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Donation from Philip Pullman helps Pegasus Theatre to reopen

The Pegasus Theatre, a copper and glass-fronted building in Magdalen Roadin, east Oxford, is just days away from opening its doors to the public following a £7.4m revamp.

The theatre, powered by solar panels, will open on Saturday and will be a base for youth and amateur performers across the city. New facilities include a state-of-the-art dance studio, a large workshop linked directly to the stage, a café, new foyer and box office area, and offices above.

“Seven years ago the Arts Council gave us the first significant funding so it feels like we have been waiting for this day for a long time. The author Philip Pullman donated just over £100,000 to help us develop our dream and there were lots of smaller donations as well, which made a massive difference. We now have a world-class 21st century venue which is ready to go and is making a very strong statement architecturally,” said project director Simon Daykin.

For further information, visit www.pegasustheatre.org.uk

Philip Pullman is best known for His Dark Materials, a series of award-winning children’s books. His love for Oxford began in 1963 when, as a student he attended Exeter College where he received a third-class BA in English. He was awarded a CBE in the New Year’s Honours list in 2004.

Posted: September 2nd, 2010
Author: Lee
Categories: Philip Pullman

Stephenie Meyer joins JK Rowling and Philip Pullman on “most challenged” authors list

Stephenie Meyer’s novels, about the romance between a human teenage girl and a vampire, came fifth on the American Library Association’s list of books which people tried hardest to ban in the last year. JK Rowling and Philip Pullman are both veterans of the list – with complaints about both their level of sexual explicitness and their "religious viewpoint".

"It is the books which are read frequently which are frequently challenged – with all the hype around Twilight and the movies and the celebrities I was actually surprised Meyer’s books weren’t higher," said Angela Maycock at the ALA’s office for intellectual freedom. Vampire books in general accumulated a host of complaints last year, Maycock said, with "the idea of vampires and other supernatural entities in opposition to certain religious viewpoints". JK Rowling doesn’t make it into this year’s list but her Harry Potter books were the most challenged of the last decade, the ALA said today, with complaints over their "Satanism" and "anti-family themes". (Bookseller.com)

The top 10 titles most challenged titles of 2009 were:

1. TTYL; TTFN; L8R, G8R (series) by Lauren Myracle (Nudity, Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group, Drugs)
2. And Tango Makes Three by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson (Homosexuality)
3. The Perks of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky (Homosexuality, Sexually Explicit, Anti-Family, Offensive Language, Religious Viewpoint, Unsuited to Age Group, Drugs, Suicide)
4. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (Racism, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group)
5. Twilight (series) by Stephenie Meyer (Sexually Explicit, Religious Viewpoint, Unsuited to Age Group)
6. The Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger (Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group)
7. My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult (Sexism, Homosexuality, Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Religious Viewpoint, Unsuited to Age Group, Drugs, Suicide, Violence)
8. The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big, Round Things, by Carolyn Mackler (Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group)
9. The Color Purple by Alice Walker (Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group)
10. The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier (Nudity, Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group)

Stephenie Meyer was born on the 24th of December 1973 in Hartford, Connecticut. She grew up in Phoenix, Arizona and was one of six children. The unusual spelling of her name came from her father, Stephen (+ ie). Stephenie Meyer graduated from Brigham Young University with a bachelor’s degree in English. She lives with her husband and three young sons in Phoenix, Arizona. After the publication of her first novel, Twilight, booksellers chose Stephenie Meyer as one of the "most promising new authors of 2005" (Publishers Weekly).

Posted: April 16th, 2010
Author: Lee
Categories: JK Rowling, Philip Pullman, Stephenie Meyer

The 20 greatest children’s books ever, according to The Telegraph

Some are time-worn classics, some more recently embraced. Lucinda Everett selects the stories that resonate with the young decade after decade. We think that it is a great list and have added some of our favourites immediately afterwards.

1. The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
   Far from fading with time, Kenneth Grahame’s classic tale of fantasy has attracted a growing audience in each generation. Rat, Mole, Badger and the preposterous Mr Toad, have brought delight to many through the years with their odd adventures on and by the river, and at the imposing residence of Toad Hall.
2. The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien
   The Lord of the Rings is a magnificent achievement, an epic tale of friendship, love and heroism. This book set down the benchmark for all fantasy novels to come, without it the world would be a poorer place. Perfection is a very difficult goal to achieve, the Lord of the Rings comes as close to it as is maybe possible. Readers will be left with dreams of living in their very own hobbit hole and the journey that the Fellowship undertakes will remain with them for the rest of their lives. Tolkien’s narrative is breath-taking and his beautiful descriptions of Middle-earth are a joy to behold.
3. The Harry Potter series by JK Rowling
   Harry Potter is an ordinary boy who lives in a cupboard under the stairs at his Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon’s house, which he thinks is normal for someone like him who’s parents have been killed in a ‘car crash’. He is bullied by them and his fat, spoilt cousin Dudley, and lives a very unremarkable life with only the odd hiccup (like his hair growing back overnight!) to cause him much to think about. That is until an owl turns up with a letter addressed to Harry and all hell breaks loose! He is literally rescued by a world where nothing is as it seems and magic lessons are the order of the day. Read and find out how Harry discovers his true heritage at Hogwarts School of Wizardry and Witchcraft, the reason behind his parents mysterious death, who is out to kill him, and how he uncovers the most amazing secret of all time, the fabled Philosopher’s Stone! All this and muggles too. Now, what are they?
4. His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman
   Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy astounded the literary world, reaping high praise from adults as well as children. The final book in the trilogy, The Amber Spyglass, was published to great literary acclaim, earning Pullman a place on the longlist for the prestigious Booker Prize and pushing the trilogy toward cult fiction status for both children and adults.
5. The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe by CS Lewis
   Lucy steps into the Professor’s wardrobe – but steps out again into a snowy forest. She’s stumbled upon the magical world of Narnia, a land of unicorns, centaurs, fauns … and the wicked White Witch, who terrorises all. Lucy soon realises that Narnia, and in particular Aslan, the great Lion, need her help if the country’s creatures are ever going to be free again.
6. The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
   A much-loved classic, The Very Hungry Caterpillar has won over millions of readers with its vivid and colourful collage illustrations and its deceptively simply, hopeful story. With its die-cut pages and finger-sized holes to explore, this is a richly satisfying book for children.
7. The Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton
   When Joe, Beth and Frannie move to a new home, an Enchanted Wood is on their doorstep. And when they discover the Faraway Tree, that is the beginning of many magical adventures! Join them and their friends Moonface, Saucepan Man and Silky the fairy as they discover which new land is at the top of the Faraway Tree. Will it be the Land of Spells, the Land of Treats, or the Land of Do-As-You-Please? There’ll be adventures waiting for them, whatever happens; funny, magical adventures that will delight children again and again.
8. Babar by Jean de Brunhoff
   "If you love elephants, you will love Babar and Celeste," writes A. A. Milne in his preface to "The Story of Babar". "And if you have never loved elephants, you will love them now."
9. Treasure Island by RL Stevenson
   ‘Fifteen men on the dead man’s chest-Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum!’ Treasure Island is a tale of pirates and villains, maps, treasure and shipwreck. When young Jim Hawkins finds a packet in Captain Flint’s sea chest, he could not know that the map inside it would lead him to unimaginable treasure. Shipping as cabin boy on the Hispaniola, he sails with Squire Trelawney, Captain Smollett, Dr Livesey, the sinister Long John Silver and a frightening crew to Treasure Island. There, mutiny, murder and mayhem lead to a thrilling climax.
10. The Railway Children by E Nesbit
    When Father goes away with two strangers one evening, the lives of Roberta, Peter and Phyllis are shattered. They and their mother have to move from their comfortable London home to go and live in a simple country cottage, where Mother writes books to make ends meet. However, they soon come to love the railway that runs near their cottage, and they make a habit of waving to the Old Gentleman who rides on it. They befriend the porter, Perks, and through him learn railway lore and much else. They have many adventures, and when they save a train from disaster, they are helped by the Old Gentleman to solve the mystery of their father’s disappearance.
11. Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome
    Arthur Ransome was a prolific writer of children’s books. Born in Leeds in 1884, it was his father, a nature-loving history professor, who inspired his love of the outdoors and nurtured a passion for fishing. As a child he enjoyed active, outdoor holidays: sailing, camping and exploring the countryside. He used many of these holiday settings for his children’s stories, notably the much loved Swallows and Amazons, a book that sits comfortably in the category of "timeless classic" and remains one of his most popular titles for young people.
12. Winnie the Pooh by AA Milne
    AA Milne’s first stories about Winnie-the-Pooh, the most famous bear in the world, were published eighty years ago. Discover what happens when Pooh goes visiting and Piglet meets a Heffalump, not forgetting when Eeyore loses his tail and Pooh finds one!
13. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
    Charlie Bucket finds a Golden Ticket which wins him a whole day at Willie Wonka’s chocolate factory in this captivating favourite by Roald Dahl.
14. The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson
    The Gruffalo certainly lives up to its reputation as a classic read for both children and parents. The fantasy story captures the imagination of pre-schoolers as it takes them on a journey with mouse as he strolls through the wood and meets the beast himself, the Gruffalo. As the mouse revisits inhabitants of the wood with the Gruffalo, the mouse successfully convinces the beast that he, the mouse, is the scariest creature in the wood.
15. Peter and Wendy (Peter Pan) by JM Barrie
    Peter Pan, the “boy who would not grow up,” originally appeared as a baby living a magical life among birds and fairies in J.M. Barrie’s sequence of stories, Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens. His later role as flying boy hero was brought to the stage by Barrie in the beloved play Peter Pan, which opened in 1904 and became the novel Peter and Wendy in 1911. In a narrative filled with vivid characters, epic battles, pirates, fairies, and fantastic imagination, Peter Pan’s adventures capture the spirit of childhood—and of rebellion against the role of adulthood in conventional society.
16. Watership Down by Richard Adams
    Fiver could sense danger. Something terrible was going to happen to the warren – he felt sure of it. So did his brother Hazel, for Fiver’s sixth sense was never wrong. They had to leave immediately, and they had to persuade the other rabbits to join them. And so begins a long and perilous journey of a small band of rabbits in search of a safe home. Fiver’s vision finally leads them to Watership Down, but here they face their most difficult challenge of all…Published in 1972, "Watership Down" is an epic journey, a stirring tale of adventure, courage and survival against the odds.
17. The Story of Tracy Beaker by Jacqueline Wilson
    ‘I’m Tracy Beaker. This is a book all about me. I’d read it if I were you. It’s the most incredible dynamic heart-rending story. Honest.’ Tracy is ten years old. She lives in a Children’s Home but would like a real home one day, with a real family. Meet Tracy, follow her story and share her hopes for the future in this beautifully observed, touching and often very funny tale, all told in Tracy’s own words.
18. The Tiger Who Came to Tea by Judith Kerr
    This book has enduring charm and young children will delight in the preposterous notion of a tiger creating mayhem in the house.
19. The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter
    The Tale of Peter Rabbit was first published by Frederick Warne in 1902 and endures as Beatrix Potter’s most popular and well-loved tale. It tells the story of a very mischievous rabbit and the trouble he encounters in Mr McGregor’s vegetable garden!
20. Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
    Maurice Sendak’s children’s picture book has become an acknowledged classic. A winner of the Caldecott Medal for the Most Distinguished Picture Book of the Year in 1964, Where the Wild Things Are is a timeless masterpiece that can be enjoyed equally by children and grown-ups.

So there ends The Telegraph’s collection of the 20 greatest children’s books ever. Fantasy Book Review would like to suggest 5 more titles that we believe worthy of appearing in such a list:

1. The Iron Man by Ted Hughes
   Mankind must put a stop to the dreadful destruction caused by the Iron Man. A trap is set for him, but he cannot be kept down. Then, when a terrible monster from outer space threatens to lay waste to the planet, it is the Iron Man who finds a way to save the world.
2. The Spook’s series by Joseph Delaney
   A wonderful and terrifying series by a new writer about a young boy training to be an exorcist. Thomas Ward is the seventh son of a seventh son and has been apprenticed to the local Spook. The job is hard, the Spook is distant and many apprentices have failed before Thomas. Somehow Thomas must learn how to exorcise ghosts, contain witches and bind boggarts. But when he is tricked into freeing Mother Malkin, the most evil witch in the County, the horror begins…
3. The Chronicles of Ancient Darkness by Michelle Paver
   Thousands of years ago the land is one dark forest. Its people are hunter-gatherers. They know every tree and herb and they know how to survive in a time of enchantment and powerful magic. Until an ambitious and malevolent force conjures a demon: a demon so evil that it can be contained only in the body of a ferocious bear that will slay everything it sees, a demon determined to destroy the world. Only one boy can stop it – 12 year old Torak, who has seen his father murdered by the bear. With his dying breath, Torak’s father tells his son of the burden that is his. He must lead the bear to the mountain of the World Spirit and beg that spirit’s help to overcome it. Torak is an unwilling hero. He is scared and trusts no one. His only companion is a wolf cub only three moons old, whom he seems to understand better than any human. Theirs is a terrifying quest in a world of wolves, tree spirits and Hidden People, a world in which trusting a friend means risking your life.
4. The Death Defying Pepper Roux by Geraldine McCaughrean
   When Pepper Roux was born his aunt foretold that he would not live past 14 years of age. Throughout his childhood his parents haven’t bothered with him much, knowing that his life would be short-lived. So when Pepper wakes up on his 14th birthday he knows this will be the day that he’ll die. But as the day wears on, and Pepper finds himself still alive, he decides to set off to sea in an attempt to try and avoid death for as long as possible. As time goes on Pepper steps into many roles and personas and has numerous outrageous adventures. But can he stay one step ahead of death? Or will fate catch up with him? And, if he does live, which of his many lives will he choose to adopt? This riot of a story is a wonderful adventure, and Pepper is an unforgettable character who stays with you long after his story has been told.
5. The Edge Chronicles by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell
   The Edge Chronicles is a young-adult fantasy novel series by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell. It consists three trilogies and three additional books. Originally published in the United Kingdom, this bestseller series has since been published in the United States, Canada and Australia as well. To date, more than two million copies of the novels have been sold.

Posted: April 14th, 2010
Author: Lee
Categories: AA Milne, CS Lewis, JK Rowling, JRR Tolkien, Julia Donaldson, Kenneth Grahame, Michelle Paver, Philip Pullman, The Edge Chronicles

Fantasy news round-up – April 14, 2010

Harry Potter to be re-cloaked
JK Rowling‘s Harry Potter series is to be given a fresh set of covers. Publisher Bloomsbury has taken the decision to give the books a facelift in a bid to attract new buyers and boost sales. The publisher has seen profits fall by 35 per cent in the past year in the absence of a new Harry Potter book. It is hoped that the fresh image will appeal to a new generation of readers and offset the profits lost to there not being an eighth novel.

New From HarperCollins: The CS Lewis Bible and A Year with Aslan
In conjunction with the new Dawn Treader books to be released this October, HarperOne will also release The CS Lewis Bible and A Year with Aslan: Daily Reflections from The Chronicles of Narnia. The CS Lewis Bible is one of the most anticipated Bibles of our time. This NRSV Bible provides readings comprised of over 600 selections from Lewis’s celebrated spiritual classics, a collection that includes Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters, The Great Divorce, The Problem of Pain, Miracles, A Grief Observed, The Four Loves, and The Weight of Glory, as well as letters, poetry, and Lewis’s lesser-known works. Each reading, paired alongside relevant passages in the Bible, offers C. S. Lewis as a companion to a reader’s daily meditation of scripture. As people engage in their devotional Bible reading, they will also gain insight from his writings and spiritual journey as they invite Lewis into their spiritual discipline. A Year with Aslan will select the most thought-provoking and poignant passages from all seven books in the series, and provide reflective questions that get the heart of what matters most.

Ted Nasmith’s latest project with a Sean Bean connection
According to George RR Martin’s “Not a Blog” the latest Calendar of paintings of locations from his “Song of Ice and Fire” fantasy series will be illustrated by none other than LOTR illustrator Ted Nasmith. According to Martin’s website, the calendar will be debuting from publisher Bantam Spectra at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con in July.

The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ to be released as app
Philip Pullman, of the His Dark Materials trilogy, has already made a name for himself among many as anti-religious, whether you think he deserves derision for it or not. And his latest novel, due in stores May 4th, will likely only further cement his religious detractors. "The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ" tells the story of Jesus and his twin brother, Christ. Pullman, who wanted to comment on "the dual nature of Jesus Christ." Enhanced Editions and Canongate have released an app for the book, priced at $16.99, that includes the full text of the tale, the audiobook read by Pullman, and more than 20 minutes of interviews with the author. It was released on Palm Sunday, and is available now on iTunes.

Apple iBooks now available through App Store
Apple has launched iBooks, the company’s official e-book reader for the iPad. The app uses a shelf metaphor to display ePub titles a person has imported through iTunes, or bought through the iBookstore, to which the app opens access. A copy of Winnie the Pooh by AA Milne is included by default; books can be sorted title, author or genre, or manually rearranged.

2009 Bram Stoker Awards Winners
Superior Achievement in a Novel: “Audrey’s Door” by Sarah Langan
Superior Achievement in a First Novel: “Damnable” by Hank Schwaeble
Superior Achievement in an Anthology:  “He Is Legend: An Anthology Celebrating Richard Matheson” edited by Christopher Conlon
Brian Lumley and William F Nolan received lifetime achievement awards by the Horror Writers Association.  The Complete list of winners can be seen here.

Posted: April 14th, 2010
Author: Lee
Categories: AA Milne, CS Lewis, George RR Martin, JK Rowling, Philip Pullman

Sussex Centre for Folklore, Fairy Tales and Fantasy to open this month

This month will see the launch of the new Sussex Centre for Folklore, Fairy Tales and Fantasy, a project which will explore the importance of fairy takes in literary and culture.

Professor Bill Gray, an English lecturer at the University of Chichester, is the brainchild behind the centre that will discuss and celebrate the folktales, fairy tales and fantastic imagination from across the world that has led to bestselling fantasy works by writers as diverse as JRR Tolkien, Terry Pratchett, JK Rowling, Angela Carter, Philip Pullman and CS Lewis.

“The heart of this project is a focus on the importance of fairy tales as a creative force both in literature and culture. Literary fairy tales can be seen, in terms of genre, to mediate between, on the one hand, folktales, from which they often derive both form and content; and on the other, the more elaborate narratives of full-blown fantasy novels. The Centre will provide a forum where writers and scholars from various disciplines can discuss folk narratives, fairy tales and fantasy works, both as independent ‘genres’ (the literary fantastic, for example, may not always have obvious folk- or fairy-tale motifs), and also in terms of the resonances and dissonances between them, and other cultural forms.”

For more information, visit http://sussexfolktalecentre.org.

Posted: February 9th, 2010
Author: Lee
Categories: CS Lewis, JK Rowling, JRR Tolkien, Philip Pullman, Terry Pratchett

The ins and outs of the Google Book Settlement

The families of John Steinbeck and Woody Guthrie have decided to opt in to the revised Google Book Search settlement. Gail Steinbeck, who initially opposed the settlement and Arlo Guthrie, said they would not bring a separate lawsuit against Google. Ms. Steinbeck is the wife of the late John Steinbeck’s son, Thomas, also a novelist.

Meanwhile, opposition to the settlement continues. Author Ursula Le Guin, who resigned as a member of the Authors Guild for “selling authors down the river,” has submitted to the Court an online petition signed by 367 authors against the settlement. In her petition, Le Guin states: “The Google Settlement was negotiated by the Authors Guild, without consultation with any other group of authors or American authors as a whole. The Guild cannot and does not speak for all American writers. Its settlement cannot be seen as reflecting the will or interest of any group but the Guild.

Among the Authors Guild members supporting the settlement are Wally Lamb, Simon Winchester, Beverly Cleary, Amy Tan, Scott Turow, Garrison Keillor and Elmore Leonard.

The objection corner has recently obtained heavyweight support in online retail giant Amazon, Consumer Watchdog, half-a-dozen French publishing houses and the Open Book Alliance. Amazon said the revised agreement violates anti-trust and copyright law and urged the judge to reject it.

British authors have also snubbed Google Books, with JK Rowling and Philip Pullman turning their backs on Google’s new digital library.

Caradoc King, Mr Pullman’s agent, said: “Why should we have to do this because Google decided to set something up which is clearly for the benefit of Google? Google can’t afford to do it without the support of major authors — they have to come back with a better deal.”

Ms Rowling’s lawyer at the Christopher Little agency said that the settlement “purport[s] to change US and international copyright rules”.

Other British authors including Helen Oyeyemi, Kamila Shamsie and Nick Harkaway have signed a petition headed by the children’s fantasy author Ursula le Guin, which argues the settlement “render[s] copyright essentially meaningless”.

The Justice Department has until February 4 to make its views known but the revised deal does not appear to have placated some of its original opponents.

The Google Book Search settlement agreement is the 303-page agreement reached between the Authors Guild, the Association of American Publishers and Google in October 2008 and recently revised after intervention from the Justice Department. The agreement settles a lawsuit filed against Google for “massive copyright infringement” related to the Google Books Library Project in which hundreds of thousands of titles were illegally scanned by Google. The settlement seeks to develop revenue models to compensate authors and publishers for Google’s digital use of copyrighted books. A fairness hearing is scheduled February 18, 2010.

Posted: February 5th, 2010
Author: Lee
Categories: JK Rowling, Latest News, Philip Pullman, Ursula Le Guin

Random House Children’s Books running story competition

Random House Children’s Books have teamed up with The Unicorn Theatre and The London Eye to launch a competition to mark the stage première of Siobhan Dowd’s award-winning children’s book, The London Eye Mystery, from March this year.

About The London Eye Mystery
When Ted and Kat watched their cousin Salim get on board the London Eye, he turned and waved before getting on. But after half an hour it landed and everyone trooped off – and no Salim. Where could he have gone? How on earth could he have disappeared into thin air? So Ted and his older sister, Kat, become sleuthing partners, since the police are having no luck. Despite their prickly relationship, they overcome their differences to follow a trail of clues across London in a desperate bid to find their cousin. And ultimately it comes down to Ted, whose brain works in its own very unique way, to find the key to the mystery. This is an unputdownable spine-tingling thriller – a race against time.

The Unicorn Theatre and Random House Children’s Books are offering the chance for fans to create their own idea for a thrilling Ted and Kat adventure. The judging panel includes Philip Pullman and DFB editor Hannah Featherstone.

First prize is a private-party capsule for up to 20 people on The London Eye, followed by a trip for up to 4 people to see a performance of The London Eye Mystery at the Unicorn Theatre, and a chance to meet the cast and Philip Pullman. Plus, a selection of books, including the complete set of Siobhan Dowd novels (A Swift Pure Cry, Bog Child, Solace of the Road and The London Eye Mystery), and signed Philip Pullman books.

The runners-up will each receive a trip for up to 4 people to see a performance of The London Eye Mystery at the Unicorn Theatre, plus a selection of Siobhan Dowd and Philip Pullman books.

For entry details, visit the Unicorn Theatre website www.unicorntheatre.com

For more details on Siobhan Dowd please visit www.davidficklingbooks.co.uk or www.siobhandowdtrust.com

Posted: February 4th, 2010
Author: Lee
Categories: Philip Pullman

Tesco in talks with Philip Pullman over possible film adaptations

Supermarket giant Tesco has joined forces with new media firm Amber Productions to create DVD feature films based on books. Under the joint venture DVDs will be initially available exclusively through Tesco stores, online and through Tesco Direct.

Tesco will focus solely on marketing and sales of the films and will have no say in the content of the screenplays.

Rob Salter, Tesco entertainment director, said: “This ground-breaking relationship with Amber Entertainment is a significant development for Tesco and the first of its kind.”

Other blockbuster authors in talks over Tesco releases include Philip Pullman, Judy Blume, Dick and Felix Francis, Karin Slaughter and Jacqueline Wilson.

In November Tesco secured exclusive rights to release an animated Merry Madagascar Christmas film with DreamWorks studio, which sold nearly 124,000 copies.

Posted: January 27th, 2010
Author: Lee
Categories: Philip Pullman

One for your diary: The Sunday Times Oxford Literary festival

Saturday, March 20 is the date of this year’s Sunday Times Oxford Literary festival. It really is a  must-attend event for book lovers with organisers delighted with the quality of the line-up they have assembled. John le Carré will give a lecture within the Sheldonian Theatre, and other big names include Martin Amis, Hilary Mantel and Philip Pullman, who will talk in public for the first time about his controversial forthcoming novel, The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ.

Running until March 28, the nine-day celebration of books and literature is even bigger and better this year, taking place over two complete weekends and featuring hundreds of writers and events. 

AS Byatt, the Booker-winning novelist, will accept an honorary fellowship at a dinner on Thursday night, and then appear on Friday as one of the judges when the inaugural winner of The Sunday Times EFG Private Bank Short Story Award, the biggest prize of its kind in the world, will be announced.

The children’s programme will include everyone from Anthony Horowitz to Meg Rosoff and Geraldine McCaughrean, author of Fantasy Book Review’s Book of the Month The Death-Defying Pepper Roux.

You can also sign up to the third Fiction Creative Writing Course, a five-day all-inclusive residential course from March 20 to 26, with masterclasses by Helen Dunmore, Joanne Harris and Julie Myerson. To find out more, telephone 07540 188564 or email creativewriting@oxfordliteraryfestival.com.

Writers and artists confirmed for this year’s festival are:

• Martin Amis
• Gaynor Arnold
• Antony Beevor
• Malorie Blackman
• Frank Cottrell Boyce
• Melvyn Bragg
• John Burnside
• AS Byatt
• John le Carré
• Zizou Corder (Louisa Young)
• Richard Dawkins
• David Dimbleby
• Antonia Fraser
• Adele Geras 
• Ben Goldacre
• John Gray
• Frances Hardinge
• Joanne Harris
• Robert Harris
• Max Hastings
• Victoria Hislop
• Anthony Horowitz
• Will Hutton
• PD  James
• Steve Jones
• Anthony Julius
• Shappi Khorsandi
• Andrew Lane 
• Penelope Lively
• Hilary Mantel
• Neil MacGregor
• Anita Mason 
• Ian McEwan
• Don McCullin
• Brian Moore
• Blake Morrison
• William Nicholson 
• Susie Orbach
• Mal Peet
• Tim Pigott-Smith
• Philip Pullman
• Craig Raine
• Andrew Rawnsley
• Philip Reeve 
• Ruth Rendell
• Louise Rennison
• Meg Rosoff
• James Shapiro
• Lionel Shriver
• Ali Sparkes 
• Simon Singh
• Patti Smith
• Norman Tebbit
• Rose Tremain
• Joanna Trollope
• Lynne Truss
• Shirley Williams

Tickets are on sale now; to see the festival programme and book online, visit www.oxfordliteraryfestival.com, or telephone 0870 343 1001.

Posted: January 18th, 2010
Author: Lee
Categories: Philip Pullman

Round-up: JA Rowling, Bath-time for Pullman and Le Guin not finished yet

A round-up of fantasy news around the world.

A rare JK Rowling uncorrected proof sells for £1,600
An uncorrected proof edition of JK Rowling’s very first Harry Potter book has been sold for £1600 at auction.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, attributed to JA Rowling was bought by a collector at Edinburgh’s Lyon & Turnbull auction house. The copy was sent to critics and booksellers around the UK by Bloomsbury shortly after taking Rowling on.

The book, which also contains spelling mistakes and grammatical errors, was famously written on an old manual typewriter in coffee shops around Edinburgh.

Twilight seeps top spots in USA TODAYS’s best-selling books of 2009
For the second year in a row, Stephenie Meyer has swept the top four spots in USA TODAY’s lists of the best-selling books of 2009. Not even JK Rowling achieved this.

Books for children and teenagers accounted for 29% of sales recorded in 2009. Altogether, last year the Meyer books added up to £29.3m in sales – 10% of the total children’s book  sales, according to Nielson BookScan, which compiles the best-seller lists for several national newspapers.

Philip Pullman’s Bath-time
Poet laureate Carol Ann Duffy, thriller writer Robert Goddard and celebrated cult writer Philip Pullman are just three of the internationally acclaimed writers who will be visiting Bath over the coming weeks.

Philip Pullman comes to Bath on April 1. The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ is his spellbinding retelling of the life of Jesus. Philip comes to Bath to discuss his new work, which is part novel, part history and part fairytale. He will discuss the tensions inherent in the dual nature of Jesus Christ and explore some of the myths and mysteries of the gospels that have helped shape human history in the last two millennia. The event is at the Guildhall at 8pm. Tickets £9 with £9 off the book. Tickets £7 when booked in person at the bookshop.

Random House to raise funds for new new television, toys, video games, and film projects
Random House Children’s Screen Entertainment will be looking to raise $100 million in order to create new television, toys, video games and film projects. The group was created when Random House Children’s Books struck a partnership with the UK production company, Komixx Entertainment.

A number of authors and illustrators could see more properties developed with Philip Pullman and Terry Pratchett having already been mentioned. Komixx intends to go out into the market for RHCSE in March. It may yet approach an existing film and television financier such as Aramid Capital to help it raise the money. The $100 million will be used to develop cartoons and live-action films and television series based on RHCB properties, as well as video games and toys.

Ursula Le Guin plans next move after resigning over Google Book Settlement
Ursula Le Guin says she wants to do more than simply resign in protest. On the Book View Cafe Blog, she says she’s heard from many writers who agree with her and wants to start marshalling that collective sentiment.

“How, where, can I ask writers who are unhappy with the Settlement to speak up – to stand up and be counted? We don’t have to agree on every detail, but I think there are a lot of us who see it as urgently important to let it be known that writers support the principle of copyright, and want the Copyright Office, the judges, the publishers, and the libraries to know that we intend to keep control of our work, in print or out, printed or electronic, believing that the people who do the work, rather than any corporation, should have the major voice in how it’s used and who profits from it.”

Oscar nominated Keisha Castle-Hughes to appear in Legend Of The Seeker
Keisha Castle-Hughes, the youngest woman ever nominated for a Best Actress Academy Award will be a guest star on an episode of Legend of the Seeker.

Castle-Hughes, who originally rose to prominence in 2002 for her role in the New Zealand film Whale Rider. The actress recently starred in projects such as Hey, Hey, It’s Esther Blueburger and Piece of My Heart. She also portrayed the Virgin Mary in The Nativity Story and had a small role in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith.

In Legend of the Seeker, Castle-Hughes will play a mysterious young woman who claims to be the Creator, the incarnation of God.

Posted: January 16th, 2010
Author: Lee
Categories: JK Rowling, Philip Pullman, Stephenie Meyer, Terry Goodkind, Terry Pratchett, Ursula Le Guin