Litopia

Announcing the "Really Bad Literary Agency"

Litopia Writers' Colony — Mon, 6 Jul 2009 08:43:58 +0100

Eve’s Salmagundi Club is back – with a bite. Today we’re considering the controversial assertion made by two writers that “Anybody can call themselves a literary agent. There's no license required. No certification. No required training. No required degree. No test. Simply the willingness to call yourself an agent… (and some stationery.” If this is true, why are moat writers not more discerning when it comes to choosing an agent? And why do most writers stick with their agent, even though they may be receiving lousy service? Big issues.

Men Without Women

Litopia Writers' Colony — Sat, 4 Jul 2009 09:54:41 +0100

What do mean really get up to when women aren’t around? Tonight, you can find out – if you have the stomach for it – because it’s Men’s Night on Litopia After Dark. Four specimens of virile, potent, hunks of machismo, all in their testosterone-rich prime… and all on our panel for your enjoyment! Think of it as a kind of literary equivalent of The Chippendales. Panellists tonight are Dave Bartram (yes, he's back!), Litoon's Richard Howse, newcomer to the panel cartoonist Geoff North (all the way from Manitoba) and our special guest tonight is Simon Flynn, Publishing Director of British indie publisher Icon Books. Topics covered and links include: * Conspiracy theories - is our willingness to engage with them (either by agreeing or otherwise) a part of the same thing that drives us to engage with more traditional narrative? * Reading children bedtime stories may not be as effective in helping them to learn language as talking to them before they go to sleep, according to new research * UK libel laws, and the new privacy laws, are downright scary * Unintentional plagiarism - should authors have to read every similarly-themed story to see if they are stepping on another author's toes? * And we can't resist having another tilt at poor Alice Hoffman's and Alain de Botton's expense - could they just be the dumbest pair in publishing at the moment?

"I Will Hate You Till The Day I Die"

Litopia Writers' Colony — Fri, 3 Jul 2009 09:53:27 +0100

It’s a bitchfest royale in this week’s news, as two mediocre authors let rip at their critics – Britain’s Alain de Botton (“a writer so grand nowadays that his entire works are written in the royal We” says the Telegraph) and American Alice Hoffman (“not an author whose work I believe can be taken very seriously” says the Literary Saloon). They’ve both gone completely potty this week in their juvenile and hysterical over-reactions to poor reviews. In other news... the winner of worst writing contest is announced... Amazon cuts off two states to retaliate for new sales tax laws... and the infamous TSA is now detaining writers over the contents of their manuscript - police state, here we come.

My Therapist is my Journal

Litopia Writers' Colony — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 19:48:13 +0100

In our family”, wrote Ann Morrow Lindbergh, “an experience was not finished, nor truly experienced, unless written down and shared with another.” Today, we’re considering the difference between diaries and autobiographies – which one is the more truthful? And which the more self-serving? Do you keep a journal? Is it an inviolably private matter (to go with you to the grave) or do you subscribe to Mae West’s dictum – “Keep a diary and one day it’ll keep you”?

Books That Matter: Death Comes for the Archbishop

Litopia Writers' Colony — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 21:32:39 +0100

"The greatest American novelist of the 20th century" says Oxford don John Simopoulos of Willa Cather, the author who grew up in Nebraska and is best known for her depictions of frontier life. John recommends Death Comes for the Archbishop (1927) "nothing short of magical" he says, and when John says that, you can take it as gospel. He also suggests you read Shadows on the Rock (1931), a novel set in 17th century Quebec describing the quiet, isolated life of Cecile Auclair and her father, the town apothecary, and The Professor's House (1925), set around an ancient cliff city in New Mexico. “There isn’t such a thing as a dud Willa Cather” – say John.

Friday Night & Monday Morning

Litopia Writers' Colony — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 20:56:23 +0100

It’s the Monday after the Friday night before… we’re still recovering from the very first “Litopia After Dark: Face to Face” that took place last Friday evening. Eve is still travelling back to Scotland, so there’s no Eve’s Salmagundi Club today – instead, we’re looking at our new podcast website.. what do you think of it? And if you’re interested in helping out behind the scenes, do get in touch – there’s plenty of work for willing volunteers, on whom we depend.

Face-To-Face At Last!

Litopia Writers' Colony — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 13:49:05 +0100

"So that’s what you look like!" was one of the most commonly-heard exclamations at London’s Poetry Café on Friday evening, as the cast of LITOPIA AFTER DARK made a little bit of Litopian history – yes, we finally met, face-to-face, in the flesh, and bereft of the horny carapace of electronic pseudonymity. We recorded two shows back-to-back – this is the first, totally live and completely unedited. The format is a little different to the usual LAD sweet-and-sour melange – we decided to use this occasion to launch the first of this year’s Summer Entertainments... you’ll find that over the next few weeks, both LAD and Litopia Daily will kick back a bit, ratchet the intensity level down a few notches, and concentrate on providing you with fun listening for what we hope will be a spectacular summer for you. Panellists tonight were Eve Harvey, Richard Howse, Donna Ballman and Amanda Lees. Peter attempted to keep some semblance of order (and failed miserably), and we were delighted to be joined on air by Andrew Gillman ,the genius who normally exercises his Svengali-like influence behind the scenes, polishing, prodding and generally raising the production values to the high level we currently enjoy. Many, many thanks to all the above for making this such a great evening – and a huge “thank-you” to our loyal audience, both those who came along in person, and those who listen via the internet – we couldn’t do it without you!

Here Is The News, Again

Litopia Writers' Colony — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 09:15:51 +0100

There's a strong digital theme in this week's news. In the future, Amazon’s Kindle e-book reader will display more book formats beyond its own and we should expect to see Kindle books on a lot more devices. A US Court has ruled against text message promotion of books. Following Apple’s claim to have sold more than one million iPhone 3G S units last weekend, ScrollMotion announced a partnership to bring content from scores of major book, magazine and newspaper publishers to the iPhone. And a picture of the typical e-book reader is beginning to emerge via the sales rankings.

Relaxez-Vous!

Litopia Writers' Colony — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 22:28:20 +0100

Does going to the library make you want to pee? If so, then you may be subject to the Library-Relaxation-Syndrome... a sure sign that you need to take a break. But - do you know how to? Can you relax when you need it most? Today, we’re talking about ways to relax. Many (most?) writers never relax – and that’s a big mistake. We drive ourselves to the edge – and then some more. The result is a burnt-out writer –no use to man nor beast. So here are a few ideas for de-stressing this summer.

The Last Catalog

Litopia Writers' Colony — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 09:04:07 +0100

Non-fiction publishing has been the hardest-hit of all publishing sectors by the advent of the internet: not many books in this area have been able to withstand the impact of free, up-to-date information that the web provides. This has disastrous news for countless authors, publishers, printers and everyone else employed in the business – but has there been an upside? Today, Peter considers this issue and comes to some disturbing conclusions.

Books That Matter: The Voices of Marrakesh by Elias Canetti

Litopia Writers' Colony — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 08:38:50 +0100

We're back with another in our occasional summer series of Books That Matter, chosen and discussed by John Simopoulos, Dean of Degrees of St Catherine’s College, Oxford. Today, we’re talking about “a sublime monster”, as John describes him - Elias Canetti, the Bulgarian-born novelist who wrote in German and won the Nobel Prize in Literature. While some of Canetti’s works are relatively inaccessible, The Voices of Marrakesh is an ideal introduction to the work of one of the major intellectual figures of the 20th century.

Big Prospects for the Short Story

Litopia Writers' Colony — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 22:14:14 +0100

"To be a successful short story writer, you have to be utterly vulnerable on the page, and utterly ruthless in revision." Perceptive words that set our agenda this week on Eve’s Salmagundi Club. Commercially neglected for far too long, we’re increasingly bullish on the prospects for the short story. If you’re not a natural short story-teller – well, you ought to be. Now’s your opportunity to hone those skills, and get a march on the way the publishing market will soon develop, we believe.

Munchausen By Proxy By Proxy

Litopia Writers' Colony — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 09:32:17 +0100

Crystal shards of penetrative ideological shrapnel tonight from a spunky panel – we’re looking at things as they are, things as they were supposed to be, and things as they probably will be. Our guests include Richard Howse, currently studying at Britain’s National Academy of Writing, and one half of the creative duo that produces LITOON, the cartoon strip that’s rocking the publishing world on Litopia. From Edinburgh, Scotland we're delighted to welcome back the doyenne of Eve’s Salmagundi Club on Litopia Daily - Eve Harvey. Nicholas Booth's latest book ZIGZAG has been optioned for film by Tom Hanks - and a we're pleased to welcome a newcomer to the panel this week, advertising guru and Jon Hamm-a-like, Jamie Mollart. Topics covered (and links) from tonight's show include: * Melvin Burgess's latest controversial book is dropped by his publisher * A Christian group sues for right to burn a gay teen novel * Police detective and heretofore anonymous blogger 'Jack Night' has been unmasked by The Times, leading to disciplinary action by his employers * Is social media really just the advertising equivalent of vanity publishing? * Beckah Beushausen lies about her terminally ill baby and reveals the truth about fiction * The first moon landing celebrates its 40th anniversary on July 20th this year - are we still in love with the romance of space?

Here Is The News

Litopia Writers' Colony — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 11:22:56 +0100

Donna is still away, so it falls to Peter to attempt to cover a round-up of this week’s news – and there’s lots happening. The Romance Writers of America have decided that ebook publication doesn’t qualify an author for membership. Bloomsbury Publishing is being sued by the estate of children's writer Adrian Jacobs over claims that J K Rowling "copied" his work in one of her Harry Potter books. Simon & Schuster has reached an agreement with Scribd under the terms of which the social networking site will sell S&S ebooks in the Scribd Store. And ReadingGroupGuides.com recently conducted a survey of book club members and found that 83% of groups read both hardcovers and paperbacks. Many thanks to David Bridger for his magnificent monitoring and summary of this week’s headlines – couldn’t have done it without you, David!

How Not To Get Ripped Off

Litopia Writers' Colony — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:15:25 +0100

It’s a worry that often plagues new authors – how can you protect your precious ideas from being stolen? Today, Peter addresses two listeners’ questions: is there anything you can do to make your ideas copy-proof? And should you pay for an editor to go over your manuscript before you submit it to agents or publishers? Both great questions – but not particularly easy answers. If you’ve got a burning issue or question you want to ask peter, feel free to post it in the “Ask The Agent” area in the Colony. Tomorrow – the week’s news.

Books That Matter: Remnants of a Quiet Life

Litopia Writers' Colony — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 21:34:45 +0100

John Simopoulos, Dean of Degrees of St Catherine’s College, Oxford, is with us again today in an occasional but delightful series we’re running this summer that we’re calling “Books That Matter”. Featuring books and authors you may not necessarily have come across, but which will amply repay your attention. Today, we present Remnants of a Quiet Life – a book of thirteen elegant stories about academic life behind the dreaming spires of Oxford, told by Sir Henry Harris, Regius Professor Emeritus of Medicine. And if you’ve ever wondered what a “don” is – pace Mario Puzo – the answer lies within...

Clothes Maketh The Writer

Litopia Writers' Colony — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 20:50:46 +0100

Today we’re discussing writers’ style... no, not the sort of style you may be thinking about... but the sort of style that counts in public. How can a financially-challenged writer dress with style- where do you find great clothes at affordable prices... and what sort of fashion statement should you make? Tweed jackets and leather elbow patches are OUT... but what’s in? A writer’s public image has never been more important than it is today: ignore it at your peril!

Can Writing Be Taught?

Litopia Writers' Colony — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 08:09:53 +0100

Stories sprinkled liberally with words like "striate", "strafe", "rime", "rinse"; stories with labored prose, instead of simply saying, "I remembered", it's "My brain rolled up into a tube and my childhood rushed through it...". Is this good writing? Or self-conscious, imitative pap? Bloodless, technically competent, and dammed by Salman Rushdie. In Eve's Salmagundi Club today, we’re focusing on a provocative blog post that suggests that the MFA industry (aka creative writing courses) may be leading thousands of would-be writers down the garden path… to nowhere. The facts alone are disturbing: in 1982, there were 79 creative writing programs in the United States; today there are 822 - 150 of which are MFA programs! Also - Eve brings out attention to a cry for help on the net from a writer that was answered – proving the power of having a big-name author on your side.

Following Your Strangeness

Litopia Writers' Colony — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 08:04:58 +0100

It’s a vintage show tonight - an intense blend of wisdom, provocation, information and hilarification - you’ll want to listen more than once to catch everything. The title comes from our discussion about the quicksilver-like quality known as a writer’s "voice"... what is it, exactly? Why do publishers prize it most highly and – how do you go about developing it? Making a long overdue return is our special guest Dr. Susan O’Doherty; writer, clinical psychologist and the author of Getting Unstuck Without Coming Unglued: A Woman's Guide to Unblocking Creativity. She’s joined from England’s West country by writer and Litopia stalwart Dave Bartram… from Edinburgh, Scotland, comes Eve Harvey, doyenne of Eve’s Salmagundi Club on Litopia Daily... and from London, novelist, journalist, actress and broadcaster, Amanda Lees. Topics covered (and links) from tonight's show include: * The millionth word has been added to the English language – and its a really crap one… we are being encouraged never to leave our computers... and this really is the end of civilization as we know it... * Who owns the story? A review of Karl Taro Greenfeld’s Boy Alone: A Brother’s Memoir poses some thought-provoking questions * Is the Brit Lit scene lowbrow? Jonathan Burnham claims that London book launches are "more sexually active" than New York ones... where, Jonathan, where? * Canongate’s Jamie Byng on writing that permeates the brain And don't forget that we’ll be making a little bit of Litopia history in a couple of weeks’ time when we do our inaugural LITOPIA AFTER DARK – Face to Face. This will be the very first time that many of panelists have actually met each other – and it’s going to take place on Friday 26th June, at the Poetry Café in London’s Covent Garden. The venue is restricted in size, so we can only invite Full Members of the Colony along. If you’re a full member, and you’re in the London area at that time, do pop in and say hello – it kicks off at 6:30pm. You’ll find full details posted in Café Life inside the Colony.

Storytime: The First Twin 4

Litopia Writers' Colony — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 04:00:00 +0100

If you like listening to short stories, you’re in for a treat every day this week. The recent “Flash Fiction” contest in Litopia Writers’ Colony has produced a cornucopia of entries. Asked to write no more than one thousand words on the subject of “The First Twin” (a topic inspired by our recent interview with #1 bestselling Italian author Paolo Giordano) Colonists have really excelled themselves. Four very different short stories are on the shortlist – listen every day and work out which one you’d choose to be the winner. Continues tomorrow.

Storytime: The First Twin 3

Litopia Writers' Colony — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 03:50:28 +0100

Storytime: The First Twin 2

Litopia Writers' Colony — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 04:51:37 +0100

Storytime: The First Twin 1

Litopia Writers' Colony — Mon, 8 Jun 2009 21:25:15 +0100

If you likely listening to short stories, you’re in for a treat – today, and every day for the rest of the week. The recent “Flash Fiction” contest in Litopia Writers’ Colony has produced a cornucopia of entries... asked to write no more than one thousand words on the subject of “The First Twin” (a topic inspired by our recent interview with #1 bestselling Italian author Paolo Giordano) Colonists have really excelled themselves. Four very different short stories are on the shortlist – listen every day and work out which one you’d choose to be the winner. Continues tomorrow.

Daydream Believer

Litopia Writers' Colony — Sun, 7 Jun 2009 21:28:27 +0100

Do you doodle? Ever wanted to know what they mean? Wonder no more - in this edition of Eve's Salmagundi Club, we learn that our aggressively ambitious hostess draws fishtanks... what meaning can they possibly have? And as for Peter's obsession with jets... we'll draw a discrete veil over that. Seriously, doodling is now believed to be a very healthy trait for creative people. Plus - exciting news concerning our "Flash Fiction" contest!

A Blow to the Head

Litopia Writers' Colony — Sat, 6 Jun 2009 12:42:30 +0100

So what does it all mean, then? Or to paraphrase, what’s it all about, Author? This week on the world’s favorite podcast for writers we ponder some of the great imponderables. Should a book have some meaning in order to have value? What's the point and meaning of the world's book fairs? Why did the BBC call Monty Pythons’ humor "nihilistic, cruel and disgusting"? And what is HarperCollins going to do about it all then, Rupert? Questions, questions. On this week's interrogatory yet waterboarding-free show we ask the big ones - and even answer a few of them. Holding their stress positions with magnificent fortitude are... leading Florida lawyer and Litopia Daily’s newshound, Donna Ballman - from England’s West country writer and Litopia stalwart Dave Bartram - from London, it’s Richard Howse, a student at Britain’s National Academy of Writing and half of the creative duo that produces LITOON, the cartoon strip that’s recently been launched on Litopia -and tonight’s ultra-special guest - Martyn Daniels one of the most highly respected consultants in the publishing business. He blogs for the Booksellers’ Association at bookseller-association.blogspot.com - it’s one of the industry’s must-reads. Topics covered (and links) from tonight's show include: * Is it enough to write a page turner - or should a story have a real meaning? * Augustus John famously had an accident when he dived off cliffs to go swimming and as a result became a master draughtsman. History seems to have repeated itself... * What is the future of the book fair do Frankfurt, London, BEA and the others really justify the cost, effort and hype? * HarperCollins UK restructures but does it just prove that the publishing industry is still banging its head against the digital wall? * Are your book sales being counted properly? * "Hi, I’m Donna and I’m a bookaholic..." At least if the book industry has its way...

Salinger Doesn't Screw Around

Litopia Writers' Colony — Thu, 4 Jun 2009 17:23:24 +0100

It's Friday - so it's the first new-style edition of THE WRITE REPORT with our own Donna Ballman. J.D. Salinger is suing to stop publication of an unauthorized sequel to "The Catcher in the Rye". But will the famous recluse actually show up for a deposition? And is that really what this is about - to pull him out of seclusion? Also, Amazon and Hachette resolve the standoff that had Hachette's “buy” buttons removed from Amazon's store... and e-books are accused of being elitist.

The Choices We Make

Litopia Writers' Colony — Wed, 3 Jun 2009 18:33:49 +0100

Choices are made in a few seconds and paid for in the time that remains... Paolo Giordano's The Solitude of Prime Numbers was Italy's top selling title last year and the winner of the country's premier literary award, the Premio Strega (Italy's equivalent of the Booker prize). Today is our last conversation with Paolo, fresh from his debut at Britain's Hay Festival. What has the past year’s tumultuous success been like for him personally? And what considerable pressures and expectations does he now feel for his second book? Essential listening.

The Solitude of Prime Numbers

Litopia Writers' Colony — Tue, 2 Jun 2009 19:33:53 +0100

Paolo Giodano's first novel, The Solitude of Prime Numbers, took Italy by storm last year: selling over a million copies and becoming the year's top selling title. Today we talk to Paolo, fresh from his debut at the Hay Festival, about the process of writing. “Writing a novel is like tearing a piece out of [the author’s] past, present and future”, he says. How can you create deep emotional truth in your writing? What is the relationship between the author and his characters? And – what has particle physics got to do with it? Another inspiring interview today with a writer who many are already calling a genius.

Paolo Giodano

Litopia Writers' Colony — Tue, 2 Jun 2009 06:27:41 +0100

Paolo Giodano was just 25 when his first novel, The Solitude of Prime Numbers, took Italy by storm last year... selling over a million copies and becoming the year's No. 1 bestselling title. It has been translated into twenty languages and will be filmed by Italian director Saverio Costanzo. How did the idea for the book arise? What's it like to have your first novel become such a breathtaking international success? And - how do you cope with all the pressures and expectations this kind of success brings? Listen to this fascinating conversation as Paolo talks to Peter about every writer’s fantasy – all week!

Tropes Are In

Litopia Writers' Colony — Mon, 1 Jun 2009 05:59:29 +0100

It's Monday, so it's time to (warily) open the doors to Eve's Salmagundi Club - today, we're looking at the latest incarnation of the e-book reader... this one's in color... and a site that collects personal messages written in ink (or pen or marker or crayon or grape jelly) inside books. Then we bring you publishing's latest buzz-word: you heard it here first, folks, and who knows? It might just swing that next book proposal of yours. And - news of the latest writing competition in the Colony.

The Marmite Messiah

Litopia Writers' Colony — Sat, 30 May 2009 11:42:46 +0100

In the week that mother-of-three Claire Allen (36) from Rhondda, South Wales found the image of Jesus on a Marmite jar lid, we ask - are these the end times? The evidence is strong. With hundreds of millions of users, Twitter still can't figure out how to make money. Book publishers are following the suicidal example of their newspaper cousins and flirting with the idea of giving it all away for free online. And the US Department of Homeland Security is retaining 40 science fiction writers to help it dream up even more nightmarish scenarios of death and destruction. If those aren’t imminent portents of the rapture, we’d like to know what is. Attempting to forestall the day of reckoning, our panel tonight includes an international selection of eschatologists, otherwise known as... leading Florida lawyer and Litopia Daily’s newshound, Donna Ballman… from England’s West country writer and Litopia stalwart Dave Bartram… from the heart of Scotland, it’s the vivacious Eve Harvey who you know and love from Litopia Daily's Eve’s salmagundi Club… and tonight’s ultra-special guest - award-winning children's author and expert media commentator on the children’s and young adult publishing market, from London, it’s Graham Marks! Topics covered (and links) from tonight's show include: * Publishers rush to hurl themselves lemming-like off the fatal cliff of free content – are free e-books going to finally crush the life out of publishing? * 21st century boys: a danger to themselves and to others? Or just badly misunderstood? * The Department of Homeland Security retains science fiction writers * Musicians man the barricades, Les Misérables style - should authors do the same?

Ch-ch-ch-Changes!

Litopia Writers' Colony — Fri, 29 May 2009 08:44:05 +0100

Big changes afoot to Litopia Daily's format - all good, all intended to make the show more useful and entertaining for you! Peter runs through some of them today. In today’s Write Report, Donna reveals that the plight of Salt Publishing (previously covered on Eve's Salmagundi Club) is ameliorating... thanks to their Just-One-Book campaign on the net. And giving books away - can it ever make sense? In Eve's Salmagundi Club, she finds a site that compares writers to exhibitionists - what do you think about that, pensters?

Google Killer!

Litopia Writers' Colony — Thu, 28 May 2009 04:48:52 +0100

What are the most common mistakes writers make when submitting their work? What's the outlook for today’s aspiring YA author? And what exactly does the expression “crabbit old bat” mean? In this, sadly our last conversation with Nicola Morgan ( author of some 90 books and the Chair of the Society of Authors in Scotland) all this - and more - will be revealed! Nicola's book Sleepwalking won the Scottish Children’s Book of the Year award, and her very latest – Deathwatch – is published next week. If you've enjoyed our time with Nicola this week, check out her blog, her highly-rated advice site for authors, Help! I NEED a Publisher! (And Maybe an Agent ...?) and additionally, her FaceBook Fair Reading campaign. We hope she comes back soon! In today’s Write Report, Donna reveals that Paranormal Romance is still a very hot genre indeed – and any manuscript with supernatural elements is considered part of this major trend. In Eve's Salmagundi Club, she finds a site that promises to reveal All About Eve.

The Deathwatch Dash & The Casino of Life

Litopia Writers' Colony — Wed, 27 May 2009 10:20:10 +0100

Chair of the Society of Authors in Scotland, Nicola Morgan is also one of the most experienced authors for children & young adults in the country. Her latest book, Deathwatch, has been written with the close involvement of a panel of schoolchildren, and it's just about to be launched with "The Deathwatch Dash" - a flying visit to six schools by Nicola in six hours! If you are involved in visiting schools, or plan to be, this show is essential listening - Nicola reveals the secrets of successful school visits and in particular, how to talk to a hall full of teenagers. We also consider the question of risk and our evolutionary need for it - could we be doing today's children a disservice by protecting them from risk too hermetically? In today’s Write Report, Donna reveals that Hachette has drawn a line in the sand on the subject of book piracy. And Homeland Security enlists the help of sci-fi writers... dreaming up new nightmares to fight, perhaps? In Eve's Salmagundi Club, she finds a site that asks, "is it OK to run an illegal library from my locker at school?"

Litopia Daily 218: Are You A Fair Reader?

Litopia Writers' Colony — Mon, 25 May 2009 21:33:51 +0100

Apart from being the author of ninety (count 'em!) books for children and young adults - her latest book, Deathwatch, is just about to be published - Nicola Morgan is also the Chair of the Society of Authors in Scotland. And with market conditions the way they are now, authors have seldom needed its help more. PLR (public lending right) is one such issue - did you know that authors receive a small amount each time you borrow their book from a library? But when you buy a second-hand book, the author receives zilch. "Fair Reading" is a new concept that could just make all the difference. In today’s Write Report, Donna reveals that TinTin leads the pack in Harry Potter replacement movies... audiences today are looking for family experiences, say the studios. And the latest idea in publishing from those wacky Japanese? Books on toilet paper! It could be big - don't poo-poo it... In Eve's Salmagundi Club, she finds a site that declares: "too long have we suffered in silence under the tyranny of idiocy!" Too true.

Litopia Daily 217: The Nicola Morgan Phenomenon

Litopia Writers' Colony — Mon, 25 May 2009 10:30:19 +0100

Who better than Nicola Morgan for Litopia Daily’s first week-long interview with a young adult author? Nicola has written 90 books, is the Chair of the Society of Authors in Scotland, and regularly speaks at festivals, conferences and school events. Her writing has won two Scottish Arts Council Awards, including The Scottish Children’s Book of the Year for her book Sleepwalking. On the eve of publication of her next YA book – Deathwatch – we kick off a week-long look at this burgeoning section of the publishing business – how do you crack it? And most importantly, why is Peter obsessed with Thomas the Tank Engine? In addition to her blog, Nicola also runs a highly-rated advice site for authors, Help! I NEED a Publisher! (And Maybe an Agent ...?). In today’s Write Report, Donna reveals the seamy underbelly of the traditional British literary establishment... what’s being known as the “Oxford Poetry Sex Scandal” has taken another surprising twist... could it be anything to do with our own LiToon’s lampooning of same? And William Morris Agency lays off agents... hard times ahead for the fifteen percenters? In Eve's Salmagundi Club, she finds a site that exposes in sad detail the attempt of one literary publisher to keep going... you can help by buying just one book from them.

Litopia After Dark: The Seafaring Petomane Meets Mrs. Slocombe's Pussy

Litopia Writers' Colony — Sat, 23 May 2009 11:32:09 +0100

There’s more than a whiff of revolution in the air tonight, and it’s not all coming from our special guest, Alan Gibbons, prolific children’s author and instigator of Britain’s national campaign to stop library closures. While pompous British politicians decide that public money should be spent on their private country estates and duck houses (yes, that’s houses – for their own, personal ducks), public libraries and school libraries face wholesale closure to save scarce public funds. The splendid councillors of Swindon vote themselves an increase in allowances from the public treasury of £29,000... meantime, Old Town Library is slated for closure … to save £23,000. Hypocrisy? Crass selfishness? Criminal abuse of public trust? Well, you decide as you listen to our scintillating panel who are in fine fettle this evening. Joining Alan tonight are leading Florida lawyer and Litopia Daily’s newshound, Donna Ballman… From England’s West country writer and Litopia stalwart Dave Bartram… and one half of the creative duo that produces LITOON, the beyond-brilliant cartoon strip that’s just been launched on Litopia - Richard Howse. Topics covered (and links) from tonight's show include: * Why Stephen King wanted to hurt his kids – and why he wrote about it - so it wouldn’t happen * Why jaded American tourists are flocking to Britain’s Deptford * Naturally, we’re going to conserve some duck-house money by closing school libraries - but kids can still be forced to study with a convict-style ball and chain clamped to their ankle, available online for a reasonable £75 * And Amazon’s threat to the traditional publishing business materializes And as for the Commissioning Meeting - well, let's just say that Richard thinks that Alan's sex is on fire, the seafaring petomane strikes again and - horror on horror's head - Mrs. Slocombe's pussy has escaped yet again, the pesky varmint. This week's titles are: “The Varmint” By Owen Johnson, 1878-1952 “Vanity, All Is Vanity - A Lecture On Tobacco And Its Effects” By J. J. Cranmer “A Voyage with Captain Dynamite” By Charles Edward Rich “Vegetable Teratology: An Account of the Principal Deviations from the Usual Construction of Plants” By Maxwell T. Masters

Litopia Daily 216: Climax & Aftermath

Litopia Writers' Colony — Fri, 22 May 2009 04:48:05 +0100

Operation Black Biscuit reaches its climax - undercover agent Jay Dobyns achieves his aim of being the first officer ever to penetrate the dark heart of the Hells Angels... but then, instead of a successful major prosecution, the problems really begin. Jay’s gripping story has just been published and is already a New York Times bestseller - "No Angel: My Undercover Journey to the Heart of the Hells Angels" - it's a gripping read. In today’s Write Report, Donna reveals that a website has re-written the European Constitution... in verse. Really. And The Jewel of Medina by Sherry Jones fails to find a UK publisher - moderates zero, extremists one? Or maybe, the prose simply isn't very good? In Eve's Salmagundi Club, she finds a site that... finds sites for writers.

Litopia Daily 215: Death in the Desert

Litopia Writers' Colony — Thu, 21 May 2009 10:11:15 +0100

Two murders - one faked (see photo) in order to give undercover agent Jay Dobyns credibility with the Hells Angels - and another, all too real. Jay’s gripping story has just been published and is already a New York Times bestseller - "No Angel: My Undercover Journey to the Heart of the Hells Angels". Jay is our guest on Litopia Daily all week. In today’s Write Report, Donna reveals that some agents are delaying submitting new manuscripts to publishers - some publishers are wondering where all those proposals are. And JD Salinger's legal team express interest in the latest book-a-like. In Eve's Salmagundi Club, she finds a site that is truly breathtaking.

Litopia Daily 214: At Home With The Hells Angels

Litopia Writers' Colony — Wed, 20 May 2009 09:11:01 +0100

They're part of American mythology: OMGs (outlaw motorcycle gangs) are uniquely American in origin, and indeed the country’s only indigenous organized crime movement. Today, in the company of former undercover agent Jay Dobyns, we take a close-up look at the culture and astounding international growth of the Hells Angels. The story of Jay's extraordinary two year undercover operation just been published and is already a New York Times bestseller - "No Angel: My Undercover Journey to the Heart of the Hells Angels". Jay is our guest on Litopia Daily all week. In today’s Write Report, Donna reveals that Peter Osnos is proposing that e-books should be bundled with "traditional" books. How will authors feel about this? And for the first time ever, the growth of print-on-demand book publishing has surpassed its older sister. In Eve's Salmagundi Club, she finds a site that provides you with provocative prompts to stimulate your writing glands.

Litopia Daily 213: Going Undercover

Litopia Writers' Colony — Tue, 19 May 2009 06:03:50 +0100

Less than a week into his new job at the ATF and Jay Dobyns is critically injured, shot in a botched hostage operation. Yet far from discouraged, Jay elects to go undercover - creating a new identity as a debt collector and firearms dealer, and allowing his contacts in the "One Percenters" to think that he might be available for the occasional murder contract. At this point, the grand plan is formulated - Jay will be the first agent to penetrate the Hells Agents - at the highest level. Jay's account of his extraordinary two years undercover has just been published and is already a New York Times bestseller - "No Angel: My Undercover Journey to the Heart of the Hells Angels". Jay is our guest on Litopia Daily all week. In today’s Write Report, Donna reveals that large print books are booming - thanks to the baby boomers... who now need glasses. Maybe a case for the Kindle? And Woody Allen successfully enforces his IP rights against American Apparel. In Eve's Salmagundi Club, she finds a site that gives sane, but not hysterical, advice about vanity publishing.

Litopia Daily 212: "No Angel" by Jay Dobyns

Litopia Writers' Colony — Mon, 18 May 2009 07:20:44 +0100

"I’m going to die here, in the dirt and the dust and the grime... and I haven’t even been on the job for a week!" Jay Dobyns’ own words as he talks to Peter about his time as an undercover agent with the ATF: an intense, hair-raising and moving story that Jay has now written about in the New York Times bestseller "No Angel: My Undercover Journey to the Heart of the Hells Angels". Jay is our guest on Litopia Daily all week: his compelling autobiography is a classic of the genre, on par with the stories of Frank Serpico, Joe Pistone (a.k.a. Donnie Brasco) and Joaquin Garcia (a.k.a. Jackie Falcone). In today’s Write Report, Donna reveals that Random House are removing the text-to-speech function from at least 40 titles currently on the Kindle. Good for Random House, we say. And more dire news of book banning - this time, it's Alice Walker and Toni Morrison who have offended the delicate sensibilities of the citiziens of Muskegon, MI. In Eve's Salmagundi Club, she reveals that UK television personality Jonathan Ross is starting his own Twitter book club - is this competition for his sister-in-law's highly successful Richard & Judy's Book Club?

Litopia After Dark: Is Your Publishing House Your Home?

Litopia Writers' Colony — Sat, 16 May 2009 11:12:35 +0100

We have a scintillating international panel for your entertainment and enjoyment tonight. Leading lawyer, author and Litopia Daily’s newshound Donna Ballman is back from her travels and ready to dispense some authorial wisdom. She's joined by writer and regular Litopia panelist Dave Bartram, from England’s West country. From New York, and making his debut appearance on Litopia After Dark, is a real publishing legend - in his time at Times Books, Crown, Avalon Publishing Group and Sterling Publishing, Philip Turner has been responsible for some of the best non-fiction of the past few decades. His credits include books by Barack Obama and Senator George Mitchell, the iconic bestseller IBM and the Holocaust, Susan MacDougal’s book The Woman Who Wouldn't Talk: Why I Didn't Testify Against the Clintons and What I Learned in Jail, and the massively controversial book by Ambassador Joseph Wilson The Politics of Truth: Inside the Lies that Put the White House on Trial and Betrayed My Wife's CIA Identity. And from the icy tundra of extreme Saskatchewan (yes, there's still snow on the ground!) comes Canadian author Mary W. Walters. You’ve heard Mary recently on Litopia Daily, talking about her seminal critique of what literary agents do for authors – and comparing it to what they ought to do - it ignited a firestorm of controversy. Mary writes fiction, non-fiction and drama - she’s has published two novels and a collection of short stories, and won a Writers Guild of Alberta Award for Excellence in Writing. She’s also written and narrated two programs for CBC’s Ideas series. Topics covered (and links) from tonight's show include: * Elephant art - creativity is not a solely human occupation - YouTube Video * Prisoner of the State: The Secret Journal of Premier Zhao Ziyang is published * Publishing "houses" - do they still offer a virtual home for authors? * What makes fiction go ‘stale’? "Revolutionary Road" by Richard Yates feels timeless, but Alan Moore's "Watchmen" already feels old hat - why? And as for the Commissioning Meeting - well, things are looking even worse than last week, if that's possible. The president of Litopia Big Publishing Corp has been accused of fiddling his expenses - he makes a robust on-air defence for claiming costs involved in moat cleaning, various personal stress relief consultants and miscellaneous Emperors Club VIP facilities. "These are all legitimate business expenses", he declares, "essential to the unique function I perform in this company." The panel seem less than impressed. Nevertheless, it's back to dear old Project Guttenberg to cheerfully plunder a few more out-of-copyright manuscripts.

Litopia Daily 211: Holden Caulfield's Revenge

Litopia Writers' Colony — Fri, 15 May 2009 10:02:28 +0100

Concluding our insider's guide to "those other" pages in a book – the ones that authors don’t write – we're looking at dedications, prefaces, introductions, footnotes, indices and appendices. Phew! In today’s Write Report, Donna reveals that a sequel has been published to Catcher in the Rye... but it's not official, and this time, JD is a character in the novel too. Awfully self-referential - but will it drag Mr. Salinger out of his hermithood long enough to issue a lawsuit? It's all pretty murky, but Donna sheds some surprising illumination. In Eve's Salmagundi Club, she finds a site that creates mini-plots from the words on book spines... see it to believe it!

Advance Warning... Next Week on Litopia Daily!

Litopia Writers' Colony — Thu, 14 May 2009 17:31:29 +0100

All next week on LITOPIA DAILY... read the enclosed pdf for first news of this exciting scoop!

Litopia Daily 210: The Gorilla That is Amazon Becomes A Publisher

Litopia Writers' Colony — Thu, 14 May 2009 10:06:22 +0100

Continuing our insider's guide to "those other" pages in a book – the ones that authors don’t write – what can your learn (professionally) from the table of contents and the acknowledgements? A heck of a lot, says Peter - listen and learn. In today’s Write Report, Donna reveals that NY Times columnist Thomas Friedman was paid $75,000 for a speech (from the people of Los Angeles)... an uncomfortable revelation for a journalist, leading to the return of the fee. And Donna's prediction that Amazon would get into the publishing business is coming true... says hello to Amazon Encore. In Eve's Salmagundi Club, she finds a site that quizzes you whether your plot is character-driven or action-driven.

Litopia Daily 209: The Bitchy World of Haute Literature

Litopia Writers' Colony — Wed, 13 May 2009 06:17:25 +0100

Those other pages in a book – the ones that authors don’t write – what do the mean? And what information can you gain from them? Today... we present for your enlightenment... the Colophon! In today’s Write Report, Donna reveals that Harlan Ellison has turned down a lifetime achievement award... because he didn't want to pay for his traveling and hotel expenses nor did he want to restrict his acceptance speech to three minutes. Allegedly. And another writing legend, Derek Walcott, withdraws his name from consideration for another top accolade after a smear campaign against him is launched. What on earth is going on in the rarefied and apparently rather bitchy… world of haute literature? In Eve's Salmagundi Club, she finds a site that advice on onomatopoeia - how to write the sound of things. Peter goes for the gutter.

Litopia Daily 208: The Prefrontal Gym

Litopia Writers' Colony — Tue, 12 May 2009 09:07:56 +0100

"Every story is a new Heaven" says Brian Eno of Sum: Forty Tales from the Afterlives by David Eagleman - our guest this morning. The connection between good science and good writing is closer than you might think. And listen out for David's definition of "good writing" - it's eye-opening! Neuroscience offers untold possibilities for understanding the human mind, but with this powerful knowledge comes the potential for untold manipulation and control. What does the future hold? You'll hear it here first. In today’s Write Report, Donna reveals that the Google Book Settlement is attracting attention from State Attorney Generals... the main concern is said to be the way in which "orphan" works will be handled. And research shows that being able to tell stories increases your chance of getting a job in this competitive day and age. So get plotting! In Eve's Salmagundi Club, she finds a site that offers a directory of free (yes, as in beer) writing courses online. No catches!

Litopia Daily 207: Sum by David Eagleman

Litopia Writers' Colony — Sun, 10 May 2009 22:37:59 +0100

This gorgeously produced, wee sliver of a book packs an enormous punch” says one reviewer on Amazon, and they’re not wrong (Philip Pullman is a big fan, too). Sum: Forty Tales from the Afterlives by David Eagleman is intelligent, speculative fiction – easy enough to read a few pages on the way to work, but provocative enough to set you thinking all day long about the themes it raises. David’s own background is unusually broad – by day, he heads the Eagleman Laboratory at Baylor College of Medicine – and by night, he writes. Listen, and you’ll see why Brian Eno set twelve of of David’s “Sums” to music. First part of David’s interview runs today - more tomorrow. In today’s Write Report, Donna that Amazon is getting right up publishers' noses again. What are they playing at? And Oxford University bans step ladders from their libraries - students will now have to travel to London to check out inaccessible tomes - Health and Safety gone crazy! In Eve's Salmagundi Club, she finds that young literary agent Nathan Bransford has blogged that authors should, to paraphrase him, get a life. Predictably, quite a few authors are less than impressed to be compared to stamp collectors. Peter thinks that maybe Nathan ought to get a life - or at least, a different job.

Litopia After Dark: The Pork Sword Strikes!

Litopia Writers' Colony — Sat, 9 May 2009 09:25:10 +0100

The bombshell dropped just three hours before we went on air tonight, and the publishing world is in a state of traumatized disbelief. Walking through Soho this evening, the palpitations were, um, palpable. Richard & Judy - the couple who have come to symbolize the book-selling power of Oprah on British television - are no more. Just two more elderly victims of the Swine Flu virus, you may wonder? No. Perhaps, you conjecture, their downfall was due to a poorly-chosen and smutily -named talk show title - Richard & Judy's New Position? Again, no. What puissant force, then, could have toppled these two towering titans of television? Simply - people didn’t care. Down to their last 8000 viewers, Richard & Judy’s once-mighty army of book buying zealots decided that the digital channel was too difficult to find - and not worth it when they did. Richard had already dropped hints that he might split professionally from his longtime wife Judy. Blimey, Richard, that’s rubbing salt into the wound, isn't it? But as the saying goes - that’s showbiz. Meanwhile, LITOPIA AFTER DARK goes from strength to strength, with more downloads than Richard & Judy have viewers - and with more snark than Richard Madeley ever had! Just a sampling of the tasty brain morsels lined up for you on tonight’s show... * Get ready with the fatwahs, because we’re tackling religion - does it help or hinder the creative spirit? * Is it easier to be a writer than a film-maker? Indian filmmaker Sharat Kumar says Yes - but our own Richard Howse says No! * The new Kindle - just a few inches away from being a Television - but will it save newspaper publishing? * And Van Gogh’s ear - it was that Gaugin who did it, honest guv! Joining Peter on the panel tonight are: * From England’s west country Litopia stalwart Dave Bartram * From New York, writer and clinical psychologist Dr. Susan O'Doherty. Dr. Sue is the author of Getting Unstuck Without Coming Unglued: A Woman's Guide to Unblocking Creativity and her popular advice column for writers appears every Friday on MJ Rose’s blog, "Buzz, Balls, & Hype" * From England: Richard Howse is one of the first students to be accepted for Britain’s highly prestigious National Academy of Writing * And - you hear her five days a week on Litopia Daily as the voice of Eve’s Salmagundi Club, back on Litopia After Dark by overwhelming public demand - it’s Eve Harvey - writer, bookseller, and here tonight all the way from Edinburgh, Scotland. * We’re unable to tell who provided the mild fantasy peril pork sword vocalizations tonight, but if we do find out, we’ll definitely prosecute.

Litopia Daily 206: "Why Don't They Just Burn The Books?"

Litopia Writers' Colony — Fri, 8 May 2009 10:08:29 +0100

Peter's looking ahead to the next couple of weeks on LITOPIA DAILY - there are some wonderful treats in store for you - and then, he tries to deliver the news, too... In today’s Write Report, Donna reveals... nothing! Because she's away! However, Peter attempts to fill in. In Eve's Salmagundi Club, she finds a site that offers advice about books that have similar ideas or themes to other books.

Litopia Daily 205: It's FutureAgent!

Litopia Writers' Colony — Wed, 6 May 2009 15:16:25 +0100

Today's our last chat with Canadian author Mary W. Walters whose seminal blog post has stirred and shaken literary agents on both sides of the Atlantic. What future is there for the agent in tomorrow's brave new publishing world? We stand on the cusp - it could be a new Golden Age, or it could just as easily be the eve of extinction. Those agents who truly study the needs of authors are most likely to prosper. In today’s Write Report, Donna reveals more information about the proposed Google Book-Scan Settlement - click here to go to the site Donna's talking about. In Eve's Salmagundi Club, she finds a site that provides a free extension for Firefox that allows you to select any word on any web page and do useful things.

Litopia Daily 204: Agents With Attitude

Litopia Writers' Colony — Wed, 6 May 2009 03:29:28 +0100

When Canadian author Mary W. Walters wrote a blog post accusing literary agents of performing a disservice to both authors and publishing, she opened the floodgates to a tsunami of accumulated authorial resentment. Today, we’re examining the tone and attitude that agents often convey – why are they so frequently sarcastic? Even contemptuous? Are they aware of the demoralizing effect their words and behavior can have on authors? In today’s Write Report, Donna reveals that creative people (that's you, authors!) may be more prone to psychosis. Actually, they studied poets... hopefully, prose writers don't count? In Eve's Salmagundi Club, she finds a site that offers sweetly barbed humor about the writer's life.

Litopia Daily 203: Authors - Keep Out!

Litopia Writers' Colony — Tue, 5 May 2009 08:00:56 +0100

We continue our discussion with author Mary W. Walters whose blog post criticising the role of literary agents in today's publishing business has ignited a firestorm of controversy. Do agents simply provide material that publishers want? Or do they actively prevent more literary/experimental work from seeing the light of day? Are agents developing writers' long-term careers - or simply shooting for the one-off easy deals? And how well (or badly) do agents respond to criticism? More tomorrow. In today’s Write Report, Donna asks whether winning the Booker Prize can damage your writing career? One previous winner certainly thinks so, and believes his career has never recovered. And are you thinking about buying a Kindle? Well, maybe hold off – there’s a big-screen version in the offing, apparently. Some newspapers bosses believe it may even save their bacon... we’ll see. In Eve's Salmagundi Club, she finds a site that explains the old-fashioned art of using index cards to plot your novel.

Litopia Daily 202: Agents Are Ruining Publishing

Litopia Writers' Colony — Mon, 4 May 2009 09:59:20 +0100

Canadian author Mary W. Walters penned a seminal blog post some three weeks ago that’s attracted unprecedented attention amongst writers and the publishing world generally. Entitled The Talent Killers: How Literary Agents Are Destroying Literature it advances a powerful, perceptive and not easily refuted argument that agents are primarily responsible for many of the ills the publishing business now confronts. Today, we talk to Mary about her thesis & reaction to it; about the “gatekeeper” role that agents have traditionally enjoyed, and whether it enables or impedes the discovery of new literature; and whether authors’ careers are best served by a “jackpot” system of publishing. More on this vital topic tomorrow. In today’s Write Report, Donna asks whether certain authors could become too famous? Could it be a fate already befallen to Dan Brown and his forthcoming epic print run? The burden of celebrity often falls heavy on the author’s shoulders. And another mega-celebrity author, John Grisham, becomes involved in The Innocence Project. In Eve's Salmagundi Club, she finds a site that shows you how to remember and profit from your dreams.

Litopia After Dark: Publishers - Get Your House In Order

Litopia Writers' Colony — Sat, 2 May 2009 00:15:46 +0100

Without an equitable distribution of income between authors and publishers, the much-vaunted digital future of publishing will be delayed: perhaps even mortally derailed. That's one of the many important points made in tonight's essential (as in you have to listen) edition of LITOPIA AFTER DARK. Pete the Prophet (otherwise known as our very own Peter Cox) is in fine predictive form this evening - or maybe its just great goat entrails - as he confidently presages the ascension of Apple's as-yet unacknowledged "Mediapad" project over Amazon's Kindle as the eventual winner in the e-book wars. "I predict that people who normally don’t like Apple computers will clamour to buy the Mediapad", says Peter, "because it will simply be so darned sexy". Remember, folks - you heard it here first. It’s a real smorgasbord of a show tonight. With death-defying acrobatic alacrity, we leap from one topic to another, informing, educating, appalling, infuriating. But that’s why you like us, isn't it? On tonight’s show - * How to tell if you have hidden talents worth a 7-figure deal * Could a wind-tossed chihuahua (chee – wah –wah) be the salvation to the world’s diminishing pile of story ideas? * Is Amazon modeling itself on the Mongol horde - absorbing everything in its path? Get your armour, sword and shield ready, because it’s clobbering time on Litopia After Dark! Joining Peter on the panel tonight are: * From England’s west country Litopia stalwart Dave Bartram * From Fort Lauderdale, Florida, leading lawyer, author and Litopia Daily’s newshound, Donna Ballman * We bid a welcome return to Litopia’s answer to Sir Alan Sugar (that’s Donald Trump for you North Americans)... he’s Martyn Daniels and he’s one of the most respected consultants in the publishing business: you can share his blogged wisdom here. * And - you hear her five days a week on Litopia Daily as the voice of Eve’s Salmagundi Club, back on Litopia After Dark by overwhelming public demand – it’s Eve Harvey - writer, bookseller, and here tonight all the way from Edinburgh, Scotland. * The part of Lady Fotherington-Smythe is played tonight by assorted cast members.

Litopia Daily 201: My Agent is the Zodiac Killer & He Killed Publishing

Litopia Writers' Colony — Fri, 1 May 2009 09:24:14 +0100

Today, Peter has an opinion column in this week's issue of The Bookseller that questions the role of the agent in tomorrow's publishing business - it's a good curtain-raiser t0 our coverage next week of a seminal blog posting by Canadian author Mary W. Walters that accuses agents of ruining publishing. Very controversial - but could she be right? We're talking to Mary next week - make sure you listen, it'll be compelling and thought-provoking. In today’s Write Report, Donna reports that a British recycling plant will turn 7000 tons of books a month into... snot rags. Is this not a trifle disturbing? And a Californian woman claims her father is the Zodiac killer... can a book deal be far away? In Eve's Salmagundi Club, she finds a site that is both witty and disturbing in equal measure.

Litopia Daily 200: Yes, We've Reached Two Centuries!

Litopia Writers' Colony — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 10:42:42 +0100

Hurray - it's the 200th episode of LITOPIA DAILY today! Keeping you informed, intrigued and hopefully entertained too - our mission is to bring you all the latest ideas, all the most interesting people, and all the biggest news about tomorrow’s publishing world – today! We continue our discussion with international publishing sensation Natasha Mostert - whose latest book The Keeper has just been published - why is Natasha teaching Afghani women to kick-box? All will be revealed. And Natasha’s fan club proves its worth – a message to all authors here. In today’s Write Report, Donna reports that the Google Settlement opt-out deadline has been extended by four months – giving more time for authors to learn about – and opt-out of – the settlement. There’s growing concern from many quarters… and JK Rowling seems to know a thing or two about it. In Eve's Salmagundi Club, she finds a site that will remove needless words and phrases from your writing.

Litopia Daily 199: Natasha Mostert - The Keeper

Litopia Writers' Colony — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 07:29:40 +0100

Today we're talking to international publishing sensation Natasha Mostert - whose last book Season of the Witch won the Book to Talk About: World Book Day Award 2009. and whose latest, The Keeper, is just out now. Variously described as as 'disturbing', 'creepy' and 'unsettling', her work is a mixture of psychological fantasy with paranormal and mystic overtones. Her fans are nothing if not downright fanatical - they have been known to tattoo bits of her books on their bodies! You can’t get much more hardcore than that! In today’s Write Report, Donna reports that Faber is issuing a pay-what-you like digital release - this is the first Radiohead-like experiment for mainstream publishing - will it work? We'll keep you posted. In Eve's Salmagundi Club, she finds a site that offers a fine selections of literary tattoos - Natasha's fans please note!

Litopia Daily 198: Giving Up The Day Job

Litopia Writers' Colony — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 11:07:21 +0100

We continue our discussion with Jane Davis whose new book Half-truths and White Lies has won the Daily Mail's First Novel Award. How do you leave your "proper" job of 23 years to become a full-time author? How do you move from a busy office environment to... solitary work at home? In today’s Write Report, Donna reports that the earliest known dust-jacket has been found in Oxford. And Amazon buy Stanza, the iPhone's e-reader application... what have they got in mind? In Eve's Salmagundi Club, she finds a site that offers sources of inspiration for the creatively-parched writer.

Litopia Daily 197: Half-Truths & White Lies

Litopia Writers' Colony — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 22:20:26 +0100

Today, it's our pleasure to meet first-time author Jane Davis whose new book Half-truths and White Lies has won the Daily Mail's First Novel Award. It's the kind of start that most writers can only dream of having - but for Jane, it's a very well-deserved kickstart for a terrifically talented new voice. How did Jane first start writing? Her answer will transfix you. In today’s Write Report, Donna reports that Penguin has signed the first e-book distribution agreement with China - a great leap forward, we hope. And the Internet Archive is worried by the Google Book Settlement. In Eve's Salmagundi Club, she finds a website that is extraordinarily frank about an author's earnings.

Litopia After Dark: Age-Related Luddite Moments

Litopia Writers' Colony — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 23:23:49 +0100

It’s been an intense week here in publishing. Publishers Weekly reports that the London Book Fair, just concluded, may have been a bit lower in terms of overall attendance, but those who did show up certainly came prepared to do business. In New York, Random House announced the largest ever first printing for a book - 6.5 million copies for Dan Brown’s sequel to The Da Vinci Code - and whatever you think of Mr. Brown’s literary merits, that’s got to be good news for publishing all round. But no matter how optimistic the industry is starting to feel, the elephant in the room, of course, is the economy itself. The British budget this week announced tax increases and massive public borrowing, pushing the country’s debt to 80 per cent of gross domestic product - for comparison, America’s own debt, although soaring, is estimated to be no more than 74 % of GDP. The cruel reality is that we’re still very much living in the worst recession for 60 years. Litopia is certainly fed up of reporting bad news, but... don’t kid yourself - hard times will be with us for years yet, and prudent authors will plan accordingly. Both LITOPIA AFTER DARK and LITOPIA DAILY will continue to look after writers interest . On tonight’s show- * We examine the growing worry that your computer files could soon become unreadable * Going against the e-book trend: print-on-demand is making a very definite come-back * What publishers can learn from Lara Croft and her games buddies And * TheBookChannel.tv... We tell you how you can easily get on TV with your book… but - there’s a price! Joining Peter on the panel tonight are: * From England’s west country Litopia stalwart Dave Bartram * From Fort Lauderdale, Florida, leading lawyer, author and Litopia Daily’s newshound, Donna Ballman * We bid a very welcome return to author John Quirk from the isle of Man * And - he’s an award-winning children's author, was the Children's Editor on Publishing News and he’s here with us again tonight– he’s our very special guest, Graham Marks!

Litopia Daily 196: I'm a Celebrity, Publish Me!

Litopia Writers' Colony — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 11:23:37 +0100

A double treat for you on next week's LITOPIA DAILY: two fantastic but very different authors will be our guests. First-time author Jane Davis tells us how her career has just kicked off with a fairy-tale beginning (yes, it can and does happen!) and international publishing sensation Natasha Mostert - whose last book Season of the Witch won the Book to Talk About: World Book Day Award 2009. Totally unmissable! In today’s Write Report, Donna reports that the British publishing industry is unhealthily dominated by tv-driven celebrity titles; however, those in the know say that their heyday is now ending. So what's next? And original book artwork goes on sale in aid of children with Down's Syndrome. In Eve's Salmagundi Club, she finds two sites that offer, respectively, bookshelves as both inspiration and a memento mori...

Litopia Daily 195: Mass-Produced Mega-Authors

Litopia Writers' Colony — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 03:26:39 +0100

Sadly, it's our last morning with Claire Harman author of the newly published biography Jane's Fame: How Jane Austen Conquered the World. Today we consider to what extent the author can or should insert themselves into their work; how the biographical genre is being reinvented; and what Claire is thinking about writing next. In today’s Write Report, Donna reports that a dead Nobel prize-winner has been found guilty of plagiarism; and a collection of British thriller writers known as the Curzon Group are challenging the hegemony of mass-produced American mega-authors. In Eve's Salmagundi Club, she finds a site that offers one lucky picture book illustrator a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!

Litopia Daily 194: Faith-Based Sex

Litopia Writers' Colony — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 08:30:23 +0100

We continue our discussion today with Claire Harman, author of the widely-praised and just-published Jane's Fame: How Jane Austen Conquered the World. Today we look behind the scenes - how does a biographer actually work? And how can writer's block sometimes benefit the author? In today’s Write Report, Donna reports that sex is selling - no surprise there, but... in religious publishing? Yes, apparently. Faith-based sex is the Newest New Thing. And where's the money in e-books? We'd all like to know that. In Eve's Salmagundi Club, she finds a site run by a UK charity that provides audiobooks to people who find it difficult or impossible to read due to illness or disability.

Litopia Daily 193: Jane's Resurrection

Litopia Writers' Colony — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 01:53:19 +0100

By 1850, Jane Austen had been dead for thirty years, her writing had largely fallen out of favor and the mid-19th century greats (Wilkie Collins, Dickens, the Brontës) had grabbed the mass market and the popular imagination. So what happened to prevent her from falling into obscurity? In today’s LITOPIA DAILY, Claire Harman - author of Jane's Fame: How Jane Austen Conquered the World explains the secrets of Jane's longevity. In today’s Write Report, Donna reports that the Washington Post wants the Nobel Prize for Literature abolished -because the Academy consistently picks turkeys. And is Stephenie Meyer being sued for plagiarism? Actually, no. Someone's started a false rumor - which has spread like wildfire on the net - we're squashing it here and now. In Eve's Salmagundi Club, she finds a site that rails against literary agents and the way they are destroying literature. Really!

Litopia Daily 192: Jane Austen Week

Litopia Writers' Colony — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 23:12:57 +0100

It's Jane Austen Week here on LITOPIA DAILY! One of the finest and most widely-read writers in the English language, her rise to iconic fame is traced in a newly published book - Jane's Fame: How Jane Austen Conquered the World by Claire Harman - who just happens to be our guest here all week! Whether you're a hardcore Jane fan or - as yet - agnostic about her timeless brilliance, you've simply got to listen! In today’s Write Report, Donna reports that Sky TV (in the UK) is launching a new Book Channel - it will carry 30-minutes programmes and will let viewers buy the books featured. Lets hope it shifts some books! And more news about the Pirate Bay verdict. In Eve's Salmagundi Club, she finds a site that reveals some truths (but only some) about the total number of books published globally.

Litopia After Dark: Welcome to OrwellWorld!

Litopia Writers' Colony — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 00:10:01 +0100

Today the founders of the world’s biggest copyright-theft website, Pirate Bay, were sentenced to a year in jail after being found guilty in a Swedish court of promoting copyright infringement. "Although I dislike seeing any man or woman deprived of their liberty", says Peter, "today’s verdict was the right one - and it sends a clear message to other websites who are getting fat and rich while allowing others to steal the very food from authors’ tables." "This isn’t about freedom on the net", he says, "or the rights of the individual versus the corporation. It’s about you our listener - and your future as a writer. And whether it’s right for other people to steal your work - just because they can. Because that’s the Pirate Bay philosophy in a nutshell - as their founder expresses it: if I want it - I take it - 'cos I can. Both LITOPIA AFTER DARK and LITOPIA DAILY will continue to break and indeed make news about protecting auhors’ right on the net - so make sure you listen to both our shows: we're really in the forefront of this most important issue that profoundly affects all writers. On tonight’s show: * We ask you to imagine some of the world’s greatest literary classics condensed into just a few lines of txt * We find out how much a school kid is really worth * We discover how a mobile phone can destroy your plot... and * We learn why you should not ever sign a copy of your book. Joining Peter on the panel tonight are: From England’s west country Litopia stalwart Dave Bartram From Fort Lauderdale, Florida, leading lawyer, author and Litopia Daily’s newshound, Donna Ballman We bid a very welcome return to author Amanda Lees - the third book in her critically-acclaimed Kumari trilogy for young adults, Kumari Goddess of Destiny, is in the shops now And - making her first appearance - best-selling author for teens Cathy Hopkins - creator of the MATES, DATES - TRUTH DARE and CINNAMON GIRL series

Litopia Daily 191: The Perils of DRM

Litopia Writers' Colony — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 07:40:44 +0100

Our discussion with leading intellectual property lawyer Jeremy Morton, partner at international law firm Fasken Martineau, concludes today - does DRM (digital rights management) offer authors any protection from piracy? Research shows that the fear of being caught is not a deterrent to pirates... so what can we do? In today’s Write Report, Donna reports that there's a cure on the way - maybe - for writer's cramp. It's all to do with nerve pathways in the brain, apparently. And commuters are being given recycled novels as an alternative to all those free newspapers. In Eve's Salmagundi Club, she finds a site that passionately argues against teaching the classics to children.

Litopia Daily 190: Writing Realistic Pancreas Scenes

Litopia Writers' Colony — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 19:05:34 +0100

Our discussion with leading intellectual property lawyer Jeremy Morton, partner at international law firm Fasken Martineau, continues today - we're looking back to the good old, bad old days of tape-to-tape copying brought to you by Amstrad. Just how liable are the people who enable piracy technology? And what is the UK government intending to do to protect authors' rights? In today’s Write Report, Donna reports that the American Library Association has had more "challenges" to remove books than ever before... listen for the the Banned Book List. And the author of The Art of Armed Robbery is accused of... armed robbery... In Eve's Salmagundi Club, she finds a site that tells you how to write about injuries - with great realism. Did you know that if your pancreas is damaged, it may spill digestive enzymes which start to digest your own insides? Eugh!

Litopia Daily 189: A Stink in the Library

Litopia Writers' Colony — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 09:27:31 +0100

We continue talking to intellectual property lawyer Jeremy Morton, partner at international law firm Fasken Martineau, about the latest news from Sweden about protecting IP on the net - home of the notorious Pirate Bay - users who "share" copyright material will no longer be protected by anonymity. The Swedish Publishers Association has taken the initiative in protecting authors' and publishers' rights - soon coming to the UK and USA? In today’s Write Report, Donna reports on the latest developments in the Amazon book de-listing furore; asks whether stinky people should be be banned from libraries? And a new study shows that FaceBook makes you dumb. In Eve's Salmagundi Club, she finds a site that explains how one editor makes her decisions about what manuscripts to acquire - or not.

Litopia Daily 188: Defend Your Property!

Litopia Writers' Colony — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 09:14:32 +0100

Today we kick off our all-week discussion with Jeremy Morton, partner at international law firm Fasken Martineau, and expert in IP law, about the impact of the internet on writers’ intellectual property. What can you do if your work is pirated - where should you take action - and what effect does the US Digital Millennium Copyright Act have? In today’s Write Report, Donna reports about AmazonFail - a Twitter thread about the delisting of gay and lesbian books on Amazon.com. And the hand-model featured on the cover of Twilight becomes... a celebrity! In Eve's Salmagundi Club, she finds a site that urges writers to develop their poetry skills - in the interests of improving their prose.

Litopia Daily 187: We Are Pretty Good At Not Missing Talent

Litopia Writers' Colony — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 11:28:59 +0100

We've got some great guests booked for LITOPIA DAILY in the next few weeks. First-time novelist Jane Davis won the Daily Mail First Novel Award with Half-truths and White Lies which is published this month. The novel is about family relationships and what happens when they break down: she won the prestigious accolade after giving up her job to concentrate on writing full time only four weeks previously, quite an inspiration! Natasha Mostert will be our guest in a couple of weeks: her latest book The Keeper is also published this month. Her previous book, Season of the Witch, recently won the Spread the Word award for World Book Day 2009. Natasha is involved in the CPAU Fighting for Peace campaign which is teaches Afghan women how to box and defend themselves in the wake of what has happened in recent years in Afghanistan, a percentage of the royalties she earns from her latest novel will be donated to the campaign and the £5000 she won for the Spread the Word award has also been donated by her. Neuroscientist David Eagleman book's Sum: Forty Tales from the Afterlives is also creating a stir here: "as surprising a book as I've read for years" says Brian Eno. It's a clever little book that translates lofty concepts of infinity and death into accessible human terms. David will be our guest in about three weeks. This week, however - starting tomorrow in fact - we have a discussion with leading intellectual property lawyer Jeremy Morton. It's never been more necessary for authors to understand this complex and sometimes confusing area,which Jeremy makes both clear and - yes - entertaining too! In today’s Write Report, Donna reports that the Elements of Style... sucks! Or at least, so says one top academic from the University of Edinburgh. The authors not only get their facts wrong, but the widely-revered book has done little to improve communication skills among American students. In Eve's Salmagundi Club, she finds a site on which a leading British publisher defends the traditional publisher's role.

Litopia After Dark: Big Kidney!

Litopia Writers' Colony — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 00:37:08 +0100

It’s such an old-school edition of LITOPIA AFTER DARK tonight that we’re all virtually in kindergarten (well, some more than others, obviously). If you enjoy the collective talents of Richard Howse, Donna Ballman, Dave Bartram and Eve Harvey, assisted and impeded by Peter Cox (not the laparoscopic hysterectomy one) then you’re in for a treat. Tonight we consider: * Why obscurity might just be a great way of becoming a best-selling author * The lengths some people go to get on TV - yup, it’s ghastly, disgusting and demeaning * Whether losing control of your online identity might actually be good for you? * And finishing up, or maybe that should be off, with published images of Barak Obama and a near naked Sarah Palin - together, in the same picture. You heard it here first, folks. It’s the last old-school show for quite a few weeks - lots of new guests are just around the corner - so savor and enjoy!

Litopia Daily 186: Censored By Libel

Litopia Writers' Colony — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 09:47:33 +0100

In today’s Write Report, Donna reports that English PEN is campaigning for reform of the libel laws in the UK - the mere threat of legal action is enough to kill many controversial books, thus restructing free speech and ultimately, democracy. Maybe its time for a British Bill of Rights? In Eve's Salmagundi Club, she finds a site that promises to turn the tables on those haughty agents...

Litopia Daily 185: Brave New Words

Litopia Writers' Colony — Thu, 9 Apr 2009 11:05:34 +0100

In today’s Write Report, Donna reports how sci-fi writers have a knack of predicting (or is that creating?) science fact way in advance of scientists themselves. And a campaign led by book readers seeks to reform the infamous Patriot Act before it is renewed at the end of this year - why should they routinely know what we're reading? In Eve's Salmagundi Club, she finds a site that is scary.

Litopia Daily 184: Are You A Morning Or A Yawning Person?

Litopia Writers' Colony — Wed, 8 Apr 2009 13:44:10 +0100

In today’s Write Report, Donna gives you an opportunity to be an agent for a day, as Nathan Bransford turns over the reins to the authors next Monday. And the Google Books Settlement faces hardening opposition from several quarters as the May 5th court deadline looms... In Eve's Salmagundi Club, she finds a site that promises to teach you how to be a morning person. Really.

Litopia Daily 183: How's Your Image?

Litopia Writers' Colony — Tue, 7 Apr 2009 13:26:06 +0100

Litopia's server has been hit by technical problems today - meaning that this show is pretty late. Never mind, we still have the Write Report from Donna, today focusing on the growing demands for authors to have a public image. Ready for that close-up, Mr. Amis? And Charlotte Rampling has second thoughts about cooperating on her biography - both she and author are now at loggerheads,with the subject's legal right of privacy crucial to the case. In Eve's Salmagundi Club, she finds two sites - one that has the most amazing pictures of bookstores that you'll ever see; and another that invites your photos of bookshelves.

Litopia Daily 182: Jerry Springer Condemns Internet Book Piracy

Litopia Writers' Colony — Sun, 5 Apr 2009 22:20:15 +0100

We're having a bit of a post-mortem about last Friday's LITOPIA AFTER DARK, and unexpectedly find that two celebrities have already solidly come out on our side: British comedian Jo Brand and legendary US talk show host, Jerry Springer. In today’s Write Report, Donna reports that Stephen King has taken 25 years - yes folks, 25 years - to write his next epic novel, The Dome (pace Andrei Tarkovsky). It comes out in November. And a new fiction / online video / Twitter-stream website launches. In Eve's Salmagundi Club, she finds a site that boasts Patrick Ness's writing tips - here are a few things to ask yourself before you start...

Litopia After Dark: Trip Adler, CEO of Scribd.com Answers His Critics! Not.

Litopia Writers' Colony — Sat, 4 Apr 2009 00:47:01 +0100

Sadly, Trip Adler, 26-year old CEO of Scribd.com, the website that has been accused of wholesale copyright infringement, failed to accept our invitation to appear on tonight's show. You will know if you’re a regular listener that, two weeks ago on LITOPIA AFTER DARK, panelist Dave Bartram first raised the issue of website Scribd.com. It's basically a huge document repository - they are supposed to have about 50,000 uploads every day, and as many as 55 million visitors a month. What attracts visitors to this site? Well, many things - but one thing Donna noticed immediately was what appeared to be a pirated copy of Harry Potter. Then the hunt was on, and we quickly discovered more and more illegal copies of books - just sitting there, all ready for anyone to download and steal. It’s a tribute to the reach of LITOPIA AFTER DARK and its panelists that this issue has been quickly picked up by the UK media. In fact, the resulting media furore in the UK still hasn’t died down - with front-page coverage in The Times, a big piece in The Guardian, Channel Four News, Sky News, the BBC - the story continues to roll, as well it should. Because although we know pirated copies of books, films and other digital publications can indeed be found on some very dark corners of the net, Scribd.com is big - very big - bold and blatant. And some would say, that they are getting rich by profiting from other’s piracy. We were hoping that Scribd's CEO, Trip Adler, would appear on tonight's show to answer his critics. He did not. His absence speaks volumes. But we still had a good time. Also on tonight's show: * Is there such a thing as perfect structure? We examine why Orson Welles Citizen Kane is identical to Macaulay Culkin’s Home Alone * Imagine banning Burns, Robert Louis Stevenson, and Sherlock Holes author Arthur Conan Doyle. Well, it looks like they’re up for the chop as English Schools ban Scottish writers * We’re talking a lot about piracy tonight - and it’s not just Scribd - this time it’s unauthorized copies of e-book files on E-Bay! * And just when you thought it was safe to turn the pages of a paper book, we find out the many ways in which reading can be a danger, an actual danger, to your health. On tonight's panel - we welcome from London publishing business guru Martyn Daniels, who blogs for the Booksellers’ Association here, from bonnie Edinburgh Litopia Daily’s voice of Eve’s Salmagundi Club, writer Eve Harvey, from England’s west country Litopia stalwart Dave Bartram, and from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, leading lawyer and author and Litopia Daily’s newshound, Donna Ballman.

Litopia Daily 181: Last Time With Geoff

Litopia Writers' Colony — Fri, 3 Apr 2009 10:57:09 +0100

In our last conversation with highly-acclaimed British author Geoff Dyer, whose fourth novel Jeff in Venice, Death in Varanasi is published this week, we discuss inter alia how the writer deals with critics, the vagaries of the writer's life, and the classic dilemma of the romantic poet. In today’s Write Report, Donna reports that children's books are increasingly going multimedia. If all our work is to be pirated in the digital future, then we'd better find lots of alternative ways to "monetize" our manuscripts... In Eve's Salmagundi Club, she finds a site that details all the great things in store for you if you decide to date a writer - especially if you aren’t one yourself.

Litopia Daily 180: It’s All About Tone

Litopia Writers' Colony — Thu, 2 Apr 2009 11:22:58 +0100

In today's conversation with acclaimed British author Geoff Dyer, whose fourth novel Jeff in Venice, Death in Varanasi is published this week, we discuss the writer as an obsessive, the difference between addiction and obsession, what Burning Man meant to Geoff, and why he always favors tone over plot. In today’s Write Report, Donna reports on the Google Books Settlement - a legal challenge may yet be filed... watch this space. Or rather, listen to it. And France cracks down on internet piracy. In Eve's Salmagundi Club, she finds a site that claims to reveal ten steps to create the habit of writing (Peter's not convinced...).

Litopia Daily 179: The Fifth Network

Litopia Writers' Colony — Wed, 1 Apr 2009 08:38:51 +0100

We continue talking to acclaimed British author Geoff Dyer whose fourth novel Jeff in Venice, Death in Varanasi is published this week. Today we discuss how his current book came about; the relationship between Geoff/Jeff; and dealing with readers' expectations. In today’s Write Report, Donna reports on ScriptFrenzy - a contest to produce 100 pages of scripted material during the month of April. And the growing popularity of computer games - in terms of numbers, they're big enough to become the fifth TV network - but could they become a creative genre? In Eve's Salmagundi Club, she finds a site that describes the technique that Jung called "active imagination" - the ability that allows anyone to consult an oracle within themselves.

Litopia Daily 178: Put The Writer In the Box

Litopia Writers' Colony — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 23:47:07 +0100

Taking a welcome break from the Scribd story that we first broke on LITOPIA AFTER DARK nearly ten days ago, we're again talking to highly-acclaimed British author Geoff Dyer (the Daily Telegraph calls him "the best living writer in Britain") whose fourth novel Jeff in Venice, Death in Varanasi is published this week. Today we're moving forwards to the moment that Geoff landed his first book deal - his seminal encounter with John Berger - how writers acquire confidence in their own skills - living on the frontline in Brixton in the eighties - and being categorized. In today’s Write Report, Donna reports that reading as little as six minutes a day can seriously reduce your stress levels. (Unless you read pirated books from Scribd, bad!). In Eve's Salmagundi Club, she finds a site that generates random titles for books or short stories... scarily good... could publishers really be using it? Feels like they do...

Litopia Daily 177: Jeff in Venice, Death in Varanasi

Litopia Writers' Colony — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 22:03:02 +0100

The Daily Telegraph has called him "the best living writer in Britain". Zadie Smith believes "his prose is the equal of anyone in the country - a national treasure." Geoff Dyer is the consummate writer's writer, and he is our guest all this week on Litopia Daily. On the eve of publication of his fourth work of fiction, Jeff in Venice, Death in Varanasi, he talks to Peter about: growing up working class... how one teacher made all the difference to him... getting sacked for his bad attitude... and the moment in your life when you realize you're a writer. In today’s Write Report, Donna reports on the result of the annual Diagram prize for the oddest book title of the year - and the winner is... (guess you'll have to listen!). And sci-fi fans - did you realize how much Christian allegory it employs? In Eve's Salmagundi Club, she finds the most amazingly exhaustive writer's guide to creating fictional characters.

Litopia After Dark: Gigantic Belly-Wheeled Tyler

Litopia Writers' Colony — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 00:27:00 +0000

On tonight's utterly "old school" show: How to make money from writing a book - by doing nothing. Yes that’s right - by doing nothing; not even writing it! And you’ll still get paid! We tell you about the other thing you can do in a hotel room with a total stranger. And we don’t mean order the room service club sandwich. We hear about authors behaving badly - very badly - to a publisher! And to top it all off we examine Swedish magazines and your skin. So don't ever say we don't do anything for your skin, OK? All the above plus The Commissioning Meeting, which continues to plunder Project Guttenberg for that elusive bestseller - this evening, the panel is re-purposing: * The Desire of the Moth - and the Come On by Eugene Manlove Rhodes * Damn! A Book of Calumny by H. L. Mencken * Danger Signals: Remarkable, Exciting and Unique Examples of the Bravery, Daring and Stoicism in the Midst of Danger of Train Dispatchers and Railroad Engineers by Jasper Ewing Brady * The Boy With No Skid To His Wheel by George Manville Fenn Tonight's panel comprises: Donna Ballman, Dave Bartram, Eve Harvey and our very special guest from California - award-winning publisher and doyenne of Litopia’s own Ask The Editor section, Lynn Price. And who, you may ask, is Gigantic Belly-Wheeled Tyler? Well, you'll just have to listen to find out, won't you?

Litopia Daily 176: Pirates Ahoy!

Litopia Writers' Colony — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 10:53:35 +0000

Today Peter is taking stock of the ongoing debate about Scribd and book piracy. Where are we? And what can authors do? Piracy is the biggest issue authors face in the digital future - and we want you to be part of the debate - so keep on talking, writers. In today’s Write Report, Donna reports on Dilbert - whose creator Scott Adams has had a banner year - apparently, readers want to see their own misery reflected in a comic strip. In Eve's Salmagundi Club, she finds a site in which an anonymous editor tells a woeful tale of rejection gone bad.

Litopia Daily 175: Thai Boxed In

Litopia Writers' Colony — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 10:30:26 +0000

Should you ever write for free? And are some authors editor-proof? Today Peter takes a break from Scribd-bashing to answer some questions... but never fear, we'll be back on the pirate's case again tomorrow. In today’s Write Report, Donna reports that the Thai laws against insulting the monarchy rear their ugly head again - to crush opposition and free speech. And an author gives away one Kindle per hour to purchasers - the sales promotion was hugely successful and created an instant bestseller. In Eve's Salmagundi Club, she finds a site in which artist Lucy Pepper gets animated about inspiration.

Litopia Daily 174: Copyright Wars

Litopia Writers' Colony — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 09:46:46 +0000

We continue to explore the vital issue of authors' copyright in today's show: Peter looks back to the 19th century "copyright wars" - how authors' lost control over their hard work (and the income it generated) and how it killed Charles Dickens. In today’s Write Report, Donna reports that the Bologna Children's Book Fair is under way, but publishers are a bit thin on the ground, especially on the editorial side. But no hot deals. And British reality TV star Jade Goody's recent death sparks movies, book deals, and more general exploitation. In Eve's Salmagundi Club, she finds a site that explains how the American Civil Liberties Union leaked a story to the press implying that a mutant sewer creature last spotted in a nuclear power plant is subtly transforming the cerebral cortex of everybody who's ever dropped acid.

Litopia Daily 173: Beautiful Words

Litopia Writers' Colony — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 10:08:12 +0000

More revealing background information today from Peter about the smart new website Scribd that allows people to upload and download pirate copies of books, thus depriving authors and publishers of their legitimate income. In today’s Write Report, Donna reports that Borders UK have given up on the Iliad e-reader... although they may well be back with another version soon. And the Liberace of Astrology loses his name! In Eve's Salmagundi Club, she finds a site that lists the 100 most beautiful words in English... from Aestivate to Wherewithal.

Litopia Daily 172: Copyright Theft Central

Litopia Writers' Colony — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 09:58:21 +0000

Today, Peter follows up on the major story we broke on Friday's LITOPIA AFTER DARK - the website Scribd is a repository for stolen books: a "Pirate Bay" of the publishing business. Of the top five bestselling authors on this week's New York Times hardcover fiction list, all of them have complete manuscripts scanned and freely available online. In today’s Write Report, Donna reports on on of the funniest blog posts ever - fifty reasons why they don't want to publish your book. All too true. And a new survey reveals that women know how to read properly... and many men don't... In Eve's Salmagundi Club, she finds a site that's a cunningly-disguised promotion for a new book.

Litopia After Dark: Harry Potter and the Copyright Pirate

Litopia Writers' Colony — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 07:19:36 +0000

This week’s announcement that owners of the Sony eReader will soon be able to access half a million out-of-copyright books, courtesy of Google BookScan, may not immediately seem like earth-shaking news. In fact, it’s one for the most important things to have happened in publishing so far this year. Because it’s the first step towards making the e-reader and its successors a truly mass market device. So far, it’s just early-adopting geeks who have bought the Kindle, the eReader and similar products. But today, we’re beginning to see the mass market opening up for the first time. As we’ve often said here, the ordinary reader simply won’t be interested in these devices until there is an overwhelming reason to buy one. Well, take a good long look, because that reason has just emerged. All the books - ever written -- in the palm of your hand - and most of them for free. That's an irresistible selling proposition. So remember - you heard it here first. Also featured on tonight's show: * History really is bunk That's right: pirates never made people walk the plank... most of the Light Brigade survived their famous charge... Nelson never worse that famous eye patch... and it even appears that Robin Hood wasn't a very nice man... Some of our fondest historical beliefs turn out to be myths * What the heck is Random House doing with Scribd? Heard of Scribd? 25 million people use it every month -it's like a big online library where anyone can upload. And they certainly do - look at the attached screen shot of the entire text of Harry Potter book two. So why is Random House getting into bed with Copyright Theft Central? * One-Hit Literary Wonders - could it happen to you? * Does the "Young Adult" book market truly exist? A lot of authors will be disappointed if it doesn't * And does a quickie a day keep the muse at play? It may be fun, but is it good for your writing? All the above plus The Commissioning Meeting, which continues to plunder Project Guttenberg for that elusive bestseller. Tonight's panel comprises: Donna Ballman, Dave Batram, John Quirke and our very special guest, award-winning children’s author and Virtual Writer in Residence for Scottish Book Trust Keith Gray.

Litopia Daily 171: Unashamed Mug Plug

Litopia Writers' Colony — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 09:45:56 +0000

Today, Peter and Peggy Brusseau turn into mugs. Really. In today’s Write Report, Donna reports on the winning entry for the Play.com's contest to create trailers for Random House books. And more about the Google Bookscan/Sony E-Reader relationship. In Eve's Salmagundi Club, she finds a site that explains why the internet skews your perception of time.

Litopia Daily 170: Kids With Cookbooks

Litopia Writers' Colony — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 05:00:00 +0000

Five-year-olds with their own celebrity cooking series on TV... four-year olds with food columns... what are we coming to? Today, Peter and Peggy Brusseau wonder whatever's happened to the once-noble market for cookbooks? In today’s Write Report, Donna reports that hard times are producing an interesting side-effect: more cussin'. Yes, bad language is all the rage - it gives us instant stress-relief, apparently. And online novels hit the big time in China - what are they doing right - and could it work here? In Eve's Salmagundi Club, she suffers for criticising Twilight (its fans are nothing if not fanatics) and finds a site that offers a range of flaws for your characters... as if we didn't have enough...

Litopia Daily 169: Down With Facebook!

Litopia Writers' Colony — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 09:02:00 +0000

On last Friday's LITOPIA AFTER DARK we dissected Twitter - as a writer do you really need it? Today, Peter and Peggy Brusseau turn their attention to Facebook - Peter is agnostic, but Peggy appears to be a Facebook atheist... In today’s Write Report, Donna reports on the recession's impact on our language - new words are being minted to describe our economic nightmare - try for frugalista size. And Amazon gets a lawsuit for Kindle patent infringement from the founder of the Discovery channel. In Eve's Salmagundi Club, she finds a site for children's authors.

Litopia Daily 168: Don't Move - You're Under Arrest!

Litopia Writers' Colony — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 09:46:43 +0000

Donna continues the second part of her interview with Special Agent James O. Born - cop turned crime writer... and now, sci-fi writer too! In today’s Write Report, Donna reports on the Twilight effect - girls are now turning on to Bronte. And Google speak out about the BookScan settlement. In Eve's Salmagundi Club, she finds a newbie's guide to publishing.

Litopia Daily 167: James O. Born - From Cop to Author

Litopia Writers' Colony — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 22:13:27 +0000

What do cops do on those never-ending surveillances - when all the coffee and doughnuts have run out? Well, some of them read books by Tom Clancy and W.E.B. Griffin. That's what Special Agent James O. Born used to do. And that's what gave him the idea that maybe he could write crime novels, too. Today, he's won the Florida Book Award for Best Novel of the Year, and is riding high in the charts. In the first part of a very revealing two-part interview, Jim talks to our own Donna Ballman about his rise to success. In today’s Write Report, Donna looks at the way in which Ian McEwan's mother was a forceful influence in his journey towards confident writing. And the Espresso book machine - it's print-on-demand- is rolling out in bookstores. In Eve's Salmagundi Club, she finds a literary agent's blog that sheds light on a subject that many authors often ponder...

Litopia After Dark: Lucky For Some

Litopia Writers' Colony — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 23:16:29 +0000

According to the Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute in Asheville, North Carolina, an estimated 17 to 21 million people in the United States are affected by paraskavedekatriaphobia - the fear of today’s date - Friday the 13th. The superstition is said to have originated in Norse mythology after Frigga, the goddess of love and fertility was banished to a mountaintop and labeled a witch when the Norse converted to Christianity. It was said that every Friday, the spiteful goddess convened a meeting with eleven other witches, plus the devil - a gathering of thirteen - and plotted ill turns of fate for the coming week. Well, tonight there are five of us - not thirteen - a few of them are definitively witches and maybe one or two warlocks as well. And our aim is most emphatically benign - we want to entertain you and maybe enlighten a bit, too. Featured on tonight's show: * Can writing machines ever replace flesh and blood authors? It’s not so crazy as it seems- and some publishers would certainly welcome it. * Do you Twitter? Should you Twitter? We cut through all the hype and tell authors whether the latest and greatest invention in social media is a miss or a must for promoting your book. * And QueryFail - do you know what it is? And what can you learn from it? All the above plus The Commissioning Meeting, which continues to plunder Project Guttenberg for that elusive bestseller. Tonight's Old School panel is: Donna Ballman, Dave Batram, Eve Harvey and Richard Howse.

Litopia Daily 166: A Tale of Two Publishers

Litopia Writers' Colony — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 07:21:50 +0000

Jonah Lehrer, author of the newly-published The Decisive Moment: How The Brain Makes Up Its Mind chats to Peter today for the last time... about writing for the New Yorker, writing on planes, inheriting Malcolm Gladwell's mantle, why people rack up credit card debt, and whether the conversation is smarter in the UK or the US... In today’s Write Report, Donna tells the tale of two big publishers - one on the block and doing badly, the other growing its profits and hiring new talent. What's the secret? In Eve's Salmagundi Club, she finds a site that is simply enchanting!

Litopia Daily 165: The Author Tour

Litopia Writers' Colony — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 08:57:30 +0000

It'sThursday and Peter chats to Jonah Lehrer, author of the just-published The Decisive Moment: How The Brain Makes Up Its Mind about the author's life on the road - the contrast between the solitary writing process and the glare of the publicity circuit. And reviews - how should we handle them? In today’s Write Report, Donna reveals that authors who write for an adult audience often have bigger problems than they anticipate in crossing over to the juvenile / YA market. So just keep off our turf, right? In Eve's Salmagundi Club, she finds some snappy advice for new authors from young gun Stephen King, circa 1988.