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News 6 October 2003
In LAST BRITISH HERO Phil Shirley investigates the events surrounding the death of motor racing champion, Richard Seaman. In 1939 living a life of leisure on the international grand prix circuit Richard Seaman appeared to have it all. As the only non-German driver in the Mercedes Racing Team, which was the pride of Nazi Germany, British and US secret services approached Seaman to use his contacts to obtain information about military technical advances being carried out by BMW and Mercedes engineers. The Nazi Secret Police had plans of their own and asked Seaman to spy on his wife's father, the influential head of BMW, who was refusing to co-operate with Hitler's plans. Seaman was in a terrible dilemma and his wife urged him to escape before the Belgian Grand Prix. Pride and burning ambition drove him to compete in the race but he had enlisted the help of an American journalist who had a dangerous plan to smuggle the pair out of Nazi controlled Europe during the end of race celebrations to start a new life in the United States. It was to be the last race of his life. Seaman's silver Mercedes skidded off the track and burst into flames. Phil Shirley has spent the last twelve years investigating Seaman's death and has uncovered some dramatic facts which question whether it was really an accident. The book will not be published until Autumn 04 but the manuscript is due for delivery by Christmas 03.
IN SEARCH OF TIGER and DAYS LIKE THESE have made it onto the William Hill longlist. Mainstream is the only publisher to have won the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award twice and this year we hope to make it a third time. DAYS LIKE THESE isn't published until 23rd October but IN SEARCH OF TIGER by Tom Callahan has had some wonderful reviews. The winner will be announced on the 24th November. |
He's over in Belfast for The Kelly Show on October 17.
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Film
contracts have finally been signed for THE LAST BRITISH HERO (working
title RACE WITH THE DEVIL) Film rights have been sold to RAW films in
Los Angeles. It looks like screenwriter Dennis Johnson has signed up
to write the screenplay. He is one of the top 20 writers in Hollywood
who became a celebrity after writing the 1970's box office smash The
Haunting. It is likely that Paul Schrader will direct. He directed RAW
films last Hollywood movie, Autofocus, which had a shooting budget of
$14 million. World rights are still available and it will be one of our
lead titles at the Frankfurt Book Fair.
SHANG
A LANG is getting blanket coverage. After The Sunday Herald
spiked Scotland on Sundays exclusive by running their interview two
weeks early, news of fellow Roller, Pat McGlynn's, rape allegation
against their manager Tam Paton has resulted in a media frenzy. Les
McKeown flew to London this week to make a statement to police and
TV cameras were at the station. All the news stories are mentioning
SHANG A LANG. The launch, sponsored by Ottakars and Plymouth Gin, will
be at Acanthus in Edinburgh on Wednesday 8th October at 7pm.
NO
BALONEY is also getting excessive media attention. We have
just confirmed Frank Maloney for the Frank Skinner show, ITV, on Sunday
October 26th. The show gets 7 million viewers, so it really is brilliant
news. The Sun is running extracts over three days, and Frank is a guest
on The Simon Mayo show on 5 Live on October 25th, and Talk Sport -
the Hawksbee and Jacobs show, on 21st October.
Ottakars
and Bell's are joining forces to promote FANATICAL ABOUT FOOTBALL throughout
Scotland. Bell's are getting local clubs involved in bookshop events
and providing kit for window displays, which can be won by customers
once the display is dismantled. The book will be launched at the National
Museum of Football on 30th October and there will also be roadshows sponsored
by the Daily Record taking place in November.
John
Sugden, author of SCUM AIRWAYS, is writing a piece for
the Independent next week about football hooliganism with full credit
to the book. 