Book voucher - get it while it's hot!

Those people at Borders are lovely, aren't they? They are letting you get a whole quarter, yes 25%, off a book if you buy one before the Monday. I might happen to suggest that you pick up a copy of The Rabbit Factory or Innocent Blood, both of which were options for Borders' January Book Club. First chocolates, now books, we do spoil you lot. Check out the link and print it off - enjoy!

http://www.bordersstores.co.uk/_assets/newsletters/_vouchers/_feb/25book/voucher.htm

Red Carpets

I love the build up to the Oscars. There’s the anticipation, frock-spotting [note to self – I’m coming over as just a little bit frock obsessed in recent posts, must mention something more serious next time] and judging the nominees from home – what’s not to love? Well, over-long acceptance speeches perhaps. And what about the after show parties? Though I seem to have not been invited this year - some terrible administrative error I'm sure - I saw on the morning news that this year Elton John is throwing just an intimate soiree for a mere 600 guests.

But, as we all know, publishing and Hollywood are thick as thieves – is anyone able to name me a really great / really big movie of recent years that hasn’t been adapted from a novel/memoir/comic/shopping list that came before it? There must be some, but my mind is drawing a blank. Anyway, I tend to subscribe to the notion that the book is always better than the film, and would highly recommend the following A&B gems for the movie buffs out there to compare. We’ve been talking up Boomsday since its trade paperback publication in October, but it was Thank You for Smoking that gave Christopher Buckley an oomph last year; one of the contenders for my own little ‘Best A&B Cover Design’ award. Little Children’s (available here and here) movie adaptation featured a superb Kate Winslet playing the character of frustrated stay-at-home Mum Sarah. And as Susie mentioned the other week, we are putting On the Waterfront into a snazzy new look next month. A surfeit of riches, bring out the popcorn!

Free chocolate and other Valentine's stuff

Happy Valentine's Day! What better way to say we love you than by sharing this link to get free bags of chocolate from Woolworths this week! (Geez, do I ever think of anything but food?) Click here for your free chocolate voucher.

I don't really do Valentine's, but you could say I'm celebrating the day with a bit of paranormal romance as I've just started to read the first book in The Gardella Vampire Chronicles, by Colleen Gleason (one of our upcoming series - watch this space!). It features a young girl making her debut in 19th century London Society who is chosen to continue the family legacy as a vampire hunter. So one moment she's getting all flushed by the advances of one particularly gorgeous and eligible bachelor at the ball, and the next is ramming a stake into a fanged enemy. Great stuff - never been one for complete sappiness on Valentine's.

However, for those who do want fullblown romance, just letting you know that The Notebook is showing on Film 4 tonight. Personally I would have opted for An Officer and A Gentleman as Valentine's Day viewing which was actually on last night (had I known it advance I would have told you!) but I did tape it so now I can go home and behold the particularly dreamy Richard Gere and pretend he's the one taking me out for a candelit dinner for two. Mmmm....

This Valentines I am mostly loving...

I'm a day or two early but what the heck - happy Valentine’s dear blog readers! Don’t worry I won’t be getting all slushy on you, but I thought I’d take a moment or two to share my love for a few things at the moment. These include:

1. Carter Beats the Devil – thanks to Susie who gave me a copy of this book which I’ve been meaning to read for, lord, six years or so. I don’t want it to end and for once would welcome long, unexplained stops in Jubilee line tunnels!

2. The approach of spring – slowly we seem to be getting there, when you can see through the fog that is.

3. Finished copies of The Galliard; our fourth Margaret Irwin novel which is out next month, is a lovely chunky size and has a lady in a gorgeous frock on the front – ticking my first two boxes for great historical fiction.

4. Discovering random new ‘interesting’ facts – did you know that Mark Billingham used to be one of the knights in Maid Marian and her Merry Men? Whatever next?

A Happy Ending and a New Start

For those of you familiar with my on-going bathroom saga (I really should write a book about it – a very looong book involving leaky roofs, cracked walls, gorgeous plumbers…), I can now finally reveal that I’ve reached the happy ending! After several months of problem following upon problem, delay following delay, I now have a bright, shiny new bathroom that looks like it’s come straight out of an Ideal Home page – or a bijou version of it at least! My lovely little flat is really starting to feel like home, and I’m looking forward to finally having the time to catch up on some reading at the weekends rather than painting/packing/unpacking… First on my list is the wonderful War in Val d’Orcia by Iris Origo, which I’ve had on my bookshelf for longer than I’d care to admit and never found the time to read. Well, now’s that time. Especially as we are going to be reprinting it again soon with a fantastic new cover design. I’ve been told it’s one of the most moving and beautiful books A&B has ever had on its list. It sounds like an unmissable read (I’m appalled at myself for neglecting it this long), and I’m looking forward to finding out for myself just how fabulous it is…

X

Wine and books - perfect combination

T'is the end of a great week! Liz Corley's book launch went brilliantly. Hosted by the hugely entertaining and knowledgeable David and Daniel at Goldsboro books, there was a colourful mix of city types and bookie people. Signed first editions, good wine and a cosy atmosphere...nothing wrong with that on an otherwise miserable Wednesday night in January. And clearly everyone else though so too - we only left the bookshop after 10!

Happy weekends to everyone.

xxx