Friday, 22 May 2009.
Hi all,
We would like to thank all the participants, sponsors and supporters of the 2009 CRIMEFEST for making it such successful convention.
Next year’s CRIMEFEST dates are 20 - 23 May, and one of the Featured Guest Authors will be Colin Dexter.
The CRIMEFEST Gala Dinner Toastmaster will be Gyles Brandreth, and other confirmed authors include M.C. Beaton (celebrating 25 years of Hamish Macbeth), Natasha Cooper, John Curran and Ariana Franklin.
You can save over 25% on next year’s registration if you sign up before the end of May at www.crimefest2010.eventbrite.com.
We will be sending out a more detailed CRIMEFEST 2010 newsletter soon, but we just wanted to let everyone know that The Times will be reviewing the winners of Sounds of Crime Awards tomorrow (Saturday, May 23rd). The newspaper will come with a free download from Audible UK, the award’s sponsor. And for those of you who don’t already know, the winners are:
The Sounds of Crime Award for Best Abridged Crime Audiobook of 2008 is a tie between:
- Stieg Larsson’s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Reader: Martin Wenner. Publisher: Quercus
- Ian Rankin’s Doors Open. Reader: James Macpherson. Publisher: Orion
The Sounds of Crime Award for Best Unabridged Crime Audiobook of 2008 is:
- Kate Atkinson’s When Will There Be Good News. Reader: Steven Crossley. Publisher: BBC Audio.
Also announced at CRIMEFEST was the winner of the Last Laugh Award for Best Humorous Crime Novel of 2008:
- Christopher Fowler’s The Victoria Vanishes. Publisher: Transworld/ Transworld.
(The £1,000 prize was sponsored by Goldsboro Books, the book collector’s bookseller.)
We look forward to seeing you next year,
Myles Allfrey & Adrian Muller,
CRIMEFEST co-hosts.
Friday, 17 April 2009.
Hi all,
We hope this update finds you well.
More info than expected to get through so here goes:
- HOTEL CONVENTION RATE EXPIRES
- TRANSLATION WORKSHOP
- INDIVIDUAL TICKETS
- VOTE FOR CRIMEFEST AWARDS
- RNIB RAFFLE (WIN AN MP3 PLAYER AND AUDIO SHORTLISTS)
- GALA DINNER
- TIMES COMPETITION
- READING GROUPS
HOTEL CONVENTION RATE EXPIRES
Please note that the Bristol Marriott Royal Hotel convention rates expire on Monday, 20 April. After that rooms will be only be available at regular Marriott rates. (And these may not include the complimentary Full Breakfast.) For information on the convention and budget hotels please visit CRIMEFEST HOTELS.
TRANSLATION WORKSHOP (No knowledge of foreign languages required!)
Would you be interested in participating in a translation workshop? This is an opportunity for attendees to be active participants rather than passive listeners. Award-winning translator Ros Schwartz, co-translator of Dominique Manotti's Lorraine Connection (winner of the 2008 International Dagger), demonstrates what a translator has in common with a sleuth. And it's a lot more than meets the eye: following up clues, pursuing leads, tracking down elusive words and expressions, forensic attention to detail. Come and put your wits to the test in this hands-on 2 hour workshop on Sunday, 17 May at 2pm. Participation will cost £5. Please email us at info@crimefest.com to let us now if you are interested.
INDIVIDUAL TICKETS
A limited number of tickets are now available for the Simon Brett, Michael Connelly, Hakan Nesser and Andrew Taylor interviews on Saturday at £12.50 each. Die-hard fans who don't mind missing out on the rest of the fun will now have the opportunity to see their favourite authors. Again, REGISTER soon because only a limited number of tickets are available.
VOTE FOR CRIMEFEST AWARDS
CRIMEFEST delegates have the opportunity to win an iPod and the complete Sounds of Crime shortlist, as well as all of the books nominated for the Last Laugh Award. (Visit AWARDS for the nominees.) If you are registered you should have already received your ballot. For those who have not signed up, the deadline to vote and be entered for the prizes is 1 May, so go to REGISTER to buy tickets and participate.
RNIB RAFFLE
Can't attend CRIMEFEST and still want to win an MP3 player and all the shortlisted audio Sounds of Crime titles? Then why not enter our raffle benefiting the library of the Royal National Institute of Blind People? The online price is £5 (approximately $8) for five tickets and they can be purchased at http://cf-rnib-raffle.eventbrite.com. For information on the shortlisted titles visit SOUNDS OF CRIME AWARDS.
GALA DINNER
There are still tickets (£35) available to the Gala Dinner on Saturday the 16th. The Toastmistress is Meg Gardiner, and the evening includes brief after-dinner speeches by the Featured Guest Authors and the presentations of the CRIMEFEST Awards. For tickets go to REGISTRATION.
TIMES COMPETITION
Suffering from the credit crunch and can't afford to attend CRIMEFEST? The Times will be running an all-inclusive CRIMEFEST competition (Full Pass, Gala Dinner and accommodation) in their Books section on Saturday, April 25.
READING GROUPS
Registered delegates will soon be contacted with the titles for the convention reading groups. New titles for online reading groups will be announced in June. If you have received reading group titles, be sure to participate ONLINE if you wish to receive more free books in the future.
We look forward to seeing you at CRIMEFEST.
Cheers,
Myles Allfrey and Adrian Muller,
CRIMEFEST co-hosts.
Monday, 30 March 2009.
Hi all,
Just a short newsletter this time because it will be followed up with brief updates in April.
It's just under two months until the second CRIMEFEST and we hope that those of you who have registered are looking forward to it. We know that many of you still plan to come but haven't followed up on your good intentions. So, check out the PROGRAMME - we think it is a great one - and REGISTER now.
In this newsletter:
- INTERVIEW TICKETS
- SHORTLISTS
- CRIMEFEST TRIPS
- ONLINE READING GROUP 6 (FREE BOOKS)
INTERVIEW TICKETS
We are constantly trying to improve CRIMEFEST - constructive suggestions are always welcome - and this year we thought we might try experimenting with individual tickets. A limited number of tickets are now available for the Hakan Nesser, Simon Brett, Andrew Taylor and Michael Connelly interviews on Saturday at £12.50 each. Die-hard fans who don't mind missing out on the rest of the fun will now have the opportunity to see their favourite authors. Again, REGISTER soon because only a limited number of tickets are available.
AWARD SHORTLISTS
The shortlists for the Last Laugh Award for Best Humorous Crime Novel of 2008 (sponsored by Goldsboro Books) and the Sounds of Crime Awards for Best Abridged and Best Unabridged Crime Audiobooks (sponsored by Audible UK) will be announced in an email next week. There are both familiar and new names on all the shortlists, and they represent the best in crime fiction. Registered delegates will be able to vote for the winning titles and in doing so will have the opportunity to take home some exciting prizes. This includes, courtesy of Audible UK, an iPod and all the shortlisted Sounds of Crime titles as downloads! (For the longlists go to the AWARDS page.)
CRIMEFEST TRIPS
This will be the last newsletter with a reminder to book for the excursions to Stonehenge, Old Sarum, Salisbury, Avebury, Lacock, Bristol and Bath. As previously mentioned, this is a unique opportunity to visit some of the west of England's most beautiful and historically interesting locations. All trips are accompanied by a fully qualified Blue Badge Guide. Bookings must be made before the end of April. For more information or to register visit the CRIMEFEST TRIPS page.
ONLINE READING GROUP 6 (FREE BOOKS)
Another cracking title for this month's online reading group: Ariana Franklin's The Mistress of the Art of Death. Franklin won the Crime Writers' Association's Ellis Peters Historical Dagger for this first instalment which features Adelia, a female doctor on assignment for Henry II. (Henry II may make only few appearances but, when he does, he takes centre stage.) Ariana Franklin is right up there with CJ Sansom and a select few other historical crime writers. The first 20 people to email us at read@crimefest.com with their postal and email address will receive a free copy of The Mistress of the Art of Death. To participate in the reading groups sign up at ONLINE READING GROUPS. (For more information on previous reading group titles visit PREVIOUS UPDATES.)
That's it for this month, but keep an eye out for brief updates in April.
Cheers,
Myles Allfrey and Adrian Muller,
CRIMEFEST co-hosts.
Tuesday, 24 February 2008.
Hi all,
Another month almost over and another CRIMEFEST newsletter. There is a lot to get through, so let’s crack on:
- PITCH AN AGENT/CRIME WRITING WORKSHOP
- BRISTOL MARRIOTT ROYAL HOTEL
- CRIMEFEST TRIPS
- ONLINE READING GROUP 5 (FREE BOOKS)
- AWARDS
- COMPETITION
- GALA DINNER
- MURDER ONE BOOKSHOP
- SLEUTHS! TORBAY'S FESTIVAL OF CRIME WRITING
PITCH AN AGENT/CRIME WRITING WORKSHOP
The ‘speed date for an agent’ event has been tremendously popular, and we hope to bring it back for 2010. For this year only five places are still available for the PITCH AN AGENT strand so book soon to avoid disappointment. Limited availability also applies to the CRIME WRITING WORKSHOP. Both events require REGISTRATION for a Full CRIMEFEST Pass.
BRISTOL MARRIOTT ROYAL HOTEL
A few delegates have experienced minor difficulties in reserving rooms at the Bristol Marriott Royal Hotel, the convention hotel. To make up for any inconvenience this may have caused we have negotiated with the Marriott for the convention room rate to include the hotel buffet breakfast. (This usually costs £16.95.) Full CRIMEFEST Pass holders not staying at the convention hotel will still be offered the light complimentary CRIMEFEST breakfast on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. For more information on the recommended budget hotels visit CRIMEFEST HOTELS.
CRIMEFEST TRIPS
We have received enquiries from UK delegates asking whether they can book for the CRIMEFEST trips. Our approach is the more the merrier. The excursions to Stonehenge, Old Sarum, Salisbury, Avebury, Lacock and Bath, and a walking and cruise tour of Bristol are organised on behalf of Bristol by Tours of Discovery/Cumbrian Discoveries. This company is also responsible for the British side of tours for the Smithsonian and others. To reserve tickets or further details go to TRIPS/WHAT TO DO.
ONLINE READING GROUP 5 (FREE BOOKS)
To date, the book group has included outstanding crime novels by Meg Gardiner, Hakan Nesser, Paul Johnston and Gyles Brandreth. If you would like to participate in the discussions, then go to ONLINE READING GROUPS to register. (To buy copies online, please visit Blackwell, the CRIMEFEST bookseller.) The next title is another great read: The Wrong Kind of Blood by Declan Hughes. It won the Shamus Award for Best First Novel, and the third in the series, The Dying Breed (US title: The Price of Blood), has just been nominated for an Edgar Award for Best Novel. Think of the Ed Loy books as contemporary Chandleresque but with an Irish setting and a more interesting, humane and sympathetic PI. The first 20 people to email us at read@crimefest.com with their postal and email address will receive a free copy of The Wrong Kind of Blood.
AWARDS
Speaking of awards, during CRIMEFEST the winners will be announced for the Last Laugh Award for Best Humorous Crime Novel, and the Sounds of Crime Awards for Best Abridged and Unabridged Crime Audiobooks. Vote for your favourite audiobook to be shortlisted and you may win an award-winning unabridged book on CD. The eligible titles can be found on the CRIMEFEST AWARDS page and all you need to do to win is to send an email to audio@crimefest.com with the titles you would like to see win the awards. Please make sure you indicate clearly if the title is abridged or unabridged. A winner will be randomly selected from the entries. The deadline for votes is the 31st of March, 12pm GMT. The Sounds of Crime Awards are sponsored by Audible UK.
COMPETITIONS
In the last newsletter we asked you to identify the common thread running through the CRIMEFEST panel titles. The correct answer is that they are film noirs. The person with the most precise response was Steph Davies, and she will be contacted shortly with details of her prize. The next competition continues to focus on the programme panels. If the theme of the titles is film noir, which is the odd one out and why? Email us your answers at competition@crimefest.com and win a mystery prize. Cheers and good luck.
GALA DINNER
One of the CRIMEFEST highlights is the Gala Dinner. Presiding over the occasion will be thriller writer extraordinaire Meg Gardiner. There will be after dinner speeches from Featured Guest Authors, and the winners of the CRIMEFEST awards will be announced. Ticket availability is limited so if you wish to attend but have not bought a ticket (£35) do so soon on the REGISTRATION page.
MURDER ONE BOOKSHOP
Murder One on Charing Cross Road may be no more but the good news is that the bookshop lives on online and will be continued to be run by familiar faces. Tanya & Trisha have taken over the business and the company can be reached with the following email addresses murderone.mail@virgin.net or murderone.mo@virgin.net. For the website go to www.murderone.co.uk.
SLEUTHS! TORBAY'S FESTIVAL OF CRIME WRITING
Do you need a crime fiction fix before CRIMEFEST in May? The latest addition to the British crime fiction calendar is Sleuths! Torbay's Festival of Crime Writing scheduled for its first outing this April. Participating authors include Anne Perry, Carol Smith and Anne Zouroudi. For more information visit the English Riviera’s website.
Please spread the word about CRIMEFEST wherever you can. For CRIMEFEST logos for websites, please visit the MEDIA page.
We look forward to seeing you in May.
Myles Allfrey and Adrian Muller,
CRIMEFEST co-hosts.
Saturday, 31 January 2009.
Hi all,
We know January is already all but over, but best wishes for 2009!
If you haven't already registered for CRIMEFEST we hope that one of your resolutions is to do so in the new year. If you live in the USA the exchange rate and cost of travelling to Europe is finally in your favour, so come on over! Regardless of where you are, there will be plenty to entertain you (see below) so what's stopping you, REGISTER.
In this newsletter:
- HAPPY & SAD NEWS
- PROGRAMME TEASERS
- WIN AN AUDIOBOOK
- ONLINE READING GROUP 4 (FREE BOOKS)
- IMPORTANT HOTEL NEWS
- MAKE THIS THE BEST CRIMEFEST EVER
HAPPY & SAD NEWS
Let's get the sad news over with first. As mentioned in previous updates, Maxim Jakubowski is to be a special guest at CRIMEFEST this year. We invited him to celebrate 21 years of Murder One, Britain's premier crime fiction bookstore, as well as to honour him for (continuing) services to the genre. Sadly, due to the current economic climate, Murder One closed earlier this month. There is a silver lining to the news, as senior staff members intend to keep Murder One going as on online business. (See future updates for more info.) As for Murder One being remembered at CRIMEFEST, if you thought it would become a wake, be sure to realise it will be an Irish one!
Now for the good new. Every year the Crime Writers' Association has the difficult task of choosing one of a select few authors who are worthy of the Cartier Diamond Dagger which is awarded for sustained excellence in crime writing. It was recently announced that this year's recipient is Andrew Taylor. Realising what an exceptional author Andrew is, we had intended to highlight him in a ‘two-authors-in-conversation' panel. In light of the award, we invited him to join the Featured Author line-up, and he will be interviewed instead. Find out more when the PROGRAMME is posted on the 9th of February.
PROGRAMME TEASERS
Participating CRIMEFEST authors will be contacted next week with their panel assignments, and there are some great ones! Barry Forshaw, editor of the newly published masterwork British Crime Writing: An Encyclopedia is one of the panellists on ‘The Lost Weekend: Eric Ambler and Who? - Forgotten Authors'. The panel recognises Ambler's centenary and explores why he and other masters of crime are not as well known today as they should be. ‘Crack-up: Lighter Than Noir' has Simon Brett moderating a diverse bunch including Ruth Dudley Edwards and Håkan Nesser. Continuing to highlight some of the superb translated crime fiction ‘Foreign Correspondent: Books in Translation' is a panel with translators of award winning novels. Arthur Conan-Doyle and Edgar Allen Poe were born 150 and 100 years ago, and the ‘Criss Cross: Conan-Doyle & Poe Anniversary Panel' looks at contemporary authors situating their sleuths then and now. One of the panellists is Gyles Brandreth with Oscar Wilde as the sleuth, receiving advice from Conan-Doyle. ‘Pick-up On South Street: A Date with Debut Authors' features authors who had their first novel published within the last year. And focusing on some of the shortlisted and exceptional authors of this year's CWA shortlisted authors for the Historical Dagger is ‘A Moment in Time'. Last but not least, Maxim becomes quizmaster Magnus Magnusson for ‘Crossfire: Criminal Mastermind' with one lucky audience member winning an all inclusive CRIMEFEST registration for 2010-that includes hotel accommodation and Gala Dinner. (Detect a theme in the titles? Email us at info@crimefest.com. Let us know and win a mystery prize.)
WIN AN AUDIOBOOK
Vote for the Sounds of Crime Awards longlists and win an audiobook. Audible UK is again sponsoring the Sounds of Crime Awards for best abridged and unabridged crime audiobooks. The eligible titles can be found on the CRIMEFEST AWARDS page and all you need to do to win an audiobook is to send an email to audio@crimefest.com with the titles that you would like to see win the awards. Please make sure that you indicate clearly if the title is abridged or unabridged. A winner will be randomly selected from the entries.
ONLINE READING GROUP 4 (FREE BOOKS)
The fourth online reading group title is Oscar Wilde and the Ring of Death (Oscar Wilde and a Game Called Murder in the USA) by Gyles Brandreth. This is the perfect example of the second novel in a series being as good as-if not better than-the first in a series. Oscar Wilde is a three-dimensional and sometimes dark character, in the tradition of Sherlock Holmes. We cannot recommend it highly enough. The first 20 people to email us at read@crimefest.com with their postal and email address will receive a free copy.
All copies of Meg Gardiner's China Lake, Håkan Nesser's Borkmann's Point and Paul Johnston's The Death List, the previous reading group titles, have now been sent out. If you did not receive an email indicating that you would be one of the recipients, but you would still like to participate in the discussion, then go to ONLINE READING GROUPS to register. (To buy copies online, please visit Blackwell, the CRIMEFEST bookseller.)
IMPORTANT HOTEL NEWS
If you have registered you should have received an email with the discount code for the Bristol Marriott Royal Hotel. Unfortunately they are not able to take online bookings, but the hotel email does include details for free phone numbers. Please note that the discount code is only guaranteed until the 20th of April and that it applies to a limited amount of rooms. The Ibis and Travelodge are the recommended budget hotels. If you plan to stay at the latter you may want to ask for a room away from the main road as there will be building works in progress.
MAKE THIS THE BEST CRIMEFEST EVER
Please spread the word and mention CRIMEFEST wherever you can. You can incorporate the CRIMEFEST logo (downloadable from the MEDIA page) on your site.
That's it for now.
We look forward to seeing you in Bristol.
Myles Allfrey and Adrian Muller,
CRIMEFEST co-hosts.
Wednesday, 17 December 2008.
Hi all,
MICHAEL CONNELLY TO BE INTERNATIONAL GUEST OF HONOUR AT CRIMEFEST 2009 IN BRISTOL
Also in this fourth update for next year's CRIMEFEST (14 - 17 May 2009):
- MORE AUTHORS CONFIRMED/SEASON DISCOUNT
- PARTIES
- TRIPS
- CRIME WRITING WORKSHOP/PITCH AN AGENT
- ONLINE READING GROUP 3 (FREE BOOKS)
- AWARD LONGLISTS
- BRITISH CRIME WRITING: AN ENCYCLOPEDIA
MORE AUTHORS CONFIRMED/SEASON DISCOUNT
We are beyond chuffed to announce that Michael Connelly will be the International Guest of Honour at the next CRIMEFEST (14-17 May, 2009). His participation completes the Featured Guest Author line-up as he joins Simon Brett from the UK and Hakan Nesser from Sweden.
Meg Gardiner is the Toastmistress at the Gala Dinner, and other highlighted authors are John Harvey, Bill James and Andrew Taylor.
Also confirmed: MC Beaton, Stephen Booth, Gyles Brandreth, Martin Edwards, Edward Marston, Brian McGilloway, Zoe Sharp and Yrsa Sigurdardottir. For the full line-up go to PARTICIPANTS.
So treat yourself (and others) to a Christmas present and sign up for CRIMEFEST. We'll give you a registration reduction of £10 if you do so before the new year. To receive the £10 off, go to REGISTER and use the coupon code christmas (all lower case).
PARTIES
Two publishers are hosting parties that are by invitation only. Who is invited? Anyone who has registered for CRIMEFEST!
On Friday the 15th of May Crème de la Crime is celebrating the publication of Criminal Tendencies, a short story anthology. £1 per copy sold will benefit breast cancer charity The Genesis Appeal. With entries by Featured Guest Author Simon Brett and other luminaries such as Ann Cleeves, Martin Edwards, Sophie Hannah, Reginald Hill, Peter James, Val McDermid and Zoe Sharp and Andrew Taylor lots of money is bound to be raised for this good cause.
Prior to the Gala Dinner on Saturday, May 16th, Constable & Robinson are highlighting their impressive crime list represented by MC Beaton, Featured Guest Author Simon Brett, Alison Bruce, and Bill James. And we are assured
that there will be other surprise authors for fans to talk to.
All are welcome!
TRIPS
Once again Tours of Discovery/Cumbrian Discoveries, organisers of the Smithsonian's British 'Mystery Lovers' Tour', are organising a number of pre- and post- convention excursions. All trips will be accompanied by a qualified Blue Badge Guide.
Tuesday, 12th May 2009
Stonehenge, Old Sarum and Salisbury
Travel through five thousand years of history from the prehistoric monument of Stonehenge, a World Heritage site, to the nearby great Iron Age earthwork of Old Sarum which later became the site of a great Norman castle and, finally, Salisbury Cathedral, one of England's finest examples of gothic architecture.
Wednesday, 13th May 2009
Avebury and Lacock
Visit Avebury, another World Heritage Site and one of Europe's largest prehistoric stone circles, and Lacock, the country house created out of a medieval abbey (former home of William Henry Fox Talbot, a pioneer of photography) and the village which provided film locations for both Pride and Prejudice and the Harry Potter films.
Thursday, 14th May 2009
Bristol - cruise and walk
This is an excellent way to appreciate the setting of Bristol, to see the SS Great Britain and to learn about the Great Voyages of Discovery and Trade as well as to view the panorama of the city.
Monday, 18th May 2009
Bath
A full day tour of nearby Georgian Bath where you will see the very best parts of this magnificent city. Includes a walking tour, a visit to the Assembly Rooms, Roman Baths, and the Royal Crescent.
For more information and to register visit TRIPS/WHAT TO DO
CRIME WRITING WORKSHOP/PITCH AN AGENT
Have you ever thought about writing a crime novel but are unsure about how to do so? Then CRIMEFEST 's CRIME WRITING WORKSHOP is for you! It consists of an intensive afternoon class; a one-on-one assessment of work by tutors (award winning authors in their own right); an opportunity to quiz Camilla Bolton of the Darley Anderson Agency and the crime editor from a big publishing company; and the option to enter the Crime Writing Association's Debut Dagger Competition. There is limited availability, so register soon to avoid disappointment!
For more information visit CRIME WRITING WORKSHOP
Have you written a manuscript and are looking for an agent? If so, we are pleased to announce that CRIMEFEST will be hosting a PITCH AN AGENT strand during next year's convention. Camilla Bolton of the Darley Anderson Agency, Broo Doherty of the Wade & Doherty Literary Agency and David Headley of DHH Literary Agency will be at CRIMEFEST, and aspiring crime writers will have 10 minutes to pitch their manuscripts to these top agents. Consider it speed dating for an agent! As with the workshop there is only limited availability so register while you can.
For further details go to PITCH AN AGENT
ONLINE READING GROUP 3 (FREE BOOKS)
The third online reading group title is The Death List by award winning crime writer Paul Johnston. After several excellent near-futuristic police procedurals and evocative thrillers set in Greece, Paul has changed gears and locales again and has started a new series featuring crime writer Matt Wells as the lead. The Death List is Matt's debut. The first 20 people to email us at read@crimefest.com with their postal and email address will receive a free copy of The Death List.
All copies of Meg Gardiner's China Lake and Håkan Nesser's Borkmann's Point, the first and second online reading group titles, have now been sent out. If you did not receive an email indicating that you would be one of the recipients, but you would still like to participate in the discussion, then go to ONLINE READING GROUPS to register. (To buy copies online, please visit Blackwell, the CRIMEFEST bookseller.)
AWARD LONGLISTS
In 2009 CRIMEFEST will again be awarding
- the Sounds of Crime Awards for best abridged and unabridged crime audiobook
- the Last Laugh Award for best humorous crime novel
To find out which titles are eligible visit CRIMEFEST AWARDS.
BRITISH CRIME WRITING: AN ENCYCLOPEDIA
And finally, if you have already bought yourself, friends and family passes to CRIMEFEST but are still looking for another treat, how about British Crime Writing: An Encyclopedia. This is a substantial, wide-ranging A-Z reference of British crime writing covering the astonishing riches of the whole tradition from classic authors of the Golden Age of British Crime to recent and new, hot names. Key British film and TV adaptations, entries and essays on key themes are also included. It will keep anyone occupied well into the new year!
With best wishes for the Festive Season!
Myles Allfrey & Adrian Muller,
CRIMEFEST co-hosts.
Thursday, 20 November 2008.
Hi all,
In this quick update for next year's CRIMEFEST (14 - 17 May 2009):
- PITCH AN AGENT
- CRIME WRITING WORKSHOP
- ONLINE READING GROUP 2 (FREE BOOKS)
- TAGLINE COMPETITION WINNERS
There will be lots going on for readers of crime fiction at CRIMEFEST 2009. Panels on every conceivable subject; interviews include Gyles Brandreth quizzing Simon Brett and Ann Cleeves interrogating Hakan Nesser; a Gala Dinner with awards, Toastmistress Meg Gardiner and the Featured Guest Authors; and a closing event with an all-inclusive registration—dinner, accomodation, the works!—to CRIMEFEST 2010 as the prize for one lucky winner. We also have something special for aspiring crime writers.
PITCH AN AGENT
Are you an aspiring author looking for an agent? If so, we are pleased to announce that CRIMEFEST will be hosting a PITCH AN AGENT strand during next year's convention.
Camilla Bolton of the Darley Anderson Agency, Broo Doherty of the Wade & Doherty Literary Agency and David Headley of DHH Literary Agency will be at CRIMEFEST and aspiring crime writers will have 10 minutes to pitch their manuscripts to these top agents. Consider it speed dating for an agent! (Authors represented by these agencies include Lee Child, Martina Cole, John Connolly, Tana French, Steve Hague and Paul Johnston.)
There are only 16 slots, and in order to participate it is necessary to register for the Full Weekend Pass (£135). (The registration form includes the option to sign up). Participants will be required to submit the first 3,000 words of their manuscript, together with a brief synopsis (of up to 1,500 words) by the 6th of March 2009. As there is limited availability REGISTER early to avoid disappointment.
CRIME WRITING WORKSHOP
Highly popular at this year's CRIMEFEST, the CRIME WRITING WORKSHOP will return for the 2009 convention. The workshop consists of an intensive afternoon class; a one-on-one assessment of work by the tutors Peter Guttridge and Janet Laurence (both award winning authors in their own right); an opportunity to quiz Camilla Bolton of the Darley Anderson Agency and the crime editor from a big publishing company; and the option to enter the Crime Writing Association's Debut Dagger Competition. (The competition is only open to previously unpublished authors worldwide.)
There are only 12 slots and, in addition to registering for the Full CRIMEFEST Pass (£135), there is an £85 fee for the workshop. Again, three is only limited availability so REGISTER early to avoid disappointment.
ONLINE READING GROUP 2 (FREE BOOKS)
All 20 copies of Meg Gardiner's China Lake, the first online reading group title, have now been sent out. If you did not receive an email indicating that you would be one of the recipients, but you would still like to participate, then keep an eye out for the next newsletter which will have details of how to do so. To buy a copy online, please visit Blackwell, the CRIMEFEST bookseller.
Håkan Nesser's award winning Borkmann's Point is the second online reading group title. This riveting police procedural introduced the celebrated Inspector Van Veeteren to English language readers. The first 20 people to email us at read@crimefest.com with their postal address will receive a free copy of Borkmann's Point.
TAGLINE COMPETITION WINNERS
We've deliberated and cogitated and have chosen the following tagline:
CRIMEFEST - where the pen is bloodier than the sword.
Congratulations to winner Peter Guttridge!
Runners-up in alphabetical order are:
* CRIMEFEST - a dead good time guaranteed (Jill Evans)
* CRIMEFEST - arresting fiction (LC Tyler)
* CRIMEFEST - making the cut (Mike Morley)
* CRIMEFEST - mind to murder (Maureen Carter)
* CRIMEFEST - the scene of the crime (Paul Clarke)
Courtesy of Macmillan, the winner will receive CD audiobook box-sets by CJ Sansom and Wilbur Smith, the runners-up a CD collection by one of the authors.
Visit the REGISTRATION page to sign up for CRIMEFEST or visit www.crimefest.com for more information.
The next newsletter will have information on the CRIMEFEST excursions, and we anticipate sending it out in early December.
Until then,
Myles Allfrey & Adrian Muller,
CRIMEFEST co-hosts.
Friday, 31 October 2008.
Hi all,
Here is the second newsletter for next year's CRIMEFEST (14 - 17 May 2009):
- Participating Authors
- Website
- Competitions
- Reading groups (free books)
PARTICIPATING AUTHORS
We are delighted to announce that joining Simon Brett as one of next year's Featured Guest Authors will be Håkan Nesser. Håkan is the winning author of the Swedish Inspector van Veeteren novels, and we are thrilled to have him as one of the headlining authors. Also participating at CRIMEFEST are MC Beaton of the Agatha Raisin and Hamish Macbeth series; Renaissance man Gyles Brandreth, author of many books including crime novels featuring Oscar Wilde as the sleuth; and, last, but certainly not least, Andrew Taylor. Having won the Historical Dagger twice already, Andrew was shortlisted again this year for Bleeding Heart Square.) And to celebrate 21 years of bookshop Murder One—and its owner's tireless promotion of crime fiction—Maxim Jakubowski will be our Special Guest.
WEBSITE
The CRIMEFEST website has all the current details for next year's convention, as well as pictures and audio files of this year's convention. (You can download the highlighted panels as MP3 files on the 2008 PROGRAMME page and listen to them on your media player.
COMPETITIONS
You have until November 17 to come up with tagline for next year's CRIMEFEST. For the 2006 Left Coast Crime we had 'For a bloody good time' as the tagline. This year it was 'a new international crime fiction convention'. For our second outing we are looking for something new--'simply the best' is too easy and not allowed--so if you can come up with something original we will reward the winner with a selection of prizes. Again, the deadline is November 17.
Please, send your suggestions to tagline@crimefest.com
READING GROUPS
As announced in our first newsletter for CRIMEFEST 2009, we are launching an online reading group. The first title to be discussed will be Jericho Point by Meg Gardiner, Toastmistress at next year's Gala Dinner. Meg has just started a new thriller series with the excellent The Dirty Secrets Club, but her Evan Delaney books paved the way for her international success. They are as addictive as a class A-drug, but a lot more fun. For more info visit Meg's website. The first 20 people to contact us with their postal address will receive a free copy of Jericho Point with details of how to sign up and participate in the online reading group. (If you aren't lucky enough to receive the free copy but still want to participate then buy a copy and join in!)To receive a free copy of Jericho Point send an email with your postal address to read@crimefest.com
And, because this newsletter is being sent out on the last day of October, giving you very little time to register for CRIMEFEST at the reduced rate of £120, we won't increase the price to £135 until the 3rd of November. So REGISTER now!
Until next month,
Myles Allfrey and Adrian Muller,
CRIMEFEST co-hosts.
Monday, 22 September 2008.
Hi all,
This is the first of the newsletters for next year's CRIMEFEST (14-17 May 2009). Even though it seems far away things are shaping up nicely.
In this newsletter:
- Authors
- Special Guest: Maxim Jakubowski
- Website
- Competitions
- Reading groups
- Awards
- Pre and post CRIMEFEST trips
- ITV3 Crime Thriller Awards Season
- Crime Scene Festival
Authors
We are delighted to have Simon Brett, one of Britain's best loved crime writers, as one of our Featured Guest Authors. As well as the Fethering series, the Mrs Pargeter novels and the Charles Paris detective series, Simon has written for radio, television (After Henry) and cinema. Gracing the Gala Dinner as the Toastmistress will be thriller writer extraordinaire Meg Gardiner, author of the addictive Evan Delaney series. Other headliners will be announced shortly.
Special Guest: Maxim Jakubowski
We will be honouring another guest in a different capacity at the Gala Dinner: Maxim Jakubowski. Though he has written the odd book himself, he is best known for Murder One, his bookshop. Murder One will have been in business for 21 years in 2009, and to celebrate this anniversary—and in recognition of Maxim's tireless promotion of crime fiction—he will be our special guest at CRIMEFEST.
Website
As you would expect, the updated CRIMEFEST website has all the current details for next year's convention. However, a number of you were disappointed that the pages about this year's information were removed. They are back and can be found at CRIMEFEST 2008. The 2008 site also has PHOTOS of the June convention, courtesy of Ali Karim of SHOTS Ezine. If you have CRIMEFEST photos you would like to share, then we will try to include them. They can be sent to info@crimefest.com. (Please send them as either jpegs or gifs and, please, make sure they are not huge files!) For those of you who want to revisit some of this year's panels, or for those of you who missed it altogether (tut, tut, tut), you can download the highlighted panels as MP3 files on the 2008 PROGRAMME page and listen to them on your media player.
Competitions
Before announcing the two delegates who will win a Full 2009 CRIMEFEST Pass for completing the online survey, we have another competition. For the 2006 Left Coast Crime we had 'For a bloody good time' as the tagline. This year it was 'a new international crime fiction convention'. Since this will be our second outing we can't call ourselves 'new', so the assignment is to come up with a new tagline for next year's CRIMEFEST. ('Simply the best' is too easy and is not allowed.) The prizes, courtesy of Macmillan, are CJ Sansom and Wilbur Smith CD box sets, each comprising four Shardlake and four Egyptian instalments respectively. The winner will receive copies of both box sets, and the runners-up one each. Send your suggestions to tagline@crimefest.com
Almost 40% (!) of the CRIMEFEST delegates were good enough to complete the online survey. We have responded to some of the most frequent comments which should be available here within the next 48 hours. The two survey winners are: Maxine Clarke and Jane Finnis. Congratulations and thank you for your constructive comments.
Reading groups
The CRIMEFEST reading groups proved to be very successful with participating delegates. So much so that we will be organising a number of online CRIMEFEST reading groups. If you subscribe to the newsletters you will be able to sign up for free books and everyone—whether you have received a book or not—will be able to participate in the discussion online. Look out for details in future newsletters.
Awards
CRIMEFEST will again be presenting a number of awards at the Gala Dinner. All the winners will receive a commemorative vase courtesy of Bristol Blue Glass. Next year the Last Laugh Award for best humorous crime novel of 2008 is sponsored by Goldsboro Books who are providing a £1,000 prize for the winning author. Audible UK are again sponsoring the Sounds of Crime Award. Next year, however, there will be two awards: best abridged and best unabridged crime audiobook of 2008. More information on how the long and shortlists will be compiled will be included in a later newsletter.
Pre and post CRIMEFEST trips
Tours of Discovery, UK organisers of the Smithsonian Mystery Lovers' England, will once more be organising a number of author accompanied West Country trips in the run-up to CRIMEFEST. Details will be announced in the next newsletter. In addition to these excursions Tours of Discovery are also considering organising a post-CRIMEFEST tour exploring the literary connections to Devon (Agatha Christie, Coleridge, Conan Doyle, Wordsworth, etc.) Depending on participating numbers the cost—including transport, 7 nights bed and breakfast, a guide, and all entrance fees—will be between £1,200 and £1,800. If you are interested and/or would like more details, please send an email to tours@crimefest.com.
ITV3 Crime Thriller Awards Season
Some delegates may have noticed the film crew during this year's convention. Cactus TV were interviewing CRIMEFEST authors about six colleagues who are up for the inaugural ITV3 Writer's Award for Classic TV Drama: Colin Dexter, PD James, Lynda La Plante, Val McDermid, Ian Rankin and Ruth Rendell. Clips of the CRIMEFEST footage can be seen in the weekly profiles that are currently being televised on ITV3. The network will also be recognising the crème de la crème of crime fiction with other awards focusing on the best of British and International crime thriller novels. CRIMEFEST is delighted at the attention ITV3 is giving the genre. Visit Crime Thriller Awards Season page for more information.
Crime Scene Festival
Finally, if you can not wait until May for your next fix, then why not go to this week's Crime Scene Festival (24-28 September) in London. With a mix of cinematic and literary events there is something for everybody. So, if you are in the Smoke, check it out!
Until next month,
Myles Allfrey and Adrian Muller,
CRIMEFEST co-hosts.
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