STARSPILL on the Shortlist
The great thing about the James Reckit Hull prize is that the winners are chosen by the people who actually read the books – the children! We all know how honest children can be, so when they choose a good book, we know it’s a really good book.
That’s why we’re proud and delighted that Catherine Fisher’s STARSPILL is on the shortlist for the eagle-eyed judges.
STARSPILL was published last year by Firefly Press, which celebrates Welsh heritage in literature. Catherine has several books with them: fireflypress.co.uk/authors/catherine-fisher Her children’s novel THE CANDLEMAN is heading Firefly’s new list of Welsh classics. You can already pre-order it here: fireflypress.co.uk/books/the-candleman.
STARSPILL
Catherine Fisher, renowned for her poetic storytelling and masterful world-building, delivers yet another spellbinding tale in her latest novel, STARSPILL.
Set in a land with no sun, Zac is chosen by the cats to lead a dangerous quest to get the sun back in its place, and flood the world with light again. But there are sinister reasons why some people might prefer certain things to stay hidden in the dark.
Christmas is the perfect time to remember how light conquers darkness, and this is the perfect gift for a child aged 8-12.
If you liked VARJAK’S PAW by SF Said, you’ll love STARSPILL with its sassy cats.
Published by Firefly in September, you can buy a copy from them here
First Books in New Audio Partnership
Children have always loved audiobooks. That’s why we are proud to partner with The Audio Agency to put as many of our clients’ children’s books as possible into audiobook. Not all children can read a book, but most can listen to a story.
The first ones are coming in January – the four NILE ADVENTURES by Saviour Pirotta. These exciting tales are brought to life by skilful narrating, with music and sound effects, making them truly immersive.
Release date is 28 January 2024, the same day that THE SERPENT’S ECLIPSE comes out in paperback, the final adventure in the series from Maverick Children’s Books.
The Audio Agency is a publisher and distributor with a passion for diversity and accessibility. This means Saviour’s audiobooks will be available on all platforms around the world, so that children who rely on audio for their reading, can enjoy the stories too.
New Malaria Vaccine Builds on the Life’s Work of a Feeble Cabbage
Geoff Butcher was inspired by his gap year in Africa, to devote his life to developing a vaccine for malaria, and that goal has now been achieved at last. The devastation that the disease caused, especially in children, moved him to become a research scientist. Despite being written off as a “feeble cabbage” at school, his work made significant contributions to the battle against malaria.
That’s why it’s particularly exciting to see that a new malaria vaccine has just been developed and is now approved by the World Health Organisation.
This is what another malaria research pioneer from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine said:
“The wait for an effective malaria vaccine has been a long one and it was only in October 2021 that WHO recommended deployment of the world’s first malaria vaccine RTS,S. Now, two years later, a second malaria vaccine, R21, has also been approved by WHO.” Sir Brian Greenwood, Professor of Clinical Tropical Medicine.
You can read the whole news article here Malaria vaccine receives WHO recommendation
malaria cells attacking blood cells
Schizogony in P. Knowlesi malaria.
One of the achievements which paved the way for the vaccine was this film that Geoff made in 1969 by pointing his camera down the lens of his microscope. It was the first time that malaria cells were actually caught in the act of invading red blood cells, and then it clearly shows how they can be blocked by the presence of antibodies. This is despite predictions that it couldn’t be done. The film has the catchy title Schizogony in P. Knowlesi malaria. It is in the Wellcome Collection, and you can watch it here: Wellcomecollection.org/works/sw476ssr.
There is an explanation of this process (and more) in Geoff’s YouTube film about his book: YouTube book video
Geoff explains how his discoveries came about in his book MEMOIRS OF A FEEBLE CABBAGE in which he looks back over a life well lived.
It’s available in all good bookshops including this one: Waterstones
Nomads See Themselves in Print
Perhaps the best review of a book is the reactions of the people in it, seeing themselves in print for the first time. Diane Barker had this experience when she took her book PORTRAITS OF TIBET to the Tibetan grasslands to show to the families who appear in it.
Semtso and his family see themselves in PORTRAITS OF TIBET
Wangdrak Rinpoche laughs at pictures of his friends in PORTRAITS OF TIBET by Diane Barker
Diane could not carry enough copies of the heavy book to give them, so they took their own photos
Steamy, Intimate and Emotional
New on Netflix and in the cinema, the long awaited new version of the iconic LADY CHATTERLEY’S LOVER! Starring Emma Corrin (of Princess Di fame, in THE CROWN) as the disappointed Lady Chatterley, and Jack O’Connell as Mellors the gamekeeper, the film explores the scandal, not only of love outside marriage, but love that crosses classes. In the end, Constance Chatterley must make the anguished choice between her privileged lifestyle with its increasingly cold marriage to Sir Clifford, and the passion and poverty of a life with Mellors.
There are trailers and more to see on the Netflix site.
A tie-in paperback is coming to the US from Rosetta Books.
You can read more from DH Lawrence, in ebooks from Rosetta Books.
2022 – the Year of John Wyndham
We are proud to announce that Audible have completed their release of 12 novels by John Wyndham in audiobook. This is a historical moment because it is the first time that some of his works have ever appeared in audio form, and the first time that all his novels appear together in the same place. You can find old favourites like THE DAY OF THE TRIFFIDS and CHOCKY and discover little-known gems like FOUL PLAY SUSPECTED and the strangely contemporary STOWAWAY TO MARS.
You can see the full range here: Audible.co.uk
One of these firsts is THE CURSE OF THE BURDENS which is a perfectly formed murder mystery. Is an ancient curse still affecting the Burden family, or was it straightforward human greed that led to the death of the heir to the Shotlander Estate? Find out in this slightly spooky new discovery. Scroll down or click here to see this forgotten novel leaving the British Library for the first time in decades, on a memory stick.
A Happy Scifi New Year
Last year saw a re-invasion of the Triffids on Audible with a brand new reading of the Wyndham classic. 2022 promises further excitement our Year of John Wyndham. Additional Audible recordings include THE MIDWICH CUCKOOS by everyone’s favourite story-teller, Stephen Fry; THE TROUBLE WITH LICHEN (Vanessa Kirby) and THE CHRYSALIDS (Noah Reid).
Something to look forward to later in the year is Sky’s dramatisation of THE MIDWICH CUCKOOS starring Keeley Hawes and Matt Beesley, currently in production. Check here for updates.
As well as a star-studded outlook for 2022, the publishing world has its own news, with ten major Wyndham classics set for re-issue in the USA with fresh contemporary covers.
Keep checking our News blog for further developments of all things Wyndham!
Beware: the Triffids are attacking 2022!
2022 is a special year for the world John Wyndham. Exciting events are planned to bring his work to new audiences and remind the rest of us why we continue to enjoy his seminal brand of science fiction. All will be revealed on this blog, so keep checking!
First up, all thirteen Wyndham novels are coming to Audible. Subscribers are now able listen to the first of these which is a brand new narration of THE DAY OF THE TRIFFIDS.
If you’re an Audible member you won’t have to use up your precious credits when you download this audio book. The reader is Kingsley Ben-Adir who you will have seen in one of his many tv roles including Vera, Death in Paradise and Diana and I. He breathes fresh life into the famous carnivorous plants, appealing to a new generation of readers as well as Wyndham’s seasoned fans.
Well done Cordelia!
This book should not have been written.
Cordelia Feldman has overcome overwhelming odds to outlive her anticipated life expectancy by several years – and even write two books!
With the dual diagnosis of secondary breast cancer and bipolar disorder, life has not been kind to Cordelia yet her new memoir, WELL DONE ME (published this week) shows how creativity can be inspired by even the saddest experiences. She begins by describing her diagnosis of cancer, then takes us on a journey through her life as she lives it as fully as she possibly can.
Her witty observations and detailed frankness are upbeat and relatable. This memoir describes Cordelia’s exceptional achievements in the face of a death sentence, not least publishing her first novel IN BLOOM last year.