Click here to watch a brilliant interview with the author of the captivating, fast-paced Ryan Lock series Sean Black.Listen to Sean talking about how he “did time” in an American Supermax Prison as part of his research for DEADLOCK, published in hardback this month and find out everything you need to know about prison riots, America’s deadliest gangs and exactly why he had to buy a bright red jumper…For more information on Sean Black and his fabulous Ryan lock thrillers, visit his website here.

Case Histories will be a six-part series adapted from Kate Atkinson’s compelling mysteries, Case Histories, One Good Turn and When Will There Be Good News? At the heart of these stories is private investigator Jackson Brodie, who will be played by Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy from Harry Potter). A complex and compulsive detective surrounded by death, intrigue and misfortune, his own life haunted by a family tragedy, he attempts to unravel disparate case histories. The series will be filmed and set in modern Edinburgh, and is produced by Ruby Films (Small Island, The Other Boleyn Girl, Brick Lane) for BBC One.

Case Histories is the latest BBC One drama to be will be filmed and set in Scotland, and announced this week, Jay Hunt, Controller said: “Case Histories is an exciting opportunity to bring contemporary adaptation to BBC One. I am delighted we will be bringing Kate Atkinson’s books to the screen.”

Coming soon … Kate Atkinson’s new novel Started Early, Took My Dog. For more information click here

As a Harrogate first-timer (both to the town and the festival) I had only anecdotal evidence of previous festivals through the years recounted by enthusiastic bloggers and fellow publishers to go by.  And I certainly wasn’t disappointed!

The bestselling Simon Kernick was the first Transworld author to appear, taking the stage with 4 other authors on the panel event, ‘Knitting Needles At Dawn’.

The brilliant Joanne Harris - author of the brand-new Blueeyedboy - was tasked with kicking things off on the first day of the weekend, partaking in a solo event on the Saturday morning which delved deep into the darker side of her writing.

Next, crime fans were given the chance to hear the stories of four debut novelists at the ‘New Blood’ event chaired by Val McDermid, one of whom was critically acclaimed author of Blacklands, Belinda Bauer, who also ended up on the CWA Gold Dagger Award shortlist, the winner of which is announced 8th October.

In the ‘How Dark Is Your Noir’ event, fans of the fantastic Bryant and May series were treated to the charms of Christopher Fowler in what was to be a hugely insightful and funny panel event.

And last but certainly not least,  Sean Black discussed his latest novel, Deadlock - the latest in the series featuring elite bodyguard Ryan Lock- and showed a packed crowd why he’s one of the new generation of killer thriller writers, in the penultimate event of the weekend, ‘James Bond, Eat Your Heart Out’.

With such a great line-up (and not to mention the wine, curry, canapes and Late Night Quiz Show with Val McDermid and Stuart McBride!) it’s easy to see why so many people flock to Harrogate every year. Now all we have to do is wait another 358 days until the next one…

More pictures from the event coming soon!

Click here for details of the 2010 CWA Awards

Priya Basil, author of Ishq and Mushq talks to theasianwriter about her new novel The Obscure Logic of the Heart…

Click here to read the interview in full, below is a sneaky peek….

Firstly I have to congratulate you on your second novel. Your style’s grown and developed and you’ve tackled some really difficult issues with The Obscure Logic of the Heart. Can you talk us through what was different, in a writing sense, second time around?

The satisfactions and struggles of the creative process were identical to those I experienced the first time around: the urge to write a great and lasting story was accompanied by the exact same doubts about failure. The writing itself was easier in some technical respects because of things that I’d become aware of while editing the first book.

The deep entanglement of a corrupt government and illegal arms trade juxtaposed the lovers’ own dilemmas was a powerful way to weave the story. I really felt like I was being educated the whole time I was reading. What inspired you to explore this in your novel and what research went in to make the plot plausible?

I always knew that the main character, Lina, would have a strong impulse to ‘save the world’, which would clash with the private realities of her own life. During the early stages of writing, the problem of piracy in the Indian Ocean, along the coast of Somalia, made lots of headlines. One particular incident, about a ship carrying arms, caught my attention because of Kenya’s alleged involvement in the procurement of those weapons. I began to read up about arms dealing, and was shocked by the scale of the trade, especially the illegal aspect of it. I immediately felt that I wanted to support all efforts to curb this trade and make it more accountable, and the best way for me to do that was through my writing. I am now also a supporter of the Control Arms Campaign, a global civil society alliance campaigning for an Arms Trade Treaty that will protect lives.

The amazing Priya Basil, author of ISHQ AND MUSHQ and THE OBSCURE LOGIC OF THE HEART is coming to a book group near you.   

If you have ever wanted to get up close and personal with an author, now is your chance.  Wherever you are in the world, if you have Skype, Priya is only a click away so get in touch and pick up a copy of the absolutely fantastic THE OBSCURE LOGIC OF THE HEART. 

For more information, please click here or to take a look at Priya’s brilliant website click here

Happy reading!

CWA INTERNATIONAL DAGGER

WINNER: Johan Theorin, THE DARKEST ROOM

CWA DAGGER IN THE LIBRARY (for a body of work, voted for by libraries and reading groups)

WINNER: Ariana Franklin
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Simon Beckett

CWA STEEL DAGGER FOR THRILLER OF THE YEAR

SHORTLISTED: Mo Hayder, GONE
SHORTLISTED: Lee Child, 61 HOURS

CWA GOLD DAGGER FOR BEST CRIME NOVEL OF THE YEAR

SHORTLISTED: Belinda Bauer, BLACKLANDS
SHORTLISTED: S. J. Bolton, BLOOD HARVEST

The list of finalists for the Gold and Steel Daggers (4 per award) will be announced on August 9th, and the winners will be announced at the Specsavers Crime Thriller Awards on October 8th.

How wonderful to see such a rich and varied list of authors awarded and nominated. Particular mention should go to Johan Theorin, who not only beat Stieg Larsson to win, but who now has two CWA daggers. And also to Belinda Bauer - up for the top UK crime award with her first novel, and a stand-out author at her sell-out event with Val McDermid and Attica Locke this weekend.

The CWA lists can be found here: http://www.thecwa.co.uk/daggers/2010/index.html

 Click on the link below to read Stephen Clarke’s brilliant interview with the Alliance Française de Londres and find out everything you need to know about the history of Franco-British relations 

 http://www.alliancefrancaise.org.uk/Dialogue.html

In the pilot episode, See One, Do One, Teach One, Homicide Detective Jane Rizzoli (Angie Harmon) and Medical Examiner Maura Isles (Sasha Alexander) teamed up to take on Charles Hoyt (aka Warren Hoyt in the novels), the villain of the first two books in the series, The Surgeon and The Apprentice.

We really can’t wait to see the series and hope it is released here in the UK very soon! In the meantime, Tess Gerritsen’s latest book The Killing Place is out now!

The launch of York’s Big City Read, this year selected as Joanne Harris Chocolat, took place on July 13th and could not have been held at a better location, the atmospheric Castle Museum. In keeping with the theme of Chocolat, delicious varieties of chocolates were offered to the guests, who included representatives of the local Government, the library authorities, local dignitaries from the City of York and Joanne Harris herself.

Joanne was delighted her book was chosen and talked enthusiastically about the big read and the many themed events which are being run in York over the summer. The City of York was thrilled that their first event in the newly refurbished City Library was a rapid sell out.  Joanne read and signed copies of the novel to an enthusiastic crowd of over 200.

York’s initiative in running a wide-ranging series of Chocolat-related events throughout the summer include a course on the art of chocolate making, exploring the fascinating history of chocolate as well as literary events, where children and adults will learn how to write poetry and hear story tellers. All of these events will take place from the 14th of July to the end of September.

The Big Read itself is an innovative way of encouraging reading for everyone and York have purchased 7,500 copies of Chocolat, which will be given away free through libraries, tourist centres and museums in the wider City area.