Authortrek.com

Authortrek New Writer of the Week

We are delighted to announce that we have chosen Jai Clare as the Authortrek New Writer of the Week:

http://www.authortrek.com/new_writer_of_the_week_page.html

http://www.authortrek.com/jai-clare-page.html

Authortrek New Writer of the Week

We are delighted to announce that we have chosen Clare Scurfield as the Authortrek New Writer of the Week:

http://www.authortrek.com/new_writer_of_the_week_page.html

http://www.authortrek.com/clare_scurfield_page.html

Authortrek New Writer of the Week

The Cusp of Something: PUBLISHING: The Writing and Selling Process by first time novelist Jim Younger

Authortrek New Writer of the Week

We are delighted to announce that Segun Afolabi is the Authortrek New Writer of the Week:

http://www.authortrek.com/new_writer_of_the_week_page.html

http://www.authortrek.com/segun_afolabi_page.html

Authortrek New Writer of the Week

We are delighted to announce that the Authortrek New Writer of the Week is Michael Cox:

http://www.authortrek.com/new_writer_of_the_week_page.html

http://www.authortrek.com/michael_cox_page.html

Authortrek New Writer of the Week

We are delighted to announce that we have chosen Alex Espinoza as the Authortrek New Writer of the Week:

http://www.authortrek.com/alex_espinoza_page.html

No Essex for Harry Potter!

One of the girls queuing up for the Luna Lovegood audition, April Waterman, says that she was told by the production crew that she would not be allowed to audition because she was from Essex. However Vanessa Davies from Harry Potter Productions told “The Daily Mirror” that she “may have overheard someone who was not part of the production say it. I don't know where this has come from, not from anybody in our organisation”.

For more Harry Potter news, and a J K Rowling biography with links to J K Rowling interviews, articles, reviews, and a "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" reading guide, you must visit:http://www.authortrek.com/j_k_rowling_page.html

Will the real Taichi Yamada please stand up?

Taichi Yamada is the author of “In Search of a Distant Voice” and the spooky “Strangers”. However, we at Authortrek are puzzled by a spooky mystery surrounding the author, as some websites portray him as a young man, and others as an older man. Both younger and older Taichi Yamadas wrote a novel called “Strangers” and are said to have worked as scriptwriters for the Shockiku film studios. “Taichi Yamada” seems to be a popular Japanese name, so we think 2 Taichi Yamadas may have been mixed up. Or Maybe they are father and son?

Taichi Yamada – a profile of the younger Taichi

Biography – of the older Taichi Yamada

If you know which Taichi Yamada wrote "In Search of a Distant Voice", and anything more about him, then please let us know!

J. K. Rowling accused of being a Scrooge by Charity

According to HindustanTimes.com, J.K. Rowling has been accused of being a "Scrooge" by fundraisers at the Easterleigh Animal Sanctuary for turning down their request for a signed edition of "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" for a charity auction. However, it must be said that J. K. Rowling is well-known for her charitable endeavors, so labeling her as a "Scrooge" is extremely unfair. J. K. Rowling, like anybody else, has every right to pick and choose which charities she contributes to.

For more Harry Potter news, and a J K Rowling biography with links to J K Rowling interviews, articles, reviews, and a "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" reading guide, you must visit:http://www.authortrek.com/j_k_rowling_page.html

J. K. Rowling versus al-Zarqawi

Mother Nature is the favourite amongst the betting community to take the title of Time Magazine’s “Person of the Year”. Time does not always name a person or event that has had a positive effect. Terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is currently 3rd favourite, with J.K. Rowling 2nd favourite. Lance Armstrong, Pope John Paul II, and Bono are also considered to be in the running.

For more Harry Potter news, and a J K Rowling biography with links to J K Rowling interviews, articles, reviews, and a "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" reading guide, you must visit:http://www.authortrek.com/j_k_rowling_page.html

Harry Potter in Space!

“Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” has been beamed to the International Space Museum especially for Commander William McArthur. Meanwhile, on Earth, the success of the Harry Potter series has led to sales of science fiction and fantasy books leaping by 8.5% in the last 5 years, as Harry’s readers get older.

For more Harry Potter news, and a J K Rowling biography with links to J K Rowling interviews, articles, reviews, and a "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" reading guide, you must visit:http://www.authortrek.com/j_k_rowling_page.html

Wanted a Hundred Writers For Children in Need!

Press Release

A group of writers from professionals such as crime-writer Alex Keegan, Fiction Editors (Zoe King), multiple prize-winners such as Alexandra Fox and Vanessa Gebbie and many developing "wanabees" have formed an alliance to write-write-write to raise money for Children in Need.

Beginning at 9PM Thursday 17th November the group will write non-stop until Midnight 18th November (Children in Need Night).

Writers will receive a set of prompts every hour and many of the group will be attempting to write one story an hour, every hour, for the duration, 27 hours.

Leaf Books will be producing an 80-page anthology of the best stories, selected for quality but also suitability for a wider audience. This anthology is available to order for £2:50. http://www.leafbooks.co.uk

Eclectica Magazine, voted Internet Fiction Magazine 2005 will also publish the best stories, selected from the best, but for a less restricted audience.

Individual writers are seeking sponsorship for their efforts, either per hour worked, per story, or per word.

Currently we have 56 writers but hope to have 100 on board in time for the marathon and would welcome more writers.

As well as the fund-raising via sponsorship and sales of the anthology, there is a competitive element for the writers. All entrants are paying a £10 entry fee which will fill a prize fund of at least £500 for the winning stories. Any surplus will go to Children in Need.

We are currently on target to raise £10,000 from sponsorship, plus money raised by book sales. Any retail outlets prepared to carry the book should contact Leaf.

Currently the group will be connected over the internet and by email, but we are also seeking a London venue for a core group. If there is a business man or woman out there with a suitable room (with broadband internet access) please contact alex.keegan@btconnect.com

Alex Keegan is available for further information on 01635-34317

Harry Potter and the hoax email scam

Warner Brothers’ official Harry Potter website has issued a warning to fans to beware of scam emails that are currently in circulation. These emails inform the recipients that they have been selected to take part in the casting process for the movie of “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince”, and implies that J. K. Rowling is in charge of the casting sessions herself. Eagle-eyed readers will have spotted that the next Harry Potter movie to be made will be “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix”. The spelling in the emails suggests an American origin, and the emails tantalise the readers further by saying filming will take place in London, Spain and Greece. The hoax email even suggests that the casting session may inspire J. K. Rowling to create new characters! The email then goes on to ask for personal details. Warner Brothers say: “This is to advise that Warner Brothers Entertainment Inc. does not engage in casting activity through e-mail. These e-mails are fraudulent, and you should not respond to any such e-mail. Feel free to forward any such messages to anti-piracy@warnerbros.com, and we will do our best to investigate the fraudulent activity.”

For more Harry Potter news, and a J K Rowling biography with links to J K Rowling interviews, articles, reviews, and a "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" reading guide, you must visit:http://www.authortrek.com/j_k_rowling_page.html

Kit Whitfield's debut novel to be published in 2006

US publishers Del Rey have bought the rights to Kit Whitfield's debut novel "Bareback", and the rights to a further, as yet, untitled novel. I'm especially delighted with this news, as I've been following Kit's career for years. Earlier this year, I nominated Kit Whitfield as "Authortrek New Writer of the Week".

To find out more about her, you must visit our Kit Whitfield page:

http://www.authortrek.com/katharine_whitfield_page.html

I've no doubt that the novels will be stunning successes.

Kevin Patrick Mahoney

Hodder pay 6 figure sum for Kathleen Jacobs' debut novel

Kathleen Jacobs' debut novel "The Friday Night Knitting Club" has been described as “Steel Magnolias meets The Jane Austen Book Club with Knitting!” It’s about a group of women who knit in a club above a delicatessen in New York. The craft of knitting enables each of the women to make transitions together. As they knit the wool together, they bond to each other just as keenly. Sounds a bit like “How to Make an American Quilt” to me, but according to “The Bookseller”, Hodder have paid a six figure dollar sum for the novel.

http://www.authortrek.com/kathleen_jacobs_page.html

http://www.authortrek.com/the_friday_night_knitting_club.html

Harry Potter and the Unsold Books

2.5 million copies of “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” have remained unsold in the US, as struggling publisher Scholastic misjudged demand, and printed too many copies. The firm now fears that they will be faced with an avalanche of copies returned by bookstores. The firm has earned $600m from the Harry Potter franchise, but misjudgements like this have prevented it from maximising the profit. There were reports earlier in the year that Disney might buy the North American rights for the Harry Potter series by purchasing Scholastic.

For more Harry Potter news, and a J K Rowling biography with links to J K Rowling interviews, articles, reviews, and a "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" reading guide, visit:http://www.authortrek.com/j_k_rowling_page.html

Daniel Radcliffe wants Harry Potter to die!

Daniel Radcliffe has said that he wants Harry Potter to die in the final film: “I think it would be a very good ending if he had to die in order for evil Voldemort to die… (but) I wouldn't want it to be sentimental. I don't like sentimental ends to books or films.” Radcliffe has also hinted that he may not appear in the last 2 films, but we at Authortrek.com think that this is about as likely as Ewan McGregor not appearing in Star Wars Episodes II and III (i.e. not very likely).

For more Harry Potter news, and a J K Rowling biography with links to J K Rowling interviews, articles, reviews, and a "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" reading guide, visit:http://www.authortrek.com/j_k_rowling_page.html

J. K. Rowling pulps Jarvis

Pulp front man Jarvis Cocker is disappointed that J. K. Rowling has vetoed a commercial release of the songs he wrote for the upcoming movie “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire”. Which is probably just as well, considering that Warner Bros lawyers are already embroiled in a legal battle with a Canadian band over the use of “The Wyrd Sisters” name. British film censors have also announced that the movie will be given a certificate “12A” rather than the “PG” awarded to previous films, due to the fact that Harry’s adventures are getting more scary as he gets older.

For more Harry Potter news, and a J K Rowling biography with links to J K Rowling interviews, articles, reviews, and a "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" reading guide, visit:http://www.authortrek.com/j_k_rowling_page.html

Imelda Staunton to play Professor Umbridge

It’s been announced that British actress Imelda Staunton will play Professor Umbridge in the movie of “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix”. Imelda Staunton recently received an Oscar nomination for her stunning performance as the title character in the movie “Vera Drake”. “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” will be directed by David Yates, and is due to be released in June 2007.

For more Harry Potter news, and a J K Rowling biography with links to J K Rowling interviews, articles, reviews, and a "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" reading guide, visit:http://www.authortrek.com/j_k_rowling_page.html