Waterstone's launches online version of Books Quarterly magazine

"Wbqonline.com is the website for Waterstone's Books Quarterly, the quarterly books magazine that is free to all Waterstone's Cardholders when picked up in store or GBP2.95 when bought in store. You can also subscribe here to have the magazine delivered overseas or within the UK. Wbqonline.com carries all of the current issue's articles and reviews, as well as featuring an extensive archive from previous issues, tagged by subject matter for easy searching or browsing. You'll find extra online-only material from featured authors too, including audio and video. You can also debate the features with other readers in our forums to make sure you get your say and to hear what others have to think about new books

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Christopher Reid wins 2009 Costa Book of the Year award

Poet Christopher Reid has won the 2009 Costa Book of the Year award for his collection, A Scattering, a tribute to his wife Lucinda Gane following her death in 2005
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The CWA Dagger in the Library, 2010

"Authors like Val McDermid and Ian Rankin are well-known amongst the readers of crime fiction but, beneath the top rank of bestsellers are a host of writers, some new and some who have built loyal followings over the years but who have never quite broken through. It is to give a boost to these authors that the Crime Writers' Association Dagger in the Library Award exists. Again sponsored by the publishers, Random House, the Dagger is awarded to a writer nominated by library users and chosen by a panel of librarians, all of whom work with the public. This year's panel is chaired by Mark Benjamin, formerly Team Librarian at Hexham Library, and includes librarians from throughout the UK. 2009 saw a record 70 authors nominated, perhaps spurred on by the chance for groups nominating the winning author to be entered in a draw for £300 to be spent on books. As before, all groups whose nominated authors are shortlisted are entered into a draw for 2 tickets to the prestigious Dagger Awards ceremony, to be held this year at the Harrogate Festival. The closing date for entries is 9th April 2010"

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Frances Lincoln acquires Barn Owl

Independent publisher Frances Lincoln has acquired children's specialist Barn Owl Books, in a deal for an unspecified amount
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Waterstone's Children's Book Prize 2010 shortlist announced (UK)

The shortlist for the Waterstone's Children's Book Prize 2010 has been announced:

Flyaway by Lucy Christopher

The Crowfield Curse by Pat Walsh

The Girl Who Could Fly by Victoria Forester

Love, Aubrey by Suzanne LaFleur

Desperate Measures by Laura Summers

The Seven Sorcerers by Caro King

The Toymaker by Jeremy De Quidt, et al.

Superhumans: Meteorite Strike by A.G. Taylor

The Great Hamster Massacre by Katie Davies, et al.
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Waterstone's chief pays the price for poor Christmas sales

The boss of Waterstone's has left with immediate effect after the book chain suffered a plunge in sales over the Christmas period. Parent company HMV reported that like-for-like sales at Waterstone's tumbled by 8.5% in the five weeks to 2 January. The poor results took the shine off a record performance at HMV's entertainment stores. Waterstone's managing director, Gerry Johnson, has paid the price for the poor sales. He left with immediate effect today, to be replaced by HMV group development director Dominic Myers
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New Gormenghast novel found in attic

A new Gormenghast novel, which was written by Mervyn Peake's wife based on notes left by the author, is to be published by their son after being discovered in an attic. Titus Awakes was written by Maeve Gilmore shortly after her husband's death from Parkinson's Disease in 1968. She decided to write the book, which runs to 210 pages, after he left her a page and a half of fragmented notes about how he might have continued the story
Technorati Tag: Books