Posted by Kirsty on Feb 02, 2012
“Montgomery Flinch gripped the sides of the reading lectern, his knuckles whitening as he stared out into the darkness of the auditorium. His bristling eyebrows arched and the gleam of his dark eyes seemed to dart across the faces of each audience member in turn. A mesmerised silence hung over the stage; it was as if the theatre itself was holding its breath as it waited for the conclusion to his latest spine-chilling tale. The expectant hush seemed to deepen as Flinch finally began to speak…”
And so begins Twelve Minutes to Midnight by Christopher Edge, published today. An expectant hush is settling over the Nosy Crow offices as it makes its (beautifully jacketed) way out into the world. Set in 1899, it’s a gripping tale of skulduggery, spiders and teenage sleuthing, with ideas about literary creation and story-telling at its very heart.
Every night at twelve minutes to midnight the inmates of Bedlam, London’s notorious hospital for the insane, rise from their beds and begin scribbling strange words on any surface they can find – the walls of their cells, their clothes, even their own skin. What can it all mean? Penelope Treadwell, thirteen-year-old owner of the bestselling magazine, The Penny Dreadful, is intrigued. She’s always seeking sinister stories to fill her magazine’s pages but she’s never encountered anything as chilling as this. Soon she’s ensnared in a venomous plot, and Penny realises that this isn’t just a story, it’s the future. And the future looks deadly…
The Bookseller has already said that it’s a “really pacey historical thriller with a great sense of eerie Victorian atmosphere” and we’re sure more plaudits will follow now that it’s out there for real. Congratulations, Chris, on writing a great book and let’s hope that no spiders suffered in its research. Well, not too many, anyway.
Happy Publication Day from everyone at Nosy Crow!
Tagged with charles dickens,
children's books,
christopher edge,
penny dreadful,
twelve minutes to minute,
victorian
Posted by Tom on Jan 31, 2012
Olivia’s First Term, the first in the series by Lyn Gardner has been selected for the Richard and Judy Kids’ Book Club!
Being in the Book Club means that Olivia’s First Term will enjoy greater exposure and more publicity – we’ve had to print a whole new run to meet the demand. This year, there are 10 books for children that have been chosen (you can see the full list here) – and this is the first Nosy Crow title in the Book Club.
Lyn says: “Set in the world of theatre that I know so well from my daily life as a professional theatre critic, the Olivia books are not just about the excitement and glamour of red carpet first nights, the knuckle-biting experience of auditions, or the backstage rivalries. They are also about family, friendship and that crucial part of growing up where you try on different roles for yourself as you attempt to work out exactly who you are and what really matters to you. I’m delighted that the Richard and Judy Kid’s Book Club means that Olivia will enjoy a wider audience for her feats on the high wire, on stage and in the class room.”
Kirsty says: “This is such great news – it’s lovely to see Olivia in the Richard and Judy Book Club, and in such good company!”
The Book Club is run by WH Smith – keep a look our for Olivia books in stores!
You can download our press release here.
Posted by Tom on Jan 24, 2012
We’re absolutely thrilled to hear that Cinderella has won a Publishing Innovation Award from Digital Book World!
The awards recognise the best-in-class across twelve categories of book apps, eBooks and enhanced eBooks. Cinderella won in the Juvenile App category, and Kate was in New York to accept the award last night – she tweeted a picture of it here.
Also amongst the winners were The Magic of Reality by Random House in the Non-Fiction App category, British Library 19th Century Books by BibloLabs in the Reference/ Academic App category, and Decoded by Jay Z, also by Random House, in the Transmedia Project category.
You can read the full list of winners here.
Matt Mullin, Community Relations Manager for Digital Book World, said “Well-designed ebooks and apps are not just beneficial to a publisher’s brand – they are essential to a publisher’s business. When publishers surprise and delight their readers, they gain advocates who will talk about, recommend, and discover more of their quality work. We are proud to honor this year’s winners because each demonstrates excellence that inspires creators and readers alike.”
Tagged with awards,
book apps,
cinderella,
digital,
digital book world,
innovation,
nosy crow,
publishing innovation awards
