News 1 February 2002

BOOKS IN THE NEWS:

Ian Ferguson has once again made the front pages, this time with a Mail on Sunday exclusive exposing how the police have arranged holidays for the key prosecution witness.  He and his co-author, John Ashton, are both at Abdel Basset Al Megrahi's appeal in Holland, where the feeling is that this latest revelation might well leave the judges with no choice other than to quash the conviction. The court's decision is expected sometime in February, which will spark another surge of interest in Lockerbie. The other Lockerbie books by Daniel & Susan Cohen and Alan Gerson, tout the 'Libyans did it' theory. COVER UP OF CONVENIENCE remains the only book which asserts their innocence. 

FORTHCOMING BOOKS

Fionnuala O'Connor's manuscript for BREAKING THE BONDS: MAKING PEACE IN NORTHERN IRELAND is now in, edited and reported to be extremely good. It will be illustrated with satirical cartoons by Ian Knox. Publication is in March 2002.

J J Connolly rang this week enthusing about THE LOOKED AFTER KID by Paolo Hewitt. Like me he got a lump in his throat when he read it and is impressed that someone as self assured and successful in the music business as Paolo has bared his soul in this book. The quote which will be going on the jacket is:

'The journey from victim to survivor.  I found it exciting, very moving and evocative.'

J J Connolly is a Duckworth author and is currently in negotiation with Guy Ritchie's company, Ska Films regarding film rights for his latest book.

COMPETITIONS AND LINKS

In the last few days links have been set up with various football, racing and music sites in connection with forthcoming competitions on the promotions page of our web site. If anyone is interested in creating a link to our site we are happy to reciprocate from our links page.

And Finally...

The LONDON BOOK FAIR schedule (17th-19th March) is filling up fast. This year the Fair will be attended not only by Fiona Brownlee (Rights) and Peter Mackenzie (Sales) but Bill Campbell (Publisher) and his wife Sharon Atherton (Publicity) will also be making an appearance. Mainstream will be on the Scottish Publishers Stand C101. Please contact us if you are visiting the Fair and would like to set up an appointment.

On-line sales have been going so well that we thought it would be of interest to create a Best Seller list on the web site - our first Top Ten is now live.