Sam Kean’s latest popular science book entitled ‘The Violinist’s Thumb’ is published today in paperback. In the words of the Daily Mail, ‘Explored in his Bryson-esque style, [The Violinist’s Thumb] provokes fascinating stuff, full of oddball stories and amazing facts. Kean’s book is full of wonderfully weird anecdotes, but it’s also an accessible history of the discovery and mapping of DNA… compellingly entertaining’. Read the rest of this entry »

On January 23rd the brilliant Mark Thompson attended an event at The Royal Institution in which he discussed the wonders of the night sky.

A short video of Mark was shot during his event at the RI and it’s well worth a watch! Simply click here to be directed to the video. Read the rest of this entry »

Joanne Harris, bestselling author of Chocolat, returns to Lansquenet in her new book Peaches For Monsieur Le Cure, which is being released by Doubleday on 24th May 2012. To celebrate this exciting launch, Joanne Harris will be visiting literary festivals, libraries and bookshops around the country, the details of which can be found below. Hope to see you there!

Friday 18th May

7.15pm DERBYSHIRE LITERARY FESTIVAL
New Beetwell Street, Chesterfield Library, Chesterfield,S40 1QN
Tickets are £5 for adults. Now on sale and can be booked through any Derbyshire library or by contacting Call Derbyshire on 08456 058 058 or 01629 533190.

Thursday 24th May

7.00pm THE HUNGERFORD BOOKSHOP
The Corn Exchange at The Town Hall, High Street, Hungerford, RG17 0NF
Tickets are £5 from the bookshop (redeemable against ‘Peaches..’ on the night).

Monday 28th May

7.00pm PETERBOROUGH LIBRARY
John Clare Theatre, Peterborough Library, The Broadway, Peterborough, PE1 1RX
Tickets £3 (£2 concessions) available from Central Library and Waterstones.

Tuesday 29th May

7.00pm WATERSTONES, LINCOLN
297a High Street, Lincoln, LN2 1AF
Tickets £3

Wednesday 30th May

7.00pm URMSTON BOOKS
The Portico Library, 57 Mosley Street/corner of Charlotte Street, Manchester, M2 3HY
Tickets are now available £7.

Thursday 31st May

8.00pm HEXHAM LITERARY FESTIVAL
The Pavilion, Alnwick Castle, Alnwick, NE66 1NQ
Tickets can be booked directly through the Queen’s Hall box office (Phone: 01434 652477, Email: boxoffice@queenshall.co.uk) or online. £6 adults, £4 concessions.

Wednesday 6th June

2.30pm HAY LITERARY FESTIVAL
Hay-on-Wye
Tickets are £5.25 and available online or call the box office on 01497 822 629 quoting Event 262

Thursday 7th June

11.30am GOOD HOUSEKEEPING LITERARY LUNCHEON
The Swan Hotel, Church Street, Hay, HR3 5DQ

Sunday 17th June

5.00pm THE BIG BOOKENDS FESTIVAL
The Carriageworks, The Electric Press, 3 Millenium Square, Leeds, LS2 3AD
Tickets: £5.00. Book online at www.carriageworkstheatre.org.uk Or call (0113) 224 3801

Wednesday 11th July

8.00pm TOPPING & CO
The Paragon, Bath, BA1 5LS
Contact: Saber Khan (01225 428 111; bath@toppingbooks.co.uk)
Tickets £7 with £7 off Peaches for Monsieur le Curé when booked by phone  (01225) 428111 or £6 with £6 off when booking in person at the bookshop, before Wednesday 11th July.

Thursday 12th July

1.00pm DARTINGTON WAY WITH WORDS FESTIVAL
Dartington Hall, Dartington
For details Tel: 01803 86 73 73 or: www.wayswithwords.co.uk/festivals/the-telegraph-ways-with-words-festival-at-dartington-hall-24

7.30pm SHERBORNE LITERARY SOCIETY
The Butterfly House, Castle Gardens, Sherborne
Tickets £15 (£13.50 members) from Winstone’s Books, Chapter House Books, Winstone’s Books. For further details: www.sherborneliterarysociety.com

To find out more about Joanne, please visit her website

The wonderfully witty and heartwarming Yorkshireman Jack Sheffield, author of the Teacher Series will be appearing at The Guildford Book Festival on Monday 17th October.

Join Jack at 10:30am for coffee and his hilarious tales of headmastering a primary school in Yorkshire in the 1970′s at the Electric Theatre in Guildford.

Between the Lines has five sets of two tickets to give away with a copy of Jack’s first book Teacher, Teacher!  If you’re free on the 17th October and would like to meet the friendliest author in town, get your book signed, learn how Jack became a published author and have a thoroughly enjoyable morning simply comment on this post below with the answer to the following question:

Q. Jack Sheffield is the author of which series of books? 

Winners will be announced on the 7th October. Good Luck!

Book 2: BLACK SWAN RISING by Lee Carroll

Black Swan Rising was one of only two fantasy books in the fifteen challenge choices. Writing duo LEE CARROLL is a pseudonym for the writing partnership of award–winning novelist Carol Goodman and her poet husband, Lee Slonimsky. They live on the north shore of Long Island, New York.

About the book
New York jeweller Garet James has her fair share of problems: money, an elderly father, a struggling business. One day she comes across an antiques shop she’d never noticed before. The owner possesses an old silver box that’s been sealed shut. Would she help an old man and open it, perhaps? She does…and that night strange things begin to happen. It’s as if her world – our world – has shifted slightly, revealing another, parallel place that co-exists without our knowledge: the world of the Fey…

Garet learns that one of her ancestors was ‘the Watchtower’: an immortal chosen to stand guard over the human and the fey worlds – a role that she has, it seems, inherited from her mother. But the equilibrium between these two existences is under threat. The 16th-century magician and necromancer Dr John Dee has returned, the box has been opened and the demons of Despair and Discord released. In a race against time and impending apocalypse, it is Garet who must find Dee…and close the box.

What did you think? ‘Engaging writing…wonderful descriptions…well-drawn characters…there’s going to be a sequel and we can’t wait!’ – was the review in SFX magazine, did you agree?

Theresa said: ‘The story captures the imagination from the first paragraphs with fabulous characters and quick paced action. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am eager to read the second one.’

Mel wrote: ‘There is a a great mix of history as well as old world charm that makes the book feel quite timeless. I loved the references to famous historical characters which gave Black Swan Rising a real sense of history.’

Rebekah was in two minds: ‘I do wish that they’d used more of the swan mythology that was vaguely present throughout the novel, and I hope that the next novel will develop the mythological aspect of the story a bit more’

Julie gave it 4 out of 5 stars and said: ‘Overall, I found it an entertaining read, I love the fairy tale aspects and will definitely look for the next in the series to see where it all goes.’

What did you think? Join the discussion on What Shall I Read on Facebook!

Next, Book 3: THE SECRETS BETWEEN US by Louise Douglas

BOOK 1: THE SANDALWOOD TREE by Elle Newmark  

So many Reading Challengeers began their challenge with Elle Newmark’s The Sandalwood Tree and there have been many fabulous reviews. For a selection see below!

About the book
It is 1947 and Evie and Martin Mitchell have just arrived in the Indian village of Masoorla with their five-year-old son. But cracks soon appear in their marriage as Evie struggles to adapt to her new life and Martin grapples with unbearable wartime memories.
When Evie finds a packet of damaged letters concealed deep in the brickwork of their rented bungalow, she finds herself drawn to another world, a hundred years earlier, and to the extraordinary friendship of two very different young women.

And as Evie’s fascination with her Victorian friends deepens, she unearths powerful secrets. But at what cost to her present, already fragile existence?

What did you think? The News of the World said of this book ‘Elle Newmark tells a powerful tale of romance and mystery’ but did you agree?

Helen Skinner said: ‘Reading The Sandalwood Tree is an excellent way to learn about India’s history and culture and Elle Newmark makes everything easy to understand. But it’s also a great story with a beautiful setting, fascinating plot and complex characters who grow and change over the course of the novel.’

Vilija said: ‘I ended up LOVING this book’

Christy wrote: ‘The themes I got from the blurb appealed to me instantly when I first found this book: India, history, tumultuous love… and it does not disappoint!’

Yvann gave it a 9 out of 10 and said: ‘I adored this. It seemed to be just the right mix of exotic lands, adventure, mystery and family life/romance/interpersonal conflict to tick all my boxes.’

We would’ve of loved to have posted all the reviews but there were too many! Keep an eye out for your review in the upcoming posts. 

For more information head over to the Elle Newmark website or join the continuted discussion on What Shall I Read on Facebook.

Next, Book 2: BLACK SWAN RISING by Lee Carroll

This year sees the publication of Terry Pratchett’s 39th Discworld novel SNUFF! To celebrate this momentous occasion we have been revealing exclusive images, information and spoilers on the Terry Pratchett Facebook Group on the 13th of every month in the run up to publication on the 13th October.

There are only two months left and what better way to celebrate the 13th August exclusive SNUFF date than with a competition to win an extremely rare, early reading edition of SNUFF! Get your hands on an uncorrected book proof two months before the book hits the shelves!

It couldn’t be simpler. All you have to do is answer the question below. Email your name and answer to the following address: discworld@transworld-publishers.co.uk to be in with a chance to win.

 Q: What was the 25th Discworld novel called?

All winning entries will be put in the proverbial hat (or sack if there are a dearth of hats) and the winner will be drawn on Monday 15th August. The competition ends at midnight on Sunday 14th August and the winner will be announced at noon on Monday 15th August! Open to international entrants.

Good Luck!

Back by popular demand we have reinstated the Transworld Book Group Reading Challenge! With a new set of completely fabulous titles. Do you love to review books? Do you post reviews on Amazon? Are you an avid blogger? If you answered yes to any of these questions then the Transworld Book Group Reading Challenge is for you! Read the rest of this entry »

Very true I may have been spending too much time using Urban Dictionary of late but here at Transworld Towers we now have an impressive collection of facebook groups for fiction that are well worth a ‘like’.

For fans of Science Fiction and Fantasy we have everything from Terry Pratchett to Steven Erikson over at Geek Reads

For lovers of the softer things in life, women’s fiction and chick-lit abound at The Page Turners 

For chill seekers, those who see chalk outlines and identikit’s there’s The Serial Thrillers

For those blessed with a time machine and a love of historical writings there’s AD BC History Rocks!

And for those who like all types of fiction and especially when it’s free head over to What Shall I Read this Month?

Don’t forget to be Transworld Book-Publisher’s friend on facebook for up to the minute news, photos, interviews and events.