Midas PR News

At Midas we pride ourselves on

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

...delivering first class public relations strategies in both the consumer and corporate sectors. Our clients come from a wide range of fields including events, publishing, the performing arts, food & drink, and blue-chip companies.

At the heart of our success, is our ethos – a disciplined, targeted approach combined with innovative thinking and a commitment to excellence.

See below for latest news bulletins, and the Midas press office for latest releases

Join in the celebrations at your local bookshop: 1st to 8th July 2008

Tue, 1 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Independent Booksellers’ Week, an initiative designed to showcase the very best of local bookshops, kicks off this week with over 330 bookshops across the UK and Ireland signed up to take part. Independent Booksellers Week, which is being held for the first time this summer (1st to 8th July), was devised by the Small Business Forum of the Booksellers Association to celebrate the passion and dedication of independent bookshops, and the vital role they play in their local communities.

Bookshops will hold a range of events throughout the week, with authors signed up for "Strictly Come Bookselling" events, where they will try their hand at being a bookseller, to see what life is like on the other side of the fence. Authors involved in “Strictly Come Bookselling” include: Mark Billingham, Gyles Brandreth, Jilly Cooper, James Naughtie, Kate Long, Lesley Pearse, Bill Pertwee, Andrew Taylor, Leslie Thomas and Alan Titchmarsh.

For further information please visit www.loveyourlocalbookshop.co.uk

Lesley Pearse (left) working the till at the Forest Bookshop, Coleford, Gloucestershire
and Alan Titchmarsh (right) drops in at his local bookshop the Little Green Dragon in Alton,
Hampshire to take part in “Strictly Come Bookselling!” for Independent Booksellers’ Week

Press release
(86 Kb)

Prince Caspian opens to the public following historical 02 arena launch

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

On 26th June The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian was released in cinemas around Britain. This followed the history-making premiere on the 19th June where Walt Disney create what was described as "the largest cinema in history" for 10,000 fans.

Technicians installed a giant cinema screen into The O2 arena in London to premiere the follow-up of the 2005 film The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. Prince Caspian is the second of seven planned films based on the work of CS Lewis.

The event was held in support of Great Ormond Street Hospital's redevelopment appeal and allowed fans to rub shoulders with the show's stars such as Ben Barnes, the young British actor playing Prince Caspian, Liam Neeson, the voice of Aslan the lion, and director Andrew Adamson, who also made the Oscar-winning Shrek.

Following on from the unprecedented success of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, HarperCollins UK have run an extensive ‘Read it before you See it’ marketing and PR campaign to promote their comprehensive Prince Caspian film-tie in programme which includes tie-in editions of Prince Caspian, activity, puzzle and colouring books, young reader editions, as well as groundbreaking new titles including The Chronology of Narnia, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian Official Illustrated Movie Companion, The Crafting of Narnia: a Behind the Scenes Visual Guide, The Chronicles of Narnia: A Pop-Up Adaptation of CS Lewis’s Original Series by the acclaimed Robert Sabuda and audio editions read by Kenneth Branagh, Michael York, Alex Jennings, Lynn Redgrave, Derek Jacobi, Jeremy Northam and Patrick Stewart respectively (May 2008)...

For further details see www.discovernarnia.co.uk

Thai@Trafalgar.Square event

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Thai@Trafalgar.Square took place on Saturday 14th June in Trafalgar Square. The day long event was a celebration of Thai arts, music, culture and food. Trafalgar Square was transformed into a small part of Thailand for the day and 1,000’s of people passed through the Square and enjoyed the entertainment and Thai hospitality. This is now going to be an annual event.

See http://lsq.tv/red-carpet/videodirectlink-1061.html for TV footage of the event...

Thai@Trafalgar Square Festival

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Thailand comes to the heart of London on the 14th June for the incredible Thai@Trafalgar.Square event and promises to deliver an exhilarating taste of Thailand.

The Greater London Authority estimates about 100,000 people will pass through the event over the course of the day, so it’s definitely worth coming along to see if for yourself.

With no less than five storage containers worth of sets, costumes, instruments, food and handicrafts, people will be able to journey through some of Thailand’s most beautiful arts and culture. Not only will there be food and drink available, but a fantastic array of acts will be performing, giving all your sense something to delight in.

This is one event definitely not worth missing – be there or be Thai Square!

Press release...

Peter James presents police car to Brighton and Hove Police

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

A police car with “Peter James” branding is set to be launched at the John Street police station in Brighton at 2.30pm on Thursday 12th June. It is believed to be the first of its kind in the UK, and is being presented to the police by Peter James and Geoff Duffield, Sales and Marketing Director at Pan Macmillan, as a token of appreciation for the insight that Brighton and Hove police have given Peter into their investigations.

Press release...

One hundred Years of Mills & Boon

Thu, 5 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Love is in the air … and in the library, as the And then he kissed her...100 Years of Mills & Boon centenary exhibition launched on Thursday 5th June at Manchester Central Library.

Guests were treated to guided tours of the exhibition by costumed Mills & Boon ‘alpha male heroes’ whilst local choristers from the Halle Singers provided a soundtrack of romantic classics.

The exhibition, which features a display of Mills & Boon cover art, a company timeline, author profiles and associated memorabilia, runs until 31st July before starting a tour of libraries in the North West.

Mills & Boon Centenary

Top right: Arrows from the Dark - the first book to be published by Mills & Boon
Below: Guests at the exhibition enjoying a dance with the 'alpha male heroes'

Wales Book of the Year 2008 shortlist

Mon, 26 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The shortlists for the Wales Book of the Year 2008 were announced on Monday 26th May, on the Segovia Stage at the Guardian Hay Festival in the presence of the Minister for Heritage, Rhodri Glyn Thomas.

Judges Trevor Fishlock for the English-language Award and Aled Islwyn for the Welsh-language Award announced the shortlists of three books which are now in contention for the £10,000 award.

For the English-language shortlist the judges have chosen poet Dannie Abse’s remarkable memoir about his late wife; novelist Tom Bullough’s powerful drama set in the Welsh borders and Nia Wyn’s moving account of her son’s cerebral palsy...

See press release
for full details...
(89 Kb)

British Book Industry Awards winners

Tue, 13 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Book Trade celebrates industry achievements

Brighton, 13th May 2008 – The winners of the book industry’s most important trade awards, the British Book Industry Awards (BBIA), were announced at the Hilton Brighton Metropole yesterday evening (Tuesday). Representatives of all sectors of the book industry - from independent booksellers to CEOs of major publishing companies - attended a black tie awards ceremony at the end of the Booksellers Association Annual Conference, to pay tribute to the achievements of booksellers and publishers across the UK and Ireland.

The BBIA – the sister ceremony to the Galaxy British Book Awards – are organised by trade magazine Publishing News in conjunction with the Booksellers Association. Tribute was paid to Fred Newman, who founded the awards 19 years ago and was present at the evening. The event is the only one of its kind to honour all sectors of the book business and has provided the industry with a prestigious platform from which it has been able to recognise and reward its own...

Top: The 'Big Nibbie' and Kate Mosse with her book Labyrinth | Middle: The Hilton
Metropole; Bill Samuel and Jo Henry; and Nic Bottomley accepting his award

Press release
(75 Kb)

New Omnibus Press Bob Dylan book out this month!

Fri, 9 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

This month marks the publication of the stunning new picture book ‘Real Moments, Bob Dylan’ published by Omnibus Press. The book contains previously unseen photographs of Bob Dylan, taken by the legendary rock photographer Barry Feinstein.

You can get a peek at some of the unseen photos in a exclusive in The Times today along with the following websites: Times Online | GQ Online | NME.com | The First Post

The book’s publication coincides with an exhibition of Feinstein’s pictures at Snap Galleries in Birmingham www.snapgalleries.com until June 28th

Real Moments, Bob Dylan press release

An Eligible Man World premi�re at the New End Theatre

Tue, 6 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

By Rosemary Friedman, directed by Ninon Jerome

Wed 30th April – Sun 8th June

PRESS NIGHT – TUESDAY 6TH MAY

World première at the New End Theatre, Hampstead; Starring: Graham Seed and Patricia Potter

An Eligible Man will be performed at the award-winning New End Theatre, Hampstead, for an exclusive 6 week run starting on Wednesday 30th April. This is a unique opportunity to experience a new work by Rosemary Friedman, one of the UK’s most prolific writers, in a poignantcomedy presented at one of London’s leading off-West End theatres...

Press release
(169 Kb)

HarperCollins Prince Caspian titles

Fri, 2 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis has been voted the Best Children's book of all time in a UK survey of over 4,000 parents.

The Chronicles of Narnia have enchanted generations of readers and in May 2008 HarperCollins publish a host of official tie-in books in advance of the release of the eagerly awaited movie sequel to The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe: Prince Caspian (Disney and Walden Media).

See the Midas Narnia homepage for further details...

First Garden Photographer of the Year Award

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

After thousands of photographs were submitted to the first ever international Garden Photographer of the Year competition earlier this year, the entrants have now been whittled down to a list of talented photographers, classed either as “Finalists” or “Commended” and announced this week at www.igpoty.com

The panel of eleven judges, including renowned garden photographer Clive Nichols and TV’s Chris Beardshaw, deliberated at length over photographs of an incredibly high standard from as far afield as Hawaii, Japan and Australia.

The Finalists’ photographs will be showcased at a high-profile exhibition launched on 22 May, in a purpose-built outdoor area at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and running until late September 2008. The winners themselves will be announced when the show opens, as part of the opening of Kew’s Summer festival...

Press release
(65 Kb)

New chapter for Emirates with International Festival of Literature

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Some of the world’s most creative literary talent will write a new chapter in the inspirational story of Dubai when the city hosts the inaugural Emirates Airline International Festival of Literature (EAIFL), announced at the London Book Fair today.

Authors confirmed to speak at the festival include Paolo Coelho, Sir Ranulph Fiennes, Anne Fine, Jeremy Strong and Lauren Child. Other participating authors will be household names in genres such as fiction, children’s, lifestyle and sport...

Press release
(50 Kb)

JK Rowling honoured by PM

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Prime Minister Gordon Brown praised Harry Potter author JK Rowling last night
as she received an award for Outstanding Achievement at the Galaxy British
Book Awards.

The Prime Minister said: ‘She has joined a distinguished line of British authors whose work has got the whole country reading, and whose books will be read for many years to
come by successive generations.’ (see below for full speech)

The publishing industry also honoured veteran author Doris Lessing with a standing ovation for a career that included the award to her last year of the Nobel Prize for Literature. Lessing was shortlisted for the Reader’s Digest Author of the Year for her novel, The Cleft, but the title went to Ian McEwan for his bestselling novel, On Chesil Beach. The Award was presented by Lord Attenborough...

Press release
(218 Kb)

National Coverage
April 2008 (11.4 Mb)

Online Coverage
April 2008 (4.7 Mb)

The Galaxy British Book Awards 2008: (from top left to right) Judy Finnigan,
JK Rowling and Richard Madeley, Russell Brand, Alan Carr, Doris Lessing,
Katie Price, Geri Halliwell, Lord Richard Attenborough, and Jonathan Ross.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s Speech for Outstanding achievement award for JK Rowling

"Good evening. I’m very privileged to present tonight’s award for Outstanding Achievement to a very special author, and someone Sarah and I are lucky enough to call a friend – Jo Rowling.

Jo’s books have touched people young and old.

She has joined a distinguished line of British authors whose work has got the whole country reading, and whose books will be read for many years to come by successive generations.

That alone is worthy of an award, because we all know reading is the gateway to learning and fulfillment for every generation.

But she has been more than just a very popular and successful writer. She has always sought to use her success to improve the lives of others.

She has been incredibly generous with her time and her money supporting some of the UK’s most deserving charities, but always in a quiet way.

And Sarah and I have been particularly grateful for the help she has given to the charities which we support.

So on this special night, we wish you the greatest congratulations Jo – we wish you all the best for your future projects, and we hope to see you soon to say well done in person."

Bloomsbury to publish biography of Warren Buffett

Tue, 1 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Snowball to be the first biography of the world’s richest man compiled with his cooperation...

1st April 2008 – Bloomsbury Publishing will publish The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life by Alice Schroeder, the biography of the world’s richest man, Warren Buffett. The book is set to be released 29th September 2008 worldwide and will be published in hardback, priced £20.

The Snowball is a biography of Warren Buffett’s ideas, a perspective that can be applied to business and the day-to-day decisions that dominate our lives. Buffett has given Alice Schroeder unprecedented access to himself, his files, friends and associates. The book will give a never-before-published insight into his character and life, distilling the principles and philosophies that have guided him on a path to extraordinary success and esteem. There have been many books written about Warren Buffett that claim to reveal the formula for his investment genius, but The Snowball will be the first and only book with his co-operation.

Warren Buffett is arguably the world’s greatest investor and is one of the most revered public figures in the US. He was born on 30th August 1930 in Omaha, Nebraska. He turned struggling Massachusetts textile firm Berkshire Hathaway into an insurance company in 1962, and became its CEO. Since then his investments have included Coca-Cola, American Express, Gillette and Wells Fargo. Buffett is also known as the Oracle of Omaha, for his wise quips and quotable aphorisms.

With an estimated net worth of around US$62 billion, he was ranked by Forbes as the richest person in the world on 5th March 2008; for twenty years he has been one of the world's four richest men, ranked either number one or two during sixteen of those years. But Buffett leads an intriguingly frugal life. Despite his immense wealth, he takes home a salary of only £50,000 a year. He still lives in the same house in Omaha that he bought in 1958 (now worth about £350,000), eats in the same local burger bar he has done so for years, downing innumerable cans of Cherry Coke daily; his only indulgence is a private jet. In 2006, he announced he would be giving away his fortune to charity, with 83% of it going to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Alice Schroeder began her career as a certified public accountant, working for Ernst & Young before being appointed as a managing director at Morgan Stanley in the equities division. She was the number 1-ranked Institutional Investor All-America Research analyst in 2001 and 2002, and a member of the All-America Research team for seven years. Schroeder first met Warren Buffett in 1998. By 2001, Buffett began to suggest that Alice shift from the business of following stocks in order to write full-time.

To underpin The Snowball as the business book of 2008, Bloomsbury will run a major city-based marketing campaign to launch the book, including comprehensive online promotion and consumer advertising in financial supplements of the national press.

For more information about The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life or for an interview with Alice Schroeder please contact Amelia Rowland at Midas Public Relations on 020 7590 0813 or amelia.rowland@midaspr.co.uk

The Midas Spring Bulletin 2008

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

WELCOME TO THE MIDAS BULLETIN – SPRING/SUMMER 2008

Spring and summer 2008 see the Midas team busy at work promoting arts and entertainment projects from fiction and non-fiction titles, to high profile events such as the Galaxy Book Awards and London Book Fair in April. We are also delighted to be working on the extensive HarperCollins movie tie-in publishing programme for the most exciting movie of the summer, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (Disney/Walden Media).

This year, we have a host of strong women’s fiction and crime being published, including new titles from bestselling authors Lesley Pearse, Amanda Brookfield and Peter James and the launch of a new Ebury Fiction list. Our non-fiction titles also continue to excite, with music, biography, travel, popular culture and how-to guides galore. Highlights of this section include the new book from Gavin Menzies, the bestselling author of 1421, and cutting-edge biographies of Amy Winehouse, Dolly Parton, Bob Dylan and Pete Townsend. From the quirky – new titles from KnowtheScoreBooks – to current affairs – SourceBooks – to commercial fiction – Avon and Mira – we know there will be something of interest for everyone.

Our Awards and Events projects for the year continue with the largest consumer Awards event in publishing: the Galaxy Book Awards in April hosted by Richard and Judy and televised on Channel 4. In the same month we also promote The London Book Fair, the largest global trade publishing event in the Spring, which this year places a focus on the Arab World.

Looking to the rest of 2008, we continue to promote the Mills and Boon Centenary celebrations, Reader’s Digest Magazine and the Booksellers Association in addition to further Awards, including The Paul Foot Award for Campaigning Journalism in November.

We do hope this Bulletin provides a useful digest of our new projects. Do visit the Midas press office for breaking news and further updates...

The Midas Team

Midas Spring bulletin 2008 (1.25 Mb)

Galaxy British Book Awards 2008 shortlist

Wed, 12 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The full shortlists for this year’s Galaxy British Book Awards were announced today at a reception hosted by Richard & Judy, whose Channel 4 Book Club has proved a huge success in bringing a wide range of authors to readers. Sponsored for the second year by Galaxy® Chocolate, the winners of the Awards, now in their 19th year, will be revealed on April 9th 2008 when bestselling authors and celebrities will pack into the Grosvenor House...

See press release for further details

Top left: Richard and Judy with Marie Helvin; Top right: Lloyd Jones, Amanda Ross
and Victoria Hislop; Middle: Shortlisted authors including Charley Boorman, Ben
MacIntyre and Andrew Marr; Bottom left: Clarissa Dickson Wright, Paul Torday and
Katharine McMahn; Bottom right: Charley Boorman, Francesca Simon
and Alastair Campbell

UK delegation at the 40th Cairo International Book Fair

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Against a backdrop of pyramids, piracy and Palestinian border breaches, a delegation of UK publishers, journalists and industry representatives headed to the 40th Cairo International Book Fair for a whirlwind programme of seminars and receptions. The General Egyptian Book Organisation (GEBO) generously hosted our trip, and its aim was to establish an exchange mechanism for publishing rights ahead of the Arab world's role as Market Focus region at this year's London Book Fair; a project initiated by the British Council and the London Book Fair three years ago.

From the outset it was clear that the differences between the publishing industries in the Western and Arab worlds were beyond linguistic. Getting to grips with unexpected statistics helped: across 22 Arabic speaking countries and states with an approximate population of 300 million, the levels of illiteracy are around 40%. Division of wealth throughout the region is such that any demographic model applied by the UK to a book-buying market is irrelevant. There is no middle class. There are no sales figures available, bestseller or otherwise, though we were assured that the most popular genres are religion, politics, children's non-fiction, business and self-help, and lastly poetry and literature. The popularity of religious texts is deep-rooted and demonstrated by the predominance of religious publishers at the book fair; another stark contrast with our secular Western markets.

Censorship is another key difference. The ‘big three’: religion, politics and sex, are off-limits to writers. Despite the appearance of democracy in Egypt, writers routinely practise self-censorship or risk being unpublished; 99% of publishers won't touch a contentious book, and 99% of bookshops won't stock it. A rare dissenting voice belongs to chain-smoking, Al Pacino lookalike, Mohamed Hashem, the publisher at Dar Merit. Hashem's libertarian stance has made him a target for bullying, even at public events such as the Cairo Book Fair. Hustling for coffee in the London Book Fair doesn't really compare.

Bookshops, printers and publishers are frequently one and the same company, introducing problems of distribution. Incredibly, the average book published has a distribution radius of around five kilometres. Distribution networks are based on personal relationships; a privately owned bookshop carrying its own imprint is unlikely to stock another publisher's titles and independent retail outlets are scarce. Furthermore, the lack of an online Amazon-equivalent coupled with low levels of internet and credit card usage limit consumer choice. This explains why book fairs in the Arab world are lengthy and frequent. Fairs are a distribution method in themselves, providing unrivalled access to the public, universities and libraries. Where Western publishers operate in a heavily marketed environment, the Arab industry put less emphasis on the resultant sale and profit of book publishing. Print runs average around 3,000 and a book rarely retails above 20 pence. When a speaker suggested that Arabic publishers are 'not looking for profit'; we struggled to relate.

The shape of the international translation market shows further contradictions. Statistics show) that 18,000 books have been translated from Arabic since the 18th century, whereas 40,000 have gone in the opposite direction, indicating shortcomings in the exchange of rights. Translation rights traditionally rest with the author, meaning publishers are under no obligation to push the texts towards the international market and authors lack the funds to do so independently. Hope comes in the form of institutions such as the American University of Cairo (AUC), an English language publisher, and the Kalima and Al-Makhtoum Foundations who have started programmes of cultural exchange, championing unpublished Arab authors and increasing translations of Western titles into Arabic. Privately owned with extensive funds these can only be a force for good.

This shift in the industry approach has made space for independent bookstores such as Diwan. A beautifully converted residential villa, this bookshop – one of two in Cairo – is a haven for book-lovers, open 365 days a year, running author events and children's activities. This pioneering venture may not seem revolutionary to us but is a dynamic move in a static industry.

The final round-table discussion concluded in the hope that the Arab Publishers Assocation will be able to communicate to its publishers that their international counterparts are ready to negotiate buying and selling rights; that the international dialogue will continue and that international business models can be appropriated where necessary. My personal highlight of the fair was the Arab publication of A&C Black's Writing for Science Fiction and Fantasy, an unexpected sale to an unlikely market perhaps, but one indicative of a possible change afoot. Piracy, censorship, industry standards and distribution still need to be addressed, but cultural imperialism is not the way forward. It is with an Arab-like warmth and hospitality that we hope the UK can host our guests of honour at the London Book Fair.

Delegates at the entrance to hall 15

Midas Public Relations goes green...

Fri, 29 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Midas Public Relations are keen to encourage people to think of ways they could reduce their own carbon footprint and therefore play a small but vital role in the battle against climate change. As a company we are always on the look out for new ways to improve our own recycling and come up with new strategies in our work systems to enhance the efforts we already make.

We are also eager to show others how easy it is to make small changes throughout their work and personal lives, so have provided links and details from a selection of companies which we think you may find useful...

See the Midas green room for further details...

Sarah Sands joins Reader's Digest

Fri, 22 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

In announcing the appointment, Chris Spratling, Managing Director of Reader’s Digest UK said, “I’m delighted that Sarah is joining Reader’s Digest. Her extensive editorial experience, energy and creativity will undoubtedly help us expand the Reader’s Digest brand in both print and digital formats. The appointment of such a highly regarded talent reflects Reader’s Digest’s commitment to maintaining the vigour of our magazine, our brand and our company.”

Sarah Sands is currently a consulting editor at the Daily Mail. She also writes for other leading publications including the Financial Times and the Independent on Sunday and appears regularly on television as a commentator. Well known for her achievements at the Telegraph Group, Sarah Sands was the editor of the Saturday Telegraph which, as a package, set the pace for Britain's Saturday papers. Subsequently as editor of the Sunday Telegraph, she created two more successful magazines, Stella for women and Seven for entertainment.

Press release
(17 Kb)

Reader's Digest press office

Lesley Pearse Woman Of Courage Award winner

Wed, 13 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The second ever Lesley Pearse Woman Of Courage Award took place last week at the Penguin building on the Strand. Lesley said ‘These awards are about celebrating women who triumph over tragedy, women who give us hope.’ It was awarded to Karen Baker, who was nominated by her colleague Angela Dias, because of her bravery through illness and her devotion to her family.

Karen provides full time support for her disabled daughter Nicky, cares for her father, who has Alzheimer’s Disease, as well as assisting her husband who has epilepsy. Karen has also lived with cancer for several years, but still finds the time to visit the elderly, learn sign language and pursue a career in hairdressing.

She won £1,000 cash from Lesley, a luxury family holiday for four people to the Holiday Village Red Sea in Egypt courtesy of First Choice Holidays, £200 worth of Penguin books, a year’s subscription to Love It!, a makeover in a London studio, a wardrobe of clothes to the value of £300, and a donation to a charity of their choice.

Lesley also gave a special mention and a cheque to twenty five year old Julianne Durkin O’Brien from Liverpool who cares for her young son who has Spinal Muscular Atrophy. She said: ‘Julianne was a very strong contender and I wanted her to have some recognition…’

For more details see the Women of Courage Award Press Office

The Mills & Boon centenary party

Thu, 7 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Mills & Boon celebrated its centenary in appropriately romantic style with over 300 guests filling the Wallace Collection in Central London on Thursday 7th February. The guest authors, editors, literary and publishing VIP’s were greeted to a champagne and cocktail reception with live music of love songs through the ages. Alan Titchmarsh (a former Romantic Novelist of the Year award winner) provided the key note speech; the Butlers in the Buff handed out pink roses to the strains of Nat King Cole’s ‘When I Fall In Love…’ and the Bolli Darling Fabulous Flamingos made sure every guest was tickled pink.

Last night’s party starts a year long centenary programme of events including a national touring exhibition to be launched in Manchester this June.

Top: MD of Harlequin Mills & Boon, Guy Hallowes with the Bolli Darling
Fabulous Flamingos | Middle: The grand Courtyard at the Wallace Collection
Bottom: the Butlers in the Buff with Guy Hallowes and Clare Somerville
[Photography by Philippa Gedge Photography]

Freya North wins Romantic Novel of the Year 2008

Mon, 4 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Freya North’s Pillow Talk was today named Romantic Novel of the Year 2008 by The Romantic Novelists’ Association at a lunch at the Royal Garden Hotel, London.

Pillow Talk was chosen from a shortlist of six books as the winner of the 2008 award by a judging panel which this year comprised comedienne Helen Lederer, Good Housekeeping Books Editor Kerry Fowler, and Chris Rushby, Buying Director of Bertram Books, Britain’s leading book wholesaler...

Press release
(44 Kb)

Helen Lederer, Chair of the judging panel for RNA Romantic Novel of the Year Award

Thirty Bullies shortlisted for British Sports Award

Tue, 29 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Thirty Bullies - A History of the Rugby World Cup by Alison Kervin has been short-listed for the Rugby Book of the Year Award 2008. This is now one of seven awards, selected by the Rugby Writers Club, to be presented at the Awards lunch at the Café Royal on 18th March.

2008 British Sports Awards shortlist
(19 Kb)

MIDAS BREAKS news on prize-winning author

Fri, 25 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT

An award-winning author has received £115,000 in an out-of-court settlement after claiming her literary career suffered because of fumes from a shoe factory.

Joan Brady, the first woman to win the Whitbread Prize, says she had to abandon a highbrow novel and turn to thriller writing after suffering numbness in her hands and legs which she alleged was caused by solvents used by the Conker Shoe Company next to her former home in Totnes, Devon.

Brady, 67, said the noise from the factory also contributed to her being unable to concentrate on her novel, Cool Wind From the Future, which she has still not completed almost eight years on.

Instead, she embarked on a less-demanding crime novel, Bleedout, which has sold about 10,000 copies since 2005.

Shortlist announced for the Romantic Novel of the Year 2008

Mon, 14 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Romantic Novelists’ Association today announced the shortlist for the Romantic Novel of the Year 2008. The shortlist was selected by a panel of RNA members, who scored the books on such criteria as romantic content, readability, dialogue, characters, plot, style and setting.

The shortlist includes:

One Last Summer – Catrin Collier (Orion)

Silk and Steel – Catherine King (Sphere/Little, Brown)

The Leaving of Liverpool – Maureen Lee (Orion)

Silver Bay – Jojo Moyes (Hodder & Stoughton)

Pillow Talk – Freya North (Harper Collins)

Young Wives’ Tales – Adele Parks (Michael Joseph/Penguin)

"Romantic fiction is one of the most important sectors of the publishing industry. Many, many people only ever read or buy this genre, so the authors play an important, if unwitting, role in this country’s literacy. The massive sales the writers generate is largely uncelebrated by the general press, which is a great shame as there is such a diverse range of authors and titles published every year – this is why the Romantic Novel of the Year prize is so important and should be loudly celebrated. I was lucky enough to attend the awards lunch last year and felt humbled in the presence of so many popular and some very prolific authors."

Amanda Ross, Cactus TV

See full press release for further details

The shortlisted authors from left to right: Catherine King, Catrin Collier,
Adele Parks, Jojo Moyes and Freya North. Maureen Lee was absent due to illness.

New British Book Award logos

Tue, 1 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT

New logos have been created for The Galaxy British Book Awards, The British Book Industry Awards & The Academy of the British Book Industry, linking both award ceremonies with the academy which creates the shortlist.

Alastair Giles, Marketing Consultant to the brand owner, Publishing News and a member of the Executive Committee said;

‘The brief was to create new logos that linked the two award ceremonies to each other and to the Academy who create the shortlists for both. The other creative challenge was to deliver flexibility of use, whether in 3D on screen or tiny on stickers. In consultation with Masterfoods UK Ltd, our sponsor for the Galaxy British Book Awards, I believe we have found a way forward that answers the brief and embraces the values and heritage attached to an event that is now approaching its 19^th birthday’...


		Press release (48 Kb)

Oona King Diaries shortlisted for Award

Thu, 20 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT

House Music by Oona King has been shortlisted for the Channel 4 Political Awards in the Book of the Year category.

This shortlist was compiled by a committee of peers, MPs and journalists. The award ceremony will be on January 23rd, and will be broadcast on Channel 4 a few days later.

For more information please go to:

http://www.channel4.com/

N�mirovsky and Morpurgo victors in Independent Award

Tue, 18 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Independent Bookshop Customers vote for their Favourite Book of the Year

Irène Némirovsky’s posthumous international bestseller Suite Française and Alone on a Wide Wide Sea by Michael Morpurgo were today named winners of the inaugural nationwide Independent Booksellers’ Book of the Year Award.

The Award, which is organised by The Booksellers Association, the national trade association for booksellers, was supported by 187 independent bookshops throughout the country.

Press release

New Schott's Almanac released for 2008

Wed, 12 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Midas is delighted to be handling the publicity for Schott’s Almanac 2008, the classiest, quirkiest and most informative book of the year. Published on 1st December, to tie in with the beginning of Advent, Schott’s Almanac aspires to follow the Paxman prescription of ‘assessing, filtering, separating the froth from what matters’, to offer an informative, selective, and entertaining analysis of the year...

Press release

Peter James No.2 in Bestseller lists

Fri, 7 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Peter James’s new paperback Not Dead Enough will be in at no.2 in the Sunday Times Bestseller Charts this Sunday, after selling 23,500 copies in its first week of publication!

The news comes at the same time as a deal has been struck to translate Peter’s Roy Grace novels into their 29th language – Croatian.

Not Dead Enough

Christmas 2007 at Midas Public Relations

Sat, 1 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Each year Midas Public Relations chooses a charity to support in lieu of sending Christmas cards and also to help save trees! This year we are supporting the charity BTBS and the Bangladesh Cyclone Appeal.

BTBS The book trade charity, is the trade's own welfare charity. It is often the most appropriate channel through which assistance and support can be given to those members of the trade who find themselves in difficult circumstances. For further information visit their website on http://www.booktradecharity.demon.co.uk/

Bangladesh Cyclone appeal: At times of overseas emergency, the DEC (Disaster Emergency Committee) brings together a unique alliance of the UK's aid, corporate, public and broadcasting sectors to rally the nation's compassion, and ensure that funds raised go to DEC agencies best placed to deliver effective and timely relief to people most in need. For further information see www.dec.org.uk/

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from all at Midas

Midas PR PRCA accredited

Wed, 21 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Midas Public Relations are delighted to announce their accreditation as Full Members of the Public Relations Consultants Association as a result of passing the Association’s Consultancy Management Standard. This Standard is an independently audited set of eight tests which a consultancy must pass in order to be fully accredited to the PRCA, the voice of public relations consultancies in the UK. Only 120 other PR companies in the UK are Full Members.

Midas Public Relations, already well established as a PR Week top 150 Company, commands a reputation as one of the leading PR agencies for the book, magazine and publishing industry, through their work with major publishing houses, high profile authors, corporate communications, trade and consumer events, awards and the direct marketing industry.

Steven Williams, Joint Managing Director of Midas commented “When you employ a public relations consultancy you expect it to be a sound business, well managed and capable of doing a great job for you. You expect it to comply with a professional code of conduct and to perform according to best practice. Clearly, we have always sought to attain the highest standards but it is nevertheless marvellous to have this independent assurance of professionalism to provide to current and potential clients. Along with my partners, Tony Mulliken and Jacks Thomas, I am very proud of this considerable achievement.”

Midas PR fully PRCA accredited
(37 Kb)

First ever Independent Booksellers' Book of the Year

Mon, 12 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Independent Bookshop customers are being invited to vote for their favourite book of the year in the inaugural nationwide Independent Booksellers’ Book of the Year Award.

The Award is being organised by The Booksellers Association (BA) - the national trade association for booksellers, whose independent booksellers group, the Small Business Forum, is pulling together the initiative.

Votes will be cast on a shortlist of ten adults and ten children’s books voted for by Booksellers Association members (UK and Ireland) from a long list derived from sales data that specifically relates to independent bookshops...

Press release

“I’m absolutely delighted to be on the shortlist for the Independent Booksellers award. I’ve been going to my local bookshop in Chelsea for almost twenty years now and I buy all my books there. It has incredibly friendly and informed staff, and an astonishingly rich stock of books. It’s independent, of course, and also happens one of the great bookshops of the world — John Sandoe’s.” William Boyd

"I am delighted and honoured to be shortlisted for the Independent Booksellers Book of the Year Award. I have two great local, independent bookshops and I find them so refreshing. Independent booksellers have to make impassioned choices about what to stock and how to present it, which makes it more likely you will stumble across something unexpected and wonderful.” Steff Penney

The Body Beautiful Show

Mon, 5 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

The Body Beautiful Show took place in the Business Design Centre in Islington on 2nd – 4th November. It included masterclasses, fitness demonstrations and masses of vibrant exhibitors stands. Some of the expert masterclasses speakers included people like Joanna Hall, Alexandra Watson and Debbie Arnold.

Press release

Glasgow has been named as the UK's horror capital

Thu, 1 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

As the trick or treat season gets underway, Glasgow has been named as the UK’s horror capital, according to statistics released today by Borders. The book store has analysed data which reveal that Glaswegians have a real taste for blood, guts and gore, having purchased more horror books in the last year than any other UK area. Beating the likes of London and Manchester, the Scottish city accounts for 7% of the total sales of horror books in the UK, with customers unable to get enough of stories from the likes of Stephen King and James Herbert.

Second in the poll of Horror-lovers came London, followed by Chester, Leeds and Birmingham. The research, which accounted for Horror sales over a twelve month period, also named the cities which shy-away from scary titles. The top ‘Scaredy-cats’ in the UK are the book fans in Southampton, who bought the lowest number of Horror titles, followed by Manchester, Bristol, Dundee and Milton Keynes.

The Borders’ research also revealed the UK’s favourite horror authors. Top of the list was Stephen King, whose book ‘Cell’ was the highest seller in the category in the last 12 months. Following him was James Herbert, with Dean Koontz, Max Brookes and Richard Bachman making up the rest of the top five.

Dom Kippin, of Borders, said; “This study shows that book fans love nothing more than scaring themselves with a good Horror novel. With over 500 horror titles on our shelves, we are bracing ourselves for a rush for scary books during the week of Halloween”

The Last Tycoons wins

Thu, 25 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT

William D Cohan won the Financial Times & Goldman Sachs Business Book of the Year Award 2007 for The Last Tycoons, an account of unrestrained ambition, billion-dollar fortunes, Byzantine power struggles and hidden scandal, published by Doubleday.

The Award was presented on Thursday 25th October at a Gala Dinner at the British Library by Lionel Barber, Editor of the Financial Times, and Lloyd C Blankfein, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Goldman Sachs. The keynote speaker was Lakshmi Mittal, President and CEO of ArcelorMittal.

William D Cohan was awarded £30,000 for winning title The Last Tycoons, and each of the remaining shortlisted authors received £5,000.

Press Release

Left: William D Cohan, winner of The Financial Times and Goldman Sachs
Business Book of the Year Award 2007; and Right: Lloyd Blankfein and Lionel
Barber present Lakshmi Mittal with an early edition of The Wealth of Nations,
voted by the readers of the FT as the Best Business Book of All-time.

Arvon Foundation Fund-raiser at Lincoln's Inn

Tue, 23 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT

The Arvon Foundation Fundraiser at Lincoln’s Inn ‘The Trial of Ms Belle Epoch’ starred Jerry Hall, Timothy West, Prunella Scales, Art Malik and Jeremy Paxman – written and devised by PD James who played the Cook and Simon Brett who played the Judge. 300 people enjoyed a delicious 3 course dinner and wonderful entertainment in magnificent surroundings!

Split decision in Paul Foot Award for campaigning journalism 2007

Tue, 16 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT

The prestigious award for campaigning journalism, was held this year in the Spin Bar at Millbank Tower.

After a very closely contested competition between the seven shortlisted entries, the judging panel of the Paul Foot Award for Campaigning Journalism 2007 decided to split this year’s prize between David Leigh and Rob Evans of the Guardian for their investigation into the issue of bribery in the British arms trade, and Deborah Wain of the Doncaster Free Press for her exposé of corruption in the Doncaster Education City project.

Press release

Above: Ian Hislop with the winners Rob Evans and David Leigh of the
Guardian, and Deborah Wain of the Doncaster Free press.
Below: Ian Hislop with Jon Snow and Richard Ingrams

Midas Public Relations bulletin 2007

Fri, 12 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Welcome to the Midas Autumn / Winter Bulletin for 2007

Germaine Greer, AC Grayling, Oona King, Alasdair Gray, Ben Okri, Peter James, Douglas Kennedy, William Fox–Pitt, Duncan Fletcher, Bruce Parry, Lesley Pearce, Alex Kava, Freya North, Cathy Kelly, Erica James, Gemma Malley, Rachael Simhon, Sir Ronald Cohen, Ben Schott and film director, actor and cult figure, Kevin Smith — just some of the names of current and future authors we’re working with this Autumn.

We’ve launched Vintage Classics, Avon Books, Oneworld Classics and Compact Editions, and other highlights include The Financial Times and Goldman Sachs Business book Award 2007, a triumphant Midsummer Night’s Dream at Kensington Palace, the John Betjeman Young People’s Poetry Competition, The Melissa Nathan Award, the Paul Foot Award and the Orwell Prize.

These are just a taster of all the good things in our Autumn Bulletin which also includes information on Reader’s Digest Magazine, neverendingstory, new books from Severn House, Sterling Publishers, the AA, Private Eye, Viz and the Friday Project.

Looking to the New Year, in February 2008 Mills and Boon celebrate their Centenary, and in April we’re again looking forward to both The Galaxy British Book Awards and The London Book Fair.

We do hope you find this Bulletin useful and we look forward to working with you.

The Midas Team

See press office for Bulletin PDF

Old Men in Love Scotland author tour

Thu, 11 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Following a succesful launch on 1st October, Alasdair Gray is touring in Scotland to promote his new novel, Old Men in Love, published by Bloomsbury.

The book was launched at a party hosted by the Riflemaker Gallery in Soho in conjunction with a new exhibition - Terminus - by artist Francesca Lowe whose work has been inspired by the writing of Alasdair Gray. Terminus will run at the Riflemaker Gallery until 15th December 2007.

Press release

Author tour events calendar

New Avon thriller launches at the Union Club

Thu, 4 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Claire Seeber launched her thriller Lullaby, published by Avon, at the Union Club on Wednesday 3rd October.

See press release

The Book of Regrets launch party

Wed, 3 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT

The Launch party for The Book of Regrets was held at the Foundling Museum on Brunswick Square. Guests included Christine and Neil Hamilton, AC Grayling, Bel Mooney, Sir Michael Holroyd, Sir Victor Blank, Alan Whicker and Virginia Ironside.

The Book of Regrets was compiled by Juliet Solomon, and takes a unique look at the subject of regret by presenting a collection of thoughts, from a number of eminent and successful people, on things they wish they had or hadn't done throughout their lives.

Press release

The London Book Fair announces Market Focus for 2008

Mon, 1 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT

The London Book Fair is delighted to announce that the Arab World (defined as the 20 countries and 2 states which have Arabic as their registered official language) will be its 2008 Market Focus.

The main objectives of this London Book Fair Market Focus will be to strengthen cultural relations with the Arab World, to educate the global publishing industry about Arab literature, and allow the Arab publishers to promote their books and literature to all parts of the world via the Fair...

Press release

British women are classic hourglass shape and hate it

Fri, 28 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Women want to look like lollipop-shaped Angelina Jolie

One in five British women consider themselves to have an hourglass figure, but it is also one of the body shapes they like least, according to a new survey. Just 1% of women thought the Hourglass was attractive - and only 4% of men found it appealing.

In a poll commissioned to mark the launch of Trinny Woodall and Susannah Constantine’s new book, The Body Shape Bible (Weidenfeld & Nicolson) published on 18th September, respondents were shown 12 body shapes as defined by the two style gurus and asked to say which they thought they were and the shape they preferred.

See press release for further details...

Landscape Photographer of the Year launched at the National Theatre

Tue, 25 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT

The winner of the Landscape Photographer of the Year was announced at a launch at the National Theatre on 19th September. A lavish book of the winning entries, Take A View, Landscape Photographer of the Year is published by AA Publishing price £25.00. An exhibition of the winning pictures will run at the National Theatre until 3rd November.

Take A View, Landscape Photographer of the Year

Left: Nicolas Crane, presenter of BBC’s Coast, Jon Gibbs, Landscape Photographer of the Year and Charlie Waite, renowned landscape photographer and organiser of the competition at the launch.

Right: Winning pictures were projected on to the side of the National Theatre during the evening.

Confessions to a Serial Womaniser Launch Party

Fri, 21 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT

The Confessions to a Serial Womaniser launch party was held last night at the National Portrait Gallery and South Africa House. Guests included Sarah Ferguson (Duchess of York), Gillian and Kenneth Clark, Claire Beckwith, Margaret Beckett and Sarah Miles.

See press release for further details

William Fox-Pitt launchs autobiography What Will Be

Fri, 31 Aug 2007 00:00:00 GMT

William Fox-Pitt has been one of the most successful three-day event riders for many years. In his eagerly awaited autobiography he talks about the issues confronting the sport and reveals much about the vital partnership with team-mates and, above all, the horses that help him to gain such success.

The book launched on Thursday 30th August at Burghley Horse trials. Guests included Zara Phillips, Lucinda Green, Ian Stark, and members of the equestrian press.

Press release

New BBC series of Tribe

Thu, 30 Aug 2007 00:00:00 GMT

From 21st August - 25th September, BBC2 will broadcast 6 new films of Tribe with Bruce Parry.

Over several years, Parry spent a month living with fifteen different tribes in remote regions of the world. The result is an insight into wildly differing cultures that are vibrant, hospitable and full of spirit despite numerous hardships. Parry’s insatiable curiosity takes him deep into the heart of each community, whether they be forest people, cannibals or nomadic herders, where beyond the obvious differences he finds the same loves, trials and issues we have the world over.

www.bbc.co.uk/tribe/
www.bruceparry.com
See press release

Germaine Greer presents 'Shakespeare's Wife'

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 00:00:00 GMT

September sees the publication of Shakespeare’s Wife by the celebrated Shakespearian scholar Professor Germaine Greer. In this controversial work, Professor Greer explores the life and times of the much-maligned figure of Anne Hathaway, the farmer’s daughter who was to become the wife of our greatest playwright.

Professor Greer will be discussing her research at a series of public events around the country, including Edinburgh, Cambridge, Ely, St. Albans, Bath, London and Sheffield.

See press release

60 years on: India remembered

Wed, 15 Aug 2007 00:00:00 GMT

On August 15th 1947, Lord Louis Mountbatten, as the last Viceroy of India, handed over 'the jewel in the crown', partitioning the empire into two independent sovereign states, India and Pakistan. This summer marks the 60th anniversary of Indian independence, and to celebrate the occasion several new titles have emerged, including:

India Remembered by Lady Pamela Mountbatten
The Last Thousand Days of the British Empire by Peter Clarke
Vishnu's Crowded Temple by Maria Misra

Freya North's latest novel Pillow Talk launches

Mon, 6 Aug 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Soho House will launch Freya North's latest novel Pillow Talk, published by Harper Collins.

"North charts the ensuing emotional turmoil with a sexy exactitude, ending a welcome frisson to the chick-lit genre..." Marie Claire

Freya North has been at the forefront of feisty female fiction since 1996. Her distinctive style, believable characters and sexy but warm storylines give her bestsellers their enduring and unique appeal. ‘Pillow Talk’ is her ninth novel.

Listen to Freya North on Woman's Hour

Click here for press release

Vintage Classics relaunch

Thu, 2 Aug 2007 00:00:00 GMT

The relaunch of the Vintage Classics list and their move to “twin” the reading of old and new classic novels has already stirred debate in The Times, Guardian Unlimited, BBC Radio 4’s Open Book and The Today Programme…

The 2nd August sees the relaunch of the prestigious Vintage Classics imprint, with a fresh, stylish and modern design, appealing to both the average book buyer and the student market. This move is in keeping with the ambition of Vintage as a whole to bring the best writers of yesterday, today and tomorrow to as wide a readership as possible.

To mark the relaunch, Vintage will publish ten Vintage Classic ‘Twins’, which celebrate the organic link between Vintage’s contemporary writers and the classics. Each Twin consists of two books: a specially designed limited edition of one modern classic and one established work. The two books have been carefully selected to provide a thought-provoking combination. Some of the pairings could be considered controversial but Vintage is keen to incite debate about these works and encourage readers to look at the classics from new and perhaps unexpected angles. The debate is set to rage on…

See relaunch press release, and

The inaugural title: India by V.S. Naipaul

Facebook profile for Oxford Shakespeare Company

Mon, 30 Jul 2007 00:00:00 GMT

The Oxford Shakespeare Company have set up a Facebook profile so that more and more of London’s public are able to have constant access to listing and production information, as well as peruse the past production shots uploaded onto the site. Facebook users can find this profile and event when they search under any of the following: ‘Oxford’, ‘Shakespeare’ or ‘theatre’.

Further info & releases on the Oxford Shakespeare Company

Emma Kennedy launches 'How to Bring up your Parents'

Fri, 20 Jul 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Last Friday the 20th of July was marked by torrential downpours and serious flash flooding in the UK. It also marked the launch party of comedy actress and writer Emma Kennedy’s new book ‘How to Bring Up Your Parents’, published by Friday Books.

The party took place at The Century Club in London and despite the weather conditions the turn out was great. The Friday Project, Emma Kennedy and her parents were joined by Dave Gorman, Mel and Sue, Gaby Roslin and Anna Chancellor to name but a few to celebrate the publication.

Press Release

3 new authors join TheNeverEndingStory

Mon, 16 Jul 2007 00:00:00 GMT

www.TheNeverEndingStory.co.uk announced that three more bestselling authors have joined TheNeverEndingStory website to start previously unpublished stories which members can continue. Since its launch in March 2007, other bestselling authors have joined TheNeverEndingStory, including Lesley Pearse, reflecting the growth of the website and its author and user popularity.

This unique website is the only one of its kind to have Isabel Wolff, Peter James, Lesley Pearse and Imogen Parker contributing previously unpublished work, exclusive to the site, that can be accessed and continued by anyone!

Press Release

A Midsummer Night's Dream at Wadham, Kensington Palace and Hampton Court

Tue, 3 Jul 2007 00:00:00 GMT

For the first time the beautiful gardens of Kensington Palace will be the setting for Oxford Shakespeare Company’s summer production, A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

This is a unique opportunity to experience the work of one of the finest open air companies in this exceptional venue in the heart of London. Performed on the immaculate lawns adjacent to the Orangery, audiences will also be able to enjoy dinner on the terrace overlooking the gardens before the performance.

Wadham College, Oxford: 3 July –3 August

Kensington Palace Gardens: 4 – 17 August

Hampton Court Palace: 18 –25 August

See press release

New HarperCollins imprint launches

Mon, 2 Jul 2007 00:00:00 GMT

AVON, a new paperback imprint from HarperCollins was launched on 2nd July, and is THE brand new home of women's commercial paperback publishing in the UK.

The new imprint makes use of groundbreaking content icons featured on the back of each title. The icon pie chart allows the browser to see at a glance what sort of reading experience they’re in for. For example, in Fallen Idols (see below), you’ll find an equal mix of conspiracy, thrills, terror and law and order, whereas in Days of Summer, you’ll find a dramatic storyline, with a strong love story, and a fair amount of sex and thrills as well.

Douglas Kennedy presented with 'Chevalier des Arts et Lettres'

Thu, 28 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Doulgas Kennedy launched his latest novel 'The Woman in the Fifth' (Hutchinson, published 27th June 2007) at the French Ambassador's residence on Kensington Palace Gardens, where he was honoured with the insignia of 'Chevalier des Arts et Lettres' not only for his lifetime achievements as an author, but also specifically for his very real portrayal of life in the suburbs of Paris.

Douglas Kennedy with his publishers from Random House & Hutchinson:
(from left) Caroline Gascoigne, Gail Rebuck and Susan Sandon

Deadline approaches for Business Book of the Year Award 2007

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Submissions deadline for The Financial Times and Goldman Sachs Business Book of the Year Award is fast approaching – all entries are to arrive NO LATER than Friday 29th June 2007. Rules and entry forms are available from the www.ft.com. The shortlist will be announced 25th September, and the winner will be announced 25th October.

See press release for further details

Winner announced for first Melissa Nathan Award 2007

Thu, 14 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT

The winner of the inaugural Melissa Nathan Award for Comedy Romance 2007 was last night announced at a reception held at the Magic Circle Headquarters in London. The winner was:

Anybody Out There? By Marian Keyes (published by Michael Joseph)

The judges were: comedian Jo Brand, author Joanna Trollope, actress Jessica Hynes (née Stevenson), Head Book Buyer for Tesco Gaynor Allen, and author Sophie Kinsella.

See press release for further details

Actor Bill Pertwee receives MBE

Wed, 13 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Veteran actor, Bill Pertwee, best known for his role as Dad’s Army’s Chief Warden Hodges, has received the MBE for his services to charity, television and radio at Buckingham Palace.

Bill has recently celebrated his 80th birthday and has also just revised and updated his autobiography, A Funny Way to Make a Living, published by Atlantic Publishing.

Before entering the world of show business, Bill had a number of jobs including working in the Stock Exchange, building parts for Spitfires and window cleaning. His career in show-business began after a chance meeting with Beryl Reid at a party. He offered to write some material for her revue and was then drafted in to perform at the eleventh hour because one of the actors was sick.

Bill Pertwee has made over a thousand radio broadcasts in shows such as Beyond Our Ken and Round The Horne as well as appearing in many stage plays including There Goes The Bride and Worzel Gummidge. He has rubbed shoulders with many of the great names of entertainment including Spike Milligan, Kenneth Williams, Derek Nimmo, Donald Sinden and Sammy Davis Jnr. A life long cricket fan, he has played cricket with Colin Cowdray, Bill Edrich and Freddie Trueman.

Bill’s iconic role as Chief Warden Hodges began as a few lines in the first episode. He reappeared later in the series and became a regular character who was always needling Mainwaring. Dad’s Army ran for nine years and also generated nearly 70 radio episodes, a feature film and a stage musical – all of which starred Bill.

Bill has written seven books - not bad considering that he couldn’t read or write until the age of 12. These include Dad’s Army:The Making of a Television Legend and Stars in Battledress, both published by Atlantic Publishing.

Most recently Bill has lent his voice to the 2006 World Cup Anthem ‘Who Do You Think You are Kidding Jurgen Klinsman?’

For more information, please contact Tony Mulliken of Midas Public Relations on 07860 331528 or email tony.mulliken@midaspr.co.uk

The carbon market will allow us to save planet!

Fri, 8 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT

THE WEEK’s new series of debates exploring the way our world may look by 2020 kicked off on Thursday, 7 June with the motion:

“Growth can be green: the carbon market will allow us to save the planet without sacrificing economic growth”.

The debate was discussed robustly with James Smith, chairman of Shell UK, and Eric Bettelheim, executive chairman and founder of Sustainable Forestry Management Ltd against Tom Burke, co-founder of E3G, Third Generation Environmentalism, and Mark Lynas, author of the salutary Six Degrees – Our Future on a Hotter Planet.

Jeremy O'Grady, Editor-in-Chief of The Week, the magazine that offers the week’s news in a nutshell, chaired a lively debate. It examined whether trading in carbon allowances is the right way to confront the threat of global warming.

Before the debate all those present voted for or against the motion. The results were: 52% for; 23% against; and 25% didn’t know.

After the persuasive arguments of each speaker the floor voted again and this time the following results were counted: 60% for; 38% against; and 2% didn’t know.

So although more of the audience were persuaded to change their original vote against carbon markets than for it, the motion was nonetheless carried – economic growth can be green, and the carbon market will allow us to save the planet without sacrificing economic growth.

See press release for full details

Lewis 'Scooter' Libby sentenced to 30 months in jail

Thu, 7 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Scooter Libby - Vice President Cheney's former chief of staff, who on March 6, was convicted on four felony counts of making false statements, perjury, and obstruction of justice - was sentenced on the 5th June to two and 1/2 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.

Union Square Press's first book, The United States v. I. Lewis Libby, edited and with reporting by Murray Waas, went on sale nationally the same day.

Drawn from the transcript of this historic trial, the book includes an extensive timeline of the CIA Leak Case; a listing of key figures; Waas's Introduction, "The Last Compartment;" the full text of the prosecutor's indictment; the testimony of all 18 witnesses (including Ari Fleischer, Judith Miller, Matt Cooper, Tim Russert, Bob Woodward, and Robert Novak); opening and closing statements by both teams of lawyers (including Ted Wells's tearful summation on behalf of Libby and Patrick Fitzgerald's impassioned rebuttal); and 35 key exhibits from the trial, such as Cheney's personal copy of Ambassador Joseph Wilson's op-ed, with the vice president's handwritten comment: "Or did his wife send him on a junket?".

Like the war in Iraq that commenced shortly before the outing of Valerie Plame Wilson, the CIA Leak probe enters its fifth year as a controversy that has never ebbed from public view. Sterling are proud to offer this valuable documentary record as Union Square Press's inaugural title to help the public navigate and understand the issues surrounding the investigation. The United States v. I. Lewis Libby is the definitive book on this case, granting readers a rare view into the secretive Bush Administration, and its use (and misuse) of pre-war intelligence.

Press release

Peter James launch party for 'Not Dead Enough'

Thu, 31 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT

200 people came to the launch of Peter James’s latest bestseller Not Dead Enough (Macmillan) at Borders in Brighton, and 122 hardbacks were sold. The book went straight in at number 7 on the Sunday Times bestseller lists after 3 days of sales!

The picture shows Peter James with Dave Gaylor (right), former Detective Chief Superintendent of Sussex CID, who advises Peter on his books, and is the basis for main character Roy Grace.

Launch of Eddie Jordan's autobiography

Wed, 30 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Eddie Jordan launches his autobiography An Independent Man (Orion) at the Irish Embassy in Grosvenor Place, London. Guests included Philip Green, Helena Christiansen, Stuart Rose (CEO of M&S), Dermot Desmond (owner of City Airport and Celtic FC), Dahey O’Ceallaigh, the Irish Ambassador, and David O’Leary (Leeds manager and Former Irish footballer).

See press release

Listen to Eddie Jordan interview

Mayan Cultural Group Hamba'kan at Salisbury International Arts Festival

Wed, 30 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Mayan Cultural Group Hamba'kan are performing a traditional ceremony at Stonehenge as part of the Salisbury International Arts Festival on the 30th and 31st May.

The Salisbury International Arts Festival 2007 kicks off!

Fri, 18 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT

25th May to 10th June 2007: The Salisbury International Arts Festival launches a diverse and vibrant programme...

The 2007 Salisbury International Arts Festival is set to be one of the most vibrant ever, with a host of world-class artists taking part in a diverse and entertaining programme of music, performance, literature and visual arts. This year’s artistic focus is on Latin culture and movement and the Festival will be bursting with energy, flamboyant dance events and physical theatre.

See press release for further details