News 9 March 2006

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New Acquisition:

Mainstream is delighted to have acquired rights to MURDER IN SAMARKAND, the highly controversial memoir by former ambassador to Uzbekistan, Craig Murray. Murray was the youngest ever British Ambassador and was sacked from his post in 2004 having allegedly drawn attention to torture and human rights abuse in Uzbekistan. Serial rights have been bought by a national newspaper and the film rights have been bought by Michael Winterbottom. According to Winterbottom, 'the book is fantastic...[like] a very funny version of a Graham Greene novel.' Cock and Bull star Steve Coogan (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0176869/) is reportedly already in line to play Murray and production is scheduled for 2007. Bill Campbell of Mainstream purchased UK and Commonwealth rights from David Higham Associates. Mainstream will publish in June 2006. For further information please contact fiona.brownlee@mainstreampublishing.com.

Film and TV:

Other TV news is that Simon Cox, author of THE DAN BROWN COMPANION and international bestseller CRACKING THE DA VINCI CODE, has set up his own US based production house (Henu Productions US), putting together a series of shows, to be called - Simon Cox Investigates. Broadcasters and distributors are already lined up, preliminary shooting for one on Giza / Egypt starts 17 March. Cox is also lined up for several big US shows in May to coincide with the release of the filmThe Da Vinci Code but will be back in the UK to appear on prime time TV and radio to publicise THE DAN BROWN COMPANION.

Mel Gibson has bought film rights to UNDER AND ALONE, the memoir of a former policeman who went undercover with a biker gang in the US. The book is already a New York Times bestseller. Mainstream will publish in trade paperback in April.

Rights Sold:

In the last week THE REAL NUREYEV has been doing well with rights sold to Sinisukk in Estonia c/o our sub agent Ilene Kreshka at Transnet and large print rights sold to BBC Audiobooks in the UK by Fiona Brownlee. We have further news this week of two sales to Russia. AST have bought rights to the first three titles in Simon Cox's A-Z series, ATLANTIS, EGYPT and KING ARTHUR c/o sub agent Olga Zasetskaya at Synopsis.

Marketing:

At the Random House Sales Conference in Amsterdam we presented our lead titles for 2006 including VT clips of Sarah Goodall (author of THE PALACE DIARIES) and Magnus Magnusson (author of FAKERS, FORGERS AND PHONEYS). The Mainstream presentation concluded with a memorable moment from Braveheart in which the Scots reveal their nether regions!

Presenters detailing the marketing campaigns for THE DAN BROWN COMPANION, THE PALACE DIARIES and THE END OF TIME have been produced and circulated to all reps. If you are a bookseller or overseas publisher and would be interested in seeing one please contact fiona.brownlee@mainstreampublishing.com

Reformed con artist Colin Hayday is recruiting London's 20000 black cab drivers as travelling salesmen to promote his new book. He's using taxis because the book is about how he used a London taxi to produce a Hollywood movie. THE PLAYERS, written by Jo Reynolds because Colin is dyslexic, explains how for 10 years Colin drove around Soho, London's film district, so he could pitch his movie idea to A-list players who might have access to Hollywood money. Publication coincides with the Oscars.

Publicity:

Walter Ellis, author of THE BEGINNING OF THE END, arrived in the UK at the beginning of March for a publicity tour. Following serial in The Sunday Times he has been interviewed by the Daily Telegraph to run week beginning 6 March and a review is scheduled in The Daily Mail on 17 March and in the Independent on Sunday on 19 March. After interviews on prime time TV in Ireland he is writing a related piece for Scotland on Sunday and will be on Radio Scotland's lunchtime show.

UNDER AND ALONE is receiving an enormous amount of publicity. Reviews are confirmed in Nuts magazine, Lads Mag, Motorcycle News and Hog News with The Daily Telegraph and The Guardian interested in interviews.

Website Bestsellers:

We have just posted new bestseller lists on to the Mainstream web site. KATHY'S STORY heads the general bestseller list, CUT-THROAT heads the Scottish bestseller list and the new true crime list and McCRAE'S BATTALION leads the sport list. To see the full lists in all their illustrated glory, accompanied by reviews, go to www.mainstreampublishing.com

Events:

Peter Mortimer has been invited to give a talk to the Liverpool Arabic Festival on COOL FOR QAT on Wednesday 12 July. There is also a lot of interest in translating the book into Arabic, and the Arts Council and British Council are looking at ways of touring the book and play to Yemen.

And Finally...

We are very sorry to hear that Mainstream author, Peter Osgood, has died at the age of 59. The Chelsea and Southampton legend collapsed while attending a family funeral service on Wednesday. OSSIE - KING OF STAMFORD BRIDGE, his autobiography written with Martin King and Martin Knight received rave reviews when it was published in 2002:

'Possibly the funniest football book of the year' - The Observer

'A cracking good read...buy with confidence' - Shoot Monthly