News 11 April 2003

GRASS by Phil Sparrowhawk combines elements of two Mainstream best sellers. Like CATCH ME IF YOU CAN the author is a loveable rogue who lived life on the edge. Like THE DAMAGE DONE he was caught smuggling drugs and imprisoned in Thailand. At the age of 21 Phil Sparrowhawk had a successful business importing clothes from the Far East. He was introduced to Howard Marks and discovered they shared a liking for heavy rock music, marijuana and the pursuit of wealth. Marks knew his drugs, had the contacts and the ideas, Phil had the business brain and the cover of legitimate business interests in the parts of the world which were key drug growing areas. After Marks was caught and imprisoned Sparrowhawk continued drugs trafficking opening up a trade route between Australia and Thailand where he was eventually tracked down by the US Drug Enforcement Agency. He was thrown in to Klongprem prison in Bangkok and held for 9 months before being extradited to the US. He served 14 months in various US jails after which he was returned to the UK. World rights are available. For further information contact fiona.brownlee@mainstreampublishing.com

We have just had an offer for large print rights for TED AND SYLVIA by Emma Tennant. The film starring Gwyneth Paltrow and Daniel Craig will be released in late 2003 or early 2004. The multi million pound film is a partnership between BBC Films, Capitol Films and the British Film Council. The movie is directed by Christine Jeffs and produced by Alison Owen who received a Best Picture Academy Award nomination as a producer of Elizabeth.

Tom Callahan, author of IN SEARCH OF TIGER, has just arrived in the UK. Glowing reviews continue to come in, the latest referred to it as 'the best book on Woods that will ever be written.' We are in the process of negotiating a cover mount deal with one of the UK's leading golf magazines which will appear in early summer.

And Finally...

Marketing and Rights Assistant Lianne Harvey found a new best friend last week. Jordan, a regular feature in the British columns and famous for nothing other than her incredibly large chest, was at the same wedding when she and Lianne were photographed together.