Author angry as Christian group forces reading to be scrapped

"A poetry reading at a Cardiff, Wales, bookshop was abruptly cancelled last night after a religious pressure group vowed to disrupt the event if it went ahead. Patrick Jones, brother of Manic Street Preachers' bassist Nicky Wire, was due to give a reading of his new poetry book, Darkness is Where The Stars Are, at Waterstones on the Hayes at 7pm last night. But shortly before he was due to speak, he received an e-mail from the firm which read: 'Please be advised that to avoid potential disruption to our store, tonight's planned event at Waterstones in Cardiff is cancelled.' Mr Jones, 43, from Blackwood, said he was later told over the phone that Waterstones had received 'hundreds of complaints' from people opposed to the poems' subject matter. The Echo has discovered the group behind the protest was Christian Voice, which waged war against the BBC after it screened a production of Jerry Springer - The Opera. 'I'm a bit shaken and shocked,' said Mr Jones, who is credited as being one of the earliest influences on the Manic Street Preachers - Wales Online
Technorati Tag: Books

The Roald Dahl Funny Prize winners

The winner of the Funniest Book for Children Aged Six and Under was The Witch's Children Go to School by Ursula Jones, illus. Russell Ayto (Orchard Books). The winner of the Funniest Book for Children Aged Seven to Fourteen was Mr Gum and the Dancing Bear by Andy Stanton, illus. David Tazzyman (Egmont Press). The panel of five judges was chaired by Michael Rosen; the other judges were Sophie Dahl, Dara O'Briain, Chris Riddell and Kaye Umansky
Technorati Tag: Books

European Booksellers Federation statement on the Association of American Publishers, Authors' Guild, Google settlement agreement

The European Booksellers Federation is the latest trade body to criticise Google's provisional deal with US publishers to allow users to browse and buy millions of books online