News 23 August 2003

HOW TO SPOT A B*STARD BY HIS STAR SIGN continues to sell internationally. It was spotted by one of the Daily Mirror's '3am' diary girls in Urban Outfitters in New York and they immediately picked up the phone to purchase serial rights. The book was first extracted in The Sun in 1997 and later in Marie Claire. Co-author Adèle Lang is now astrologer for both Marie Claire and Heat magazine. The Mirror will be running extracts over three days, no later than the first week in October.

HOW TO SPOT A B*STARD had it's first celebrity endorsement from Britney Spears who was spotted with a copy in her handbag. This week Lisa Marie Presley features the book on her website:

And one last thing, I recently discovered the other day a book I've been reading while on tour that you ladies out there who may have a blemished love life might find as amusing as I did, it's called "How To Spot A Bastard By His Star Sign". It's by Adèle Lang & Susi Rajah.

The review has resulted in more interest from the US media and interviews are scheduled for next week.

Gary Edwards, author of PAINT IT WHITE, is being interviewed by BBC Look North next Tuesday, 26 Aug, it will run just before Leeds kick off that evening. WHS Leeds has nominated Paint It White as 'read of the week'.

The Leeds United Supporters Club in Omagh, Northern Ireland have been in touch and want Gary to appear at a special evening to talk to their supporters and promote the book. He's also had the same invitation from the North Wales Branch in Wrexham, and the Isle of White.

There is an interview with Gary in the Leeds programme next Tuesday, and Leeds! Leeds! Leeds! are running the extract in their current issue. Gary went down a storm on BBC Radio North Yorkshire, who as well doing an interview have been running competitions to win a copy of the book.

There is a launch for THE ARMED PEACE on Wednesday 27th August, at the BBC in Belfast. It will be attended by the Lord Mayor and many high profile politicians / members of the media. The Irish Times and The Independent are doing features, and there will be blanket coverage next Sunday and Monday, as the main press agency in Belfast will be feeding stories to the press.

Tom Watt's show on BBC Radio London will be interviewing Jon Spurling, author of REBELS FOR THE CAUSE, next month, around the time of publication.

SYLVIA starring Daniel Craig and Gwyneth Paltrow will open in New York on 17th October and in the UK earlier in the New Year. TED AND SYLVIA by Emma Tennant was published earlier this summer and has already been reprinted twice.

And Finally...

Congratulations to Bill Campbell and his wife, Sharon Atherton, who are expecting a baby on March 4th.