Richard & Judy Summer Reads

Finally the holiday season is upon us - grab your sunscreen, shades and the hottest read of the summer...struggling for inspiration? There's only one place to look!

Yes, it's that time of year again when Richard and Judy feature a selection of beach reads almost guaranteed surefire success.

Past titles highlighted by the Richard and Judy Summer Reads feature have included The Island, The Memory Keeper's Daughter and The House at Riverton.

This year, there will be eight titles selected, which will be announced on the show during the week commencing 16th June. The book club will focus on one title per week thereafter, eventually announcing the winning title during week commencing 18th August.

The titles are strictly top secret at this point in time - but to be sure you're well stocked to meet the demand, you can pre-order the titles now!

Please contact Jim Bickerstaffe at jbickerstaffe@holtjackson.co.uk

Happy Families is Learners' Favourite

Adele Parks's Happy Families (9780141034911) has won the Quick Reads Learners' Favourite Award.

Announced as part of Adult Learners Week, the winner was voted for by a wide range of readers including adult literacy groups, Union Learning Representatives and the general public.

Happy Families was one of ten Quick Reads released this year, which included titles by Gordon Ramsay, Josephine Cox and a new Doctor Who story.

Accepting the award, Parks said: "Everybody who gets involved in Quick Reads is committed, we all want to make a difference, and so I'd like to accept this award on behalf of everyone working on this project."

New Prize Shortlist Announced

The shortlist for this brand new prize for 'sparkling fiction' has now been announced and comprises:

Child 44 - Tom Rob Smith

Gifted - Nikita Lalwani

Sunday at the Cross Bones - John Walsh

Bestselling author Penny Vincenzi, chairing the judging panel, said:
" These three books are true page-turners, they are all intelligent and thought-provoking, and they cover a very broad range. And all three have that crucial quality for a successful book - word-of-mouth appeal."

The winner of the Desmond Elliot Prize 2008 will be announced on 26th June.

Draw a crowd with an author event...

If you're looking for an innovative, exciting new way to draw in readers and promote forthcoming titles, we may have the perfect solution for you with our author visit service.

An author event can be a magical experience for all those involved, as librarians, customers and school pupils alike get the chance to interact with a best-selling author.

Every event is different; from workshops with children's illustrator Liz Million, to "murder mystery" evenings with the talented authors from Creme de la Crime.

Our marketing team have an extensive list of contacts and, in the past, have secured visits from such acclaimed names as Kate Mosse, Peter Lovesey and Adele Geras. We are also able to arrange a selection of the featured author's books on a 'sale or return' basis so your audience can purchase a signed copy as a special memento of the event.

For more information on this exclusive service, please email cstedman@holtjackson.co.uk

Best of the Booker Shortlist Announced

As part of their 40th anniversary celebrations this year, the Man Booker Prize are awarding a one-off celebratory prize to determine the best winning title over the 40 years the Man Booker has been awarded.

The 'Best of the Booker' shortlist, as selected by a panel of judges, was announced today. The six contenders are:

Pat Barker - The Ghost Road

Peter Carey - Oscar and Lucinda

JM Coetzee - Disgrace

JG Farrell - The Siege of Krishnapur

Nadine Gordimer - The Conservationist

Salman Rushdie - Midnight's Children

Victoria Glendinning, chairing the judging panel, said: "It was a great experience, revisiting all the Booker and Man Booker Prize winners, and very tough arriving at the shortlist - but we really feel that the six novels we picked represent the best fiction-writing of the past 40 years and that each one of them will stand the test of time."

The overall winner will be voted for by the public and announced on 10th July as part of the London Literature Festival.

Voting starts today - so visit www.themanbookerprize.com/news/vote and have your say!

Displays Attract More Readers

A new survey comissioned by The Bookseller has found that retail displays now take centre stage in attracting readers to new books and authors.

The survey, which questioned 1000 people nationwide, showed 26% people get information about new releases from displays, followed by press and TV/radio coverage at 14 and 13% respectively.

Recommendations from family and friends, once rated as the most popular method of discovering new titles, now lag behind with just 12% of votes.

Other formats of discovering new books and authors included internet recommendations, with 9% of the vote, and advice from shop staff and librarians - although only 2% of people claimed to respond to their recommendations.

Under the Spotlight...

This month the spotlight is shining on healthy living for the mind, body and spirit.

Taking inspiration from this month's National Year of Reading theme, we have a great selection of titles on offer and are also looking at two best-selling authors - top psychic Sylvia Browne and nutrition guru Patrick Holford.

To see what we have in store, be sure to visit our main website and COTW subject lists throughout May.