Our authors are a busy bunch; here's everything they have been up to this weekend.
1) The Spicer Diaries serialised in the Sunday Telegraph
There was lots of excitement on twitter this weekend, as the diaries of Conservative Lord Michael Spicer were serialised in the Sunday Telegraph, featuring on the front page – no less! The extracts from Lord Spicer’s diaries spoke of the leadership of Margaret Thatcher, the Falklands, the IRA and Thatcher's final downfall. One user tweeted:
I am seriously tempted to buy the Spicer diaries. Don't normally go in for this sort of thing but he was a real insider for a long period.
Well said.
2) Kerri Sackville in London!
Let’s face it, what hasn’t Kerri been up to this weekend?! Kerri is in London for the first time in 25 years, to celebrate the release of her book, When My Husband Does The Dishes (He usually wants sex!). She’s been keeping us all informed via her twitter, and blog posts (An Australian Girl In London: Part One), and of course she has found time to submit her regular column, for Daily Life. This week it’s on family fights, and as usual, is a brilliant read. P.s. we’re offering the chance to win a family ticket to the Tower of London, in honour of the book. Click here for details!
3) Esther Rantzen on the transforming power of ChildLine
Esther Rantzen has been in Shrewsbury, speaking about her book, Running Out Of Tears. Talking at a literary lunch she said ‘ChildLine has helped transform children lives, protecting them from abuse and neglect and giving them hope. The book is a way of acknowledging the impact that it has had on many children’s lives over the past 25 years.’
4) America and the Imperialism of Ignorance at Arab News
Andrew Alexander’s America and the Imperialism of Ignorance featured at Arab News, who said that the book was ‘a damning critique of the US foreign policy over the past six decades and offers a cogent analysis of the military-industrial complex mindset that commands and dictates the actions of the most powerful nation on the planet. ‘
5) James Delingpole on frazzling Richard’s Bacon
It was all a bit tense when James Delingpole appeared on Richard Bacon’s show on BBC Radio 5 Live, to discuss his book, Watermelons: How Environmentalists are Killing the Planet, Destroying the Planet and Stealing Your Children’s Future. James has written about the experience over at his Telegraph blog. It’s worth reading purely for the bacon puns, and for this line alone: ‘Have I mentioned, yet, how totally medieval I got on Richard Bacon's sorry ass?’
6) Peter Winkler and a labour of love
A touching piece over at UCLA magazine on how Peter Winkler, author of Dennis Hopper: The Wild Ride of a Hollywood Rebel, overcame his rheumatoid arthritis to write the entirety of his book by using a red chopstick to tap keys on his computer. Now THAT’s dedication, and it shows in the book; ‘The result is the first biography to cover Hopper's entire life and career. The meticulously researched account follows him from a lonely childhood in Kansas through his days as a Hollywood bad boy’.
7) Bram Stoker awards – this weekend!
Um, could we be more excited that the Bram Stoker Awards are taking place this weekend, in Salt Lake City? As the centenary of Bram Stoker’s death approaches, the suspense is growing. At the event ‘A day of special events and panels will culminate with the presentation of the Bram Stoker Awards for 2012, and the Vampire Novel of the Century Award.’ Vampire novel of the century, that’s right! And as long as it’s not Twilight, I think we’ll be happy with the result. You can read The Lost Journal of Bram Stoker here.
8) Gilded Lives, Fatal Voyage
The centenary of Bram Stoker’s death isn’t the only anniversary approaching. It’s also coming up to the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. Hugh Brewster’s Gilded Lives, Fatal Voyage, tells the story of the first class passengers of the Titanic. The story of the Titanic has been told many times. How will this one stand out? ‘Walter Lord’s “A Night to Remember” and James Cameron’s award-winning movie set the Titanic bar high. In “Gilded Lives, Fatal Voyage,” Hugh Brewster clears that bar with ease and shows again why the story never gets old.’