available online, but you get the idea.

Director: Joe Johnston

Writer: Stuart Gordon (story), Brian Yuzna (story), Ed Naha (story and screenplay) and Tom Schulman (screenplay)

Stars: Rick Moranis, Matt Frewer and Marcia Strassman

Missed numbers 10 to 6 in our Top 10 Most Memorable Movie Breakfasts countdown? Search 'breakfast' in the search bar above or take a look at the related articles below to view them now.

Keep your suggestions for memorable movie breakfast scenes coming in and let us know what you think about our selections using the comments box below, or via the Between the Sheets Facebook Fanpage or Twitter feed (using the hash tag #breakfastatdarcys).

Breakfast at Darcy’s is available in all good book shops from Thursday 24th November, and is available for pre-order now. An audio download edition of Breakfast at Darcy's will be available in December.

Related posts:

1. The Top 10 Most Memorable Movie Breakfasts – 8
2. The Top 10 Most Memorable Movie Breakfasts – 6
3. The Top 10 Most Memorable Movie Breakfasts – 7

6

Falling Down(1993)

He wants breakfast!

Like the BtS team, for Michael Douglas breakfast really is the most important meal of the day!

Director: Joel Schumacher

Writer: Ebbe Roe Smith

Stars: Michael Douglas, Robert Duvall and Barbara Hershey

Missed numbers 10 to 7 in our Top 10 Most Memorable Movie Breakfasts countdown? Search 'breakfast' in the search bar above or take a look at the related articles below to view them now.

Keep your suggestions for memorable movie breakfast scenes coming in and let us know what you think about our selections using the comments box below, or via the Between the Sheets Facebook Fanpage or Twitter feed (using the hash tag #breakfastatdarcys).

Breakfast at Darcy’s is available in all good book shops from Thursday 24th November, and is available for pre-order now. An audio download edition of Breakfast at Darcy's will be available in December.

Related posts:

1. The Top 10 Most Memorable Movie Breakfasts – 8
2. The Top 10 Most Memorable Movie Breakfasts – 9
3. The Top 10 Most Memorable Movie Breakfasts – 7

7

Rocky (1976)

Breakfast of champions, apparently!

Five eggs, raw, is certainly what our boyfriends have for breakfast in the morning. Particularly gross, which is probably what makes number seven in our list so unforgettable.

Director: John G. Avildsen

Writer: Sylvester Stallone

Stars: Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire and Burt Young

Missed numbers 10 – 8 in our Top 10 Most Memorable Movie Breakfasts countdown? Search 'breakfast' in the search bar above or take a look at the related articles below to view them now.

Keep your suggestions for memorable movie breakfast scenes coming in and let us know what you think about our selections using the comments box below, or via the Between the Sheets Facebook Fanpage or Twitter feed (using the hash tag #breakfastatdarcys).

Breakfast at Darcy’s is available in all good book shops from Thursday 24th November, and is available for pre-order now. An audio download edition of Breakfast at Darcy's will be available in December.

Related posts:

1. The Top 10 Most Memorable Movie Breakfasts – 8
2. The Top 10 Most Memorable Movie Breakfasts – 9
3. The Top 10 Most Memorable Movie Breakfasts

8

Matilda(1996)

We worry about her safety (she’s five), but soooo sweet!

The BtS team wishes they had Matilda’s mad skills in the kitchen!

Director: Danny DeVito

Writers: Roald Dahl (book), Nicholas Kazan (screenplay), and Robin Swicord (screenplay)

Stars: Danny DeVito, Rhea Perlman and Mara Wilson

Missed numbers 9 and 10 in our Top 10 Most Memorable Movie Breakfasts countdown? Search 'breakfast' in the search bar above or take a look at the related articles below to view them now.

Keep your suggestions for memorable movie breakfast scenes coming in and let us know what you think about our selections using the comments box below, or via the Between the Sheets Facebook Fanpage or Twitter feed (using the hash tag #breakfastatdarcys).

Breakfast at Darcy’s is available in all good book shops from Thursday 24th November, and is available for pre-order now. An audio download edition of Breakfast at Darcy's will be available in December.

Related posts:

1. The Top 10 Most Memorable Movie Breakfasts – 9
2. The Top 10 Most Memorable Movie Breakfasts
3. What breakfast food are you?

Though I did not set out to write historical fiction, and certainly not novels set during WWII, in hindsight my path seems inevitable. I was always captivated by stories set during the war, even as a child. While backpacking during my years at Cambridge I set foot in Eastern Europe for the first time and I felt an instant connection with the region and its history. This was amplified in my subsequent time at the Pentagon when I returned to Europe to participate in some of the events commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of the war. Later, I jumped at the chance to go to Krakow, Poland as a diplomat, where I ultimately wound up working on Holocaust issues and getting close to a number of survivors. It took years before I was ready to process those experiences and write about them. But once I began I was literally consumed by the stories that would become my first novel, The Kommandant’s Girl. Now with my latest novel, The Things We Cherished, I’ve had the chance to reflect upon a similar question: what keeps bringing me – and my readers – back to this troubled time period?

The war fascinates us because it is a study in contradictions – so recent in time that we know people who were alive, yet so surreal that it seems another planet. People were placed in the harshest of circumstances, often with personal and moral stakes, in grave tension with one another. And it is my observation from the outside that the connection to the war is particularly acute for my UK readers. I suspect this comes from having been so much closer to the war geographically, the effects of the bombings and hardships present in everyday life and leaving no one who was alive unscathed. War also forces us to look at the extreme circumstances in which people were placed and ask: what would I have done? It is such a fertile era for exploring human themes, such as guilt, sacrifice, loyalty, courage, betrayal and redemption.

The task of fictionalising the war is a daunting one. I’ve read the real life accounts, watched the documentaries, and most importantly spoken with the survivors themselves. Grappling with the magnitude of human emotion and suffering, I am forced to ask: who am I to tell the story? I remember watching a particularly moving depiction of the liberation of one of the concentration camps and being mortified by my own work. How could I write scenes at dinner parties and the opera when such horror was taking place scant miles away? The answer, I believe, is that such things really were happening and the juxtaposition of the everyday and the horrific is a part of the story that needs to be told. In the end, I feel that people have trusted me with their stories and as a caretaker of that most sacred legacy, I can only hope I’ve done them proud.

Set in WWII and the present day, The Things We Cherished is a poignant historical romance perfect for fans of The Postmistress, Suite Française and The Reader. The Things We Cherished is available from all good book shops now. Read the first chapter PDF now (n.b. PDFs not compatible with most mobile devices) .

Poppy (c) www.culturecloset.co.uk

Related posts:

1. Competition Closed: Win a copy of The Things We Cherished by Pam Jenoff for you and every member of your reading group!
2. Won: A copy of The Things We Cherished by Pam Jenoff for you and every member of your reading group!
3. Competition Closed: The Things We Cherished Giveaway

9

Uncle Buck (1989)

Macaulay Culkin’s expression says it all really. We want John Candy to be our uncle!

A particularly breakfast-y film, Uncle Buck’s giant toast and pancakes are in at number nine.

Director: John Hughes

Writer: John Hughes

Stars: John Candy, Macaulay Culkin and Jean Louisa Kelly

Missed number 10 in our Top 10 Most Memorable Movie Breakfasts countdown? View now.

Send us your suggestions for memorable movie breakfast scenes or let us know what you think about ours using the comments box below, or via the Between the Sheets Facebook Fanpage or Twitter feed (using the hash tag #breakfastatdarcys).

Breakfast at Darcy’s is available in all good book shops from Thursday 24th November, and is available for pre-order now. Audio download available December.

Related posts:

1. The Top 10 Most Memorable Movie Breakfasts
2. What breakfast food are you?
3. Competition Closed: Win a copy of Breakfast at Darcy’s a month before it hits book shops!

Breakfast with Ali Blog Tour

14^th November

www.judgingcovers.co.uk

Book give-away with Breakfast at Darcy’sand book review

15^th November

www.Onemorepage.co.uk

Interview with Ali McNamara

16^th November

http://lagnehag.blogspot.com

Guest post with Ali McNamara

17^th November

www.chicklitreviewsandnews.com

Book Give-away with Breakfast at Darcy’s

18^th November

www.junipersjungle.com

Guest post with Ali McNamara

21^st November

www.chicklitchloe.blogspot.com

Interview with Ali McNamara

22^nd November

www.chicklitreviewsandnews.com

Guest post with Ali McNamara

23^rd November

www.novelicious.com

An ‘Ali bonanza’

24^th November

www.dizzycslittlebookblog.blogspot.com

Interview with Ali McNamara, review and book give-away with Breakfast at Darcy’s

25^th November

http://sbroadhurstreviews.blogspot.com/

Guest post with Ali McNamara and book give-away with Breakfast at Darcy’s

Related posts:

1. Carole Matthews blog tour
2. Breakfast Feast to launch Breakfast at Darcy's by Ali McNamara
3. Competition Closed: Win a copy of Breakfast at Darcy’s a month before it hits book shops!

A novel about love in adversity, familial loyalty and the relentless grip of the past on the present, The Things We Cherished tells the story of Roger Dykmans, a young German student who falls in love with his brother’s Jewish wife and then finds himself faced with making the ultimate sacrifice when she is arrested by the Gestapo.

With echoes of the very best of contemporary historical fiction, The Things We Cherished is another poignant read from Jenoff, who is also the bestselling author of Kommandant’s Girl and The Diplomat’s Wife.

To be in with a chance of winning a copy of the book simply answer the question below, remembering to read our full terms and conditions and our privacy policy before you enter.

If you can’t wait that long why not take a sneak peak at the first chapter with this PDF extract now (n.b. PDFs not compatible with most mobile devices)?

ENTRY FORM

Name:
Email address:
The Gestapo were secret police in which country?:	Germany Switzerland Austria

Related posts:

1. Competition Closed: Win a copy of The Things We Cherished by Pam Jenoff for you and every member of your reading group!
2. Won: A copy of The Things We Cherished by Pam Jenoff for you and every member of your reading group!
3. Competition Closed: Win a copy of Breakfast at Darcy’s a month before it hits book shops!

To celebrate the ten-day countdown to the release of Breakfast at Darcy’s , Ali McNamara’s brand new rom-com novel with her trademark filmic twist, we asked our colleagues here at Little, Brown to help us come up with a list of the most memorable breakfast scenes in movies.

Competition was fierce and suggestions were great and some particularly unexpected (the breakfast scene from Alien for example. It didn’t make it onto our list, but is widely available on YouTube, and once watched you won’t forget it, we promise you!). We’ve managed to whittle it down to our top ten, which kicks off today(see below), and we’ll be posting a new scene to this website and the Between the Sheets Facebook Fanpage every day until Thursday 24th November when Breakfast at Darcy’s hits book shops.

The list is by no means definitive, so if you think we’ve missed something out (or want to query the order) get involved using the comments section below, the Facebook Fanpage or on Twitter. We love hearing from our readers!

You can also take our just-for-fun quiz to find out what breakfast food best matches your personality and stay up-to-date with Ali McNamara’s 30 Day Breakfast Challenge at alimcnamara.co.uk.

Breakfast at Darcy’s is available in all good book shops from Thursday 24th November, and is available for pre-order now. An audio download edition of Breakfast at Darcy's will also be available in December.If you haven’t read it already, we highly recommend From Notting Hill with Love . . . Actually for your Christmas stockings too!

10

Pretty Woman (1990)

Croissants (/pancakes*) have never been sexier.

If Richard Gere took the liberty of ordering us everything on the breakfast menu we’d sit through his boring talk about mergers and acquisitions too!

Director: Garry Marshall
Writer: J. F. Lawton
Stars: Richard Gere, Julia Roberts and Jason Alexander

To watch the Pretty Woman breakfast scene slap your DVD on and go to: 00.31.24

*Keep your eyes on Julia Roberts’ magically changing breakfast!

Related posts:

1. What breakfast food are you?
2. Competition Closed: Win a copy of Breakfast at Darcy’s a month before it hits book shops!
3. Breakfast Feast to launch Breakfast at Darcy's by Ali McNamara

On 24th November we publish Patricia Cornwell's new thriller, Red Mist, and to celebrate we are offering you the chance to win one of five signed copies.

To enter, simply fill in the form below and tell us why you love Cornwell's thrillers in just one sentence. For full details, read our terms and conditions for details.

Kay Scarpetta has arranged to meet an inmate at the high-security Georgia Prison for Women. The prisoner is a convicted sex offender and the mother of a vicious and diabolically brilliant killer.

Against advice, Scarpetta is determined to hear this woman out – she believes she may hold some answers to the murder of her former deputy. But soon she finds connections to a string of grisly killings, including the slaughter of a Savannah family years earlier. She can see a pattern to these killings, but who is behind them and why?

As she learns more, Scarpetta is compelled to conclude that this is only the beginning of something far more destructive: a terrifying terrain of conspiracy and potential terrorism on an international scale. And she is the only one who can stop it…

A gripping, thrilling tour-de-force, Red Mist is a terrifying portrait of a killer like no other.

And don't forget, Patricia Cornwell is visiting the UK for publication.

You can find more details of her London event at Waterstone's Piccadilly on 23rd Nov here.

And details of her only event outside of London, in Harrogate on 26th Nov here.

ENTRY FORM

Name:
Email address:
Your one sentence answer:
	I'm interested in Crime & Thriller news (optional)

Related posts:

1. Get your signed copy of the new Patricia Cornwell
2. Competition now closed.
3. Competition Closed: Win a copy of The Things We Cherished by Pam Jenoff for you and every member of your reading group!

Why not get involved? You can take our just-for-fun quiz now to find out what breakfast food best matches your personality and stay tuned to the website for our countdown of the Top 10 Most Memorable Movie Breakfasts, which starts right here on Thursday.

And don’t forget to stay up-to-date with Ali McNamara’s 30 Day Breakfast Challenge at alimcnamara.co.uk.

Breakfast at Darcy’s is available in all good book shops from Thursday 24th November, and is available for pre-order now. Audio download available December.

Quizzes by Quibblo.com | SnapApp Quiz Apps

Related posts:

1. Competition Closed: Win a copy of Breakfast at Darcy’s a month before it hits book shops!
2. Breakfast Feast to launch Breakfast at Darcy's by Ali McNamara
3. Quiz: What Kind of Empty Nester Are You?

Breakfast at Darcy's is the follow-up novel to From Notting Hill With Love…Actually by Ali McNamara – the stand-out debut success of 2010. At the top of the Heatseekers chart for two weeks, it has sold almost 60,000 through Bookscan in the UK and around 80,000 copies net in the English language all over the world. Breakfast at Darcy’s is just as charming, warm and funny and is the book to get you through the winter.   Breakfast at Darcy’s publishes on 24th November – you can pre-order it here.

Ali McNamara is currently undertaking a 30-day breakfast challenge. You can follow her at http://www.alimcnamara.co.uk/ and on twitter @AliMcNamara.

Related posts:

1. Competition Closed: Win a copy of Breakfast at Darcy’s a month before it hits book shops!
2. Carole Matthews blog tour

We are hugely excited to annouce that Patricia Cornwell will be visiting the UK for publication of her new thriller, Red Mist, published 24th November, and tickets are now on sale for her only event outside of London.

Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival 

Presents An Evening with Patricia Cornwell

 Saturday 26 November 2011, 7.30pm. 

The Ballroom, Barceló Majestic Hotel, Harrogate

 See the multi-award winning writer in conversation with BBC Radio Four's Mark Lawson in her only UK event outside London this year. 'Forget the pretenders. Cornwell reigns' The Mirror

 The Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival is proud to present a very special one-off event – an opportunity to spend an evening in the company of the queen of the forensic thriller, Patricia Cornwell.

 Join the internationally bestselling author of the Dr. Kay Scarpetta series for her only UK event outside London this year. Patricia Cornwell will be talking to BBC Radio Four's Mark Lawson about her extraordinary life and career, and the inside story on her eagerly anticipated new novel, Red Mist, released on 24 November.

 Copies of Red Mist will be available to purchase & there will be the opportunity to have your book signed by the author after the event.

Doors open 7.00pm. Duration approx. 1 hr

 Tickets: £10.00 / £7.50 Festival Friends

Ticket Hotline: 01423 562303
Book Online

Full details at: www.harrogate-festival.org.uk/crime 

 Telephone Booking Hours: Mon-Fri, 9.30am-5.30pm. Sat, 10am-4pm.

 Please note: There is a £1.50 booking fee per transaction for all telephone bookings. Online bookings are subject to a 10% charge from the service provider, We Got Tickets.  

 Venue address: Barceló Majestic Hotel, Springfield Road, Harrogate, HG1 2HU

 Car Parking: The Barceló Majestic Hotel has 250 parking spaces, for which use the hotel levies a £3.50 charge. Free on-street parking is available on streets nearby from 6pm.

 How To Get There

 By Car:

 From the South: M1 to A1 to Wetherby, then exit onto A661 to Harrogate. Follow signs to Ripon and town centre. Drive down Parliament Street, straight across at the traffic lights at the bottom, and up Ripon Road. After approximately 200 yards turn right into Springfield Avenue.

 From the North: A1 to A61 signed for Ripon and Thirsk. Follow signs to Ripon. Follow signs to Harrogate, through Ripley & Killinghall. Take 2nd exit off roundabout into Ripon Road. After approx. 1 mile, turn left in Springfield Avenue.

 From the West: M62 to A1 to Wetherby, then exit onto A661 to Harrogate. Follow signs to Ripon and town centre. Drive down Parliament Street, straight across at the traffic lights at the bottom, and up Ripon Road. After approximately 200 yards turn right into Springfield Avenue.

 By Rail: Harrogate Train Station 1 mile. Service via York or Leeds.

 By Bus: Harrogate Bus Station 1 mile. Service information at www.harrogatebus.co.uk 

Related posts:

1. Get your signed copy of the new Patricia Cornwell
2. Two authors nominated for the CWA Daggers
3. Join Billy Connolly on the Ultimate American Road Trip

On November 24th we publish the second novel by Ali McNamara, author of the sensational rom-com debut, From Notting Hill with Love . . . Actually. From Notting Hill with Love . . . Actually was one of the biggest debuts of 2010, and one of the best-loved as voted by readers and reviewers across the country. Breakfast at Darcy’s promises to be another dose of pure unadulterated fiction pleasure!

Breakfast at Darcy’s tells the story of magazine journalist Darcy McCall, who is unexpectedly left an entire uninhabited island in her great aunt’s will. Darcy soon realises she has to live there for twelve whole months before she can fully inherit it. It is another Christmas corker with a fabulously fun film-themed hook.

With one month to go until publication we are offering Ali McNamara fans an early Christmas treat with five finished copies of the book to give away. All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning is answer the question below. So what are you waiting for? Get entering now.

For more information about Ali McNamara and her books, plus lots of breakfast and film-themed fun visit the author's Tumblr now.

As ever, please be sure to read the terms and conditions and our privacy policy before entering the competition.

Your Name:
Your Email:
Question: What was the name of Ali McNamara’s first novel?
	From Notting Hill with Love … Actually All You Need is Love … Actually What’s Love (Actually) Got to Do with It

Related posts:

1. Competition Closed: Win a copy of The Things We Cherished by Pam Jenoff for you and every member of your reading group!
2. WIN a cooking party: competition now closed
3. Competition Closed: Scare Yourself Silly with Sphere’s Biggest Horror Debut of 2011

Congratulations to our three winners, who will each receive a copy of the book for each member of their reading group:

1. Angela Barnes
2. Maggie Cainen
3. Linda Ryley

For those of you who didn’t win, but are eager to find out more about the book, stay tuned to the comments section right here on this post and check in to our commercial women’s fiction Facebook Fanpage and Twitter feed to find out what our reading groups thought of the book.

To find out more about Pam Jenoff visit her website.

The Things We Cherished is available from all good book shops from Thursday 10th November 2011.

Related posts:

1. Competition Closed: Win a copy of The Things We Cherished by Pam Jenoff for you and every member of your reading group!
2. A Hidden Affair Giveaway
3. Your last chance to vote for World Book Night by Dorothy Koomson

Many congratulations to our 13 lucky winners, who will all receive a bound proof copy, plus some trick or treat bonus goodies in the post:

1. Tim Graham
2. C Goldfinch
3. Anne Foxwell
4. Julie Looker
5. Denice Copland
6. Stephen Castle
7. Kate Cunningham
8. Solange Thomas
9. Irene Murdoch
10. Alexa Schoolar
11. Delia Tavares
12. Bernie Tyrrell
13. Natalia Boukraba

Find out more about The Haunted in our launch post and read a first chapter extract now.

The Haunted by Niki Valentine is available from all good bookshops, now!

Related posts:

1. Competition Closed: Scare Yourself Silly with Sphere’s Biggest Horror Debut of 2011
2. Thursday the 13th will never be the same again . . .
3. Scare yourself silly this Halloween with our spooktacular reads

Our very own bestselling author of Good as Dead, Mark Billingham, is currently fronting the ‘Have The Last Word’ competition.  The competition is part of the launch of the new Hive Network, an initiative created by Gardners Books which allows independent bookshops to compete with the major online retailers sites by offering internet book buyers an innovative ‘shop local’ alternative for the first time.

Mark has penned the start of a special short story – a murder set in an independent bookshop – and budding writers are being encouraged to enter and then finish the story on their own.  The winner, judged by Mark, will take home £1000 of Hive vouchers, with the winner of a readers’ poll receiving £250 of vouchers.  The competition closes on Friday 4^th November, so hurry!

You can enter the competition here to write your own gripping conclusion to Mark’s story. Mark has also provided some great writing tips here to get you started.

For more details about the Hive Network and how you can support your local bookshop, please visit www.hive.co.uk

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1. Billingham and Carver shortlisted for Theakston's OP Crime Novel of the Year
2. Laura's Handmade Life Competition Winner Announced
3. Competition Closed: Win a copy of The Things We Cherished by Pam Jenoff for you and every member of your reading group!

We're very pleased to see three of our own titles on the list this year: Iain M. Banks' The Player of Games, Mark Billingham's Sleepyhead and Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca.

World Book Night is a celebration designed to spread a love of reading and books. April 23, 2012 and will see tens of thousands of people gift books within their communities to spread the joy and love of reading. If you're interested in being a 'giver', visit the World Book Night website.

View the full list of titles.

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3. Announcing the UK film tie-in edition of The Notebook – Your World Book Night 2012 MUST READ!!!

Massive congratulations to our main prize winners:

• Elaine Dale
• Terence Peachey
• Alison Walker

Who have each won a family membership to English Heritage.

And to our ten runners up:

Who will each receive a VIP pass for two adults and 10 children to visit to the fantastic Framlingham Castle (the twelfth century fortress where To Defy a Kingis partly set).

For any of you not lucky enough to win this time, don’t forget to stay tuned to the author’s website (where can find early extracts, historical notes, book trailers, trivia and more) and experience the sumptuous settings of Elizabeth Chadwick’s richly imagined worlds for yourself.

Related posts:

1. Won: A sumptuous medieval necklace plus signed copies of To Defy a King
2. Win: A Year's Membership to English Heritage
3. Competition Closed: Sumptuous necklace plus signed copies of To Defy a King to be won!

From Walter Isaacson, the bestselling author of biographies of such geniuses as Benjamin Franklin and Albert Einstein, comes his landmark biography of Apple’s Steve Jobs. In Steve Jobs, Isaacson provides an extraordinary account of Jobs’ professional and personal life.

Drawn from more than forty exclusive interviews that Isaacson conducted with Jobs over the course of two years—as well as with family members, colleagues, rivals, friends, and adversaries—Steve Jobs is the definitive portrait of our era’s most creative and innovative business leader. Isaacson’s book spans Jobs’ entire life, the private and the public, covering exclusive details on his childhood, early influences of Buddhism, tales from inside his design studio, vision at Pixar, and innovative spirit at Apple.

Born in 1955 and a product of the late ‘60s San Francisco Bay-area, where flower power and computer processing intersected, young Jobs embraced a variety of experiences and contradictions: LSD, veganism, and meditation along with fascination for electronics and technology. He co-founded Apple as a 21-year-old in his parents’ garage, brought it to huge success, was ousted in 1985, and eventually returned in 1997. The one constant throughout his life was the drive to explore the intersection of art and technology. His artistic genius, volatile temperament and passionate vision led to the creation of revolutionary products that have changed the world. He played by his own set of rules in all facets of life.

Isaacson writes, “This book is about the roller coaster life and searingly intense personality of a creative entrepreneur whose passion for perfection and ferocious drive revolutionized six industries: personal computers, animated movies, music, phones, tablet computing, and digital publishing. You might even add a seventh: retail stores, which Jobs did not quite revolutionize, but he did reimagine. Plus, he opened the way for a new market for digital content based on apps rather than just websites”.

This book tells the greatest business story of our time. When Jobs took over Apple for the second time in 1997, the company was seven weeks from bankruptcy, and he made it the most valuable company on earth. He not only produced transforming products but also “a lasting company, endowed with his DNA and filled with creative designers and daredevil engineers who could carry forward his vision”.

The genesis of this book, Isaacson has noted, came seven years ago: “In the early summer of 2004, I got a phone call from him. He had been scattershot friendly to me over the years, with occasional bursts of intensity, especially when he was launching a new product that he wanted on the cover of Time or featured on CNN, places where I’d worked.… It turned out that he wanted me to write a biography of him. I had recently published one on Benjamin Franklin and was writing one about Albert Einstein, and my initial reaction was to wonder, half-jokingly, whether he saw himself as the natural successor in that sequence. Because I assumed that he was still in the middle of an oscillating career that had many more ups and downs left, I demurred. Not now, I said. Maybe in a decade or two, when you retire”.

“But I later realized that he had called me just before he was going to be operated on for cancer for the first time. As I watched him battle that disease, with an awesome intensity combined with an astonishing emotional romanticism, I came to find him deeply compelling, and I realized how deeply his personality was ingrained in the products he created. His passions, perfectionism, demons, desires, artistry, devilry, and obsession for control were integrally connected to his approach to business, so I decided to try to write his tale as a case study of creativity” (Time magazine).

Isaacson adds, “As it turned out, Jobs was right. He is a fitting successor to Franklin and Einstein. Each of them had an intuitive genius, a creative imagination, an ability to think differently, and the type of magical mind that it takes to be an innovator. They weren’t merely smart, they were imaginative and creative. That’s what it will take to succeed in the 21st century.”

Although Jobs co-operated with this book, he asked for no control over what was written. He put nothing off-limits and encouraged the people he knew to speak honestly. Isaacson captures his passions, perfectionism, demons, desires, artistry, devilry, and obsession to tell the most compelling story of the greatest business executive of our time.

Walter Isaacson, the CEO of the Aspen Institute, has been chairman of CNN and the managing editor of Time magazine. He is the author of Einstein: His Life and Universe, Benjamin Franklin: An American Life and Kissinger: A Biography and the co-author of The Wise Men: Six Friends and the World They Made. He lives in Washington, DC, with his wife and daughter.

Steve Jobs: The Exclusive Biography by Walter Isaacson will be published by Little, Brown on Monday 24th October 2011, price £25.00 hardback and £12.99 eBook.

For further information please contact Susan de Soissons

www.stevejobsthebiography.com

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Last week we launched The Haunted, the truly terrifying debut from Sphere author, Niki Valentine.

Telling the story of a husband and wife who find themselves trapped in an abandoned shack in the middle of nowhere one stormy night, it poses the frankly petrifying question of what to do when your spouse is the evil thing going bump in the night!

With Halloween fast approaching we have 13 limited edition proof copies of the book to giveaway to get you into the spirit of the season! Fill in the form below to enter (if you dare…) , making sure you've read the competition Terms and Conditions and our privacy policy first.

Read the first chapter now for a glimpse at what’s in store.

The Haunted is available from all good bookshops now.

This competition is now closed.  Winners will be notified by email during w/e Friday 28th October 2011 via the email address used to enter the competition.

Related posts:

1. Competition Closed: Win a copy of The Things We Cherished by Pam Jenoff for you and every member of your reading group!
2. Competition now closed.
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To celebrate publication, Carole's going on tour. Online. Catch interviews with your favourite author on the following blogs over the next couple of weeks:

Monday 24th October - Guest blog on One More Page 

Tuesday 25th October - Interveiw on Dizzy C's Little Book Blog

Wednesday 26th October - Interview on Trashionista

Thursday 27th October - Guest blog on Novelicious

Friday 28th October - Interview with Chick Lit Club

Tuesday 1st November - Interview with High Heels & Book Deals

Wednesday 2nd November - Interview with Chick Lit Chloe 

Related posts:

1. Walking with the Wounded: Harry's Arctic Heroes
2. Win a copy of Wrapped up in You
3. Nile Rodgers: Le Freak

This competition is now closed.

CALLING ALL NILE RODGERS FANS!

Le Freak, the astonishing and wildly entertaining memoir of Nile Rodgers publishes today.

To celebrate, we’re offering one lucky reader and a friend the chance of a lifetime . . .

. . . to see Nile Rodgers in concert then go backstage to meet the man himself!

To be in with a chance of winning, follow @littlebrownuk on Twitter and tweet us your favourite Nile Rodgers song. Make sure you include @littlebrownuk and hashtag #lefreak in your response.

Example:

We Are Family @littlebrownuk #lefreak

The winner will be randomly selected from all entries received before 4pm on Thursday 20th October. The prize is for one pair of tickets to see Nile Rodgers in concert on 10^th November. You must be available on this date, and travel is not included as part of the prize. Please do read our full terms and conditions before entering.

Good luck!

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• Gregg Hurwitz for You're Next (WHSmith Paperback of the Year)
• Val McDermid for Trick Of The Dark (Thriller & Crime Novel of the Year in association with iBookstore)
• Iain M Banks for The Player Of Games, narrator Peter Kenny (audible.co.uk Audiobook of the Year)

This year's awards will be announced on 4th November.

View the shortlist in full.

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Wrapped up in You is the very first novel for Sphere from superstar author Carole Matthews. Warm, funny and wonderfully romantic, it's the ultimate Christmas read; perfect to snuggle up with as those long winter nights draw in.

But don't just take our word for it.

Earlier this year we recruited a team of Carole Matthews VIPs to help us discover a bit more about why people love her books so much. Here are just some of the things they said about Wrapped up in You:

The perfect winter read – Louise Graham

Heartwarming, witty and guaranteed to make you smile – Nicky Howe

A modern day fairy tale - Sarah Taylor

A real winter warmer – Jillanne David

Will lift your spirit and remind you just how wonderful love and life is – Callie Carling 

For more reviews from our VIPs, click here.

We're also giving away five exclusive advance reading copies of Wrapped up in You. To be in with your chance of winning, simply enter your name and email address in the box below. Please make sure you've read our terms and conditions first.

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1. WIN! A copy of Netherwood by Jane Sanderson, perfect for fans of Downton Abbey
2. Win! a copy of The Brave by Nicholas Evans
3. WIN! Billy Connolly's Route 66 soundtrack