For the second time this year, Black Swan is set to dominate the week’s Sunday Times paperback fiction bestseller list, taking the top three positions.

Kate Atkinson’s When Will There Be Good News? will be No. 1 for the second week, following its Richard & Judy Best Read slot on 11th February.

Hot on its heels is Sophie Kinsella’s Confessions of a Shopaholic, boosted by the opening this week of the movie starring Isla Fisher and Hugh Dancy.

In third place is David Ebershoff’s The 19th Wife, the most recent Richard & Judy Best Read on 18th February.

On 18th January the line-up was Joanna Trollope’s Friday Nights at No. 1, Kate Atkinson’s When Will There Be Good News? at No.2 and Sophie Kinsella’s Remember Me? at No. 3.

To celebrate the forthcoming paperback publication of Evan Wright’s Generation Kill on 26th February we at between-the-lines have 5 copies of the DVD to giveaway courtesy of Premier PR!

We have reissued Evan Wright’s bestselling classic Generation Kill to tie in with the DVD release of the unmissable television adaption which is currently airing on FX. Adapted by Wright and The Wire’s unbeatable writing team David Simon and Ed Burns, the HBO mini-series attracted critical acclaim when it aired in the US last year and looks set to be essential viewing in 2009. As well as showing on FX, Channel 4 have just bought the rights to air the show in July later this year.  Generation Kill by Rolling Stone journalist Evan Wright chronicles his experience as an embedded reporter with the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion of the United States Marine Corps during the 2003 invasion of Iraq.  His narrative follows with unflinching realism a generation of young men sent to fight their nation’s first open-ended war since Vietnam.  

Check out these fantastic TV reviews below:

Kathryn Flett on Generation Kill – http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2009/feb/01/television-television

Charlie Brooker on Generation Kill – http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2009/feb/07/ross-kemp-generation-kill

Benji Wilson on Generation Kill – http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/4325921/TV-review-A-Short-Stay-in-Switzerland-BBC1-and-Generation-Kill-FX.html

To be in with a chance of winning a copy of the DVD just answer this question:

Generation Kill author Evan Wright used to write for which US magazine?

a) Rolling Stone
b) Rolling Rock
c) Rolling Pebble

Please send your answer along with your name and postal address to: betweenthelines@transworld-publishers.co.uk.  The first three correct answers will win the prize!

Here at Between the Lines, we love a happy ending. So, we were absolutely thrilled that underdog film Slumdog Millionaire, based on the novel Q&A by Vikas Swarup, won an amazing eight Academy Awards last night.

The winning categories were:

• Best Motion Picture of the Year
• Achievement in Directing
• Achievement in Cinematography
• Achievement in Film Editing
• Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Score)
• Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Song)
• Achievement in Sound Mixing
• Adapted Screenplay

In his acceptance speech, the film’s writer Simon Beaufoy thanked Vikas Swarup, saying:

“I certainly wouldn’t be standing here tonight without Vikas Swarup, who wrote the book, without which none of Slumdog would ever have happened. So thank you, Vikas.”

We have a Confession. Here at Between the Lines, we’re all Shopaholics!

So when we heard that Sophie Kinsella‘s novel The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic was being made into a film starring Isla Fisher, we couldn’t wait to see it!

Luckily, we didn’t have to! Here are the photos from the UK premiere, held in Leicester Square on Monday night, which we managed to blag our way in to.

Confessions of a Shopaholic is in cinemas from today. We’d love to hear what you think of it!

The 26th February is an auspicious day, the Vikings are invading and believe me you won’t put up much resistance. Feel the spray of the north sea, hear the slap of oars against the tide, and see the brutal physicality of a group of men bonded in brotherhood and lusting for wealth and glory.

There was a time when men were men and this is it! The conflicted, anti-hero Raven doesn’t stand a chance against such an enigmatic group of men and neither will you!

Best known for longboats, quaffing and womanising Kristian’s novel brings the norseman into a new light and makes you wonder who was the more savage?  

The first in an exciting trilogy, Raven Blood Eye is our hot tip for February, go on unleash your inner Viking…

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-He5yH-rSw]

26.02.09

www.gileskristian.com

Film rights for the fantastic gothic thriller, Season of the Witch by Natasha Mostert, have been sold to Allotria Films. Andrew Davies has written the script and James Teigue (director of the Matrix films) is slated to direct. 

Watch this space for more news on the film’s progress!

Bestselling crime thriller writer Tess Gerritsen is writing an exclusive tour diary for her UK website www.tessgerristen.co.uk.

For her latest post which kicks off with the event at Scarborough Library and features a cameo from ‘Fred the Head’ (you’ll have to read it to believe it!) click here.

If you want to meet Tess in person, then check out her remaining tour dates below. Who knows, you might make an appearance in the blog!

Tuesday 10th February

7.00pm Event at Waterstone’s Leeds
93-97 Albion St Leeds, LS1 5AP, United Kingdom

Wednesday 11th February

1.00pm Signing event at Borders Solihull
Unit 45, Touchwood Centre, Solihull B91 3GS

7.00pm Event at Birmingham Library Theatre
  Birmingham Library Theatre, Paradise Place, B3 3HJ

Thursday 12th February

6.30pm Event at Borders, Charing Cross Road
  122 Charing Cross Rd, London WC2H OJR
  Event in London with Dennis Lehane 

Friday 13th February

12.30pm Event at Borders Cambridge
12-13 Market St, Cambridge, CB2 3PA

6.30pm Event at Norfolk and Norwich Millennium Library
  The Forum, Millennium Plain, Norwich, NR2 1AW

One never ceases to be amazed at the invention of authors, and it’s not limited to the writing itself. Celebrated London author Christopher Fowler has come up with a particularly fiendish and fun-sounding ruse to promote his latest book, Paperboy – a memoir of growing up in London in the ‘60s.

Christopher is giving away a variety of signed, dated and inscribed first-editions of his novels, including his acclaimed Bryant & May mystery novels and copies of Paperboy itself. So far so good. The fun part is that he’s hidden the books in various locations around London and would-be readers have to find them! ‘Collect the set,’ he urges readers of his regular blog, ‘all you have to do is get there and ask!’

To help eager readers, Christopher hid the first book where Paperboy begins – in the East Greenwich Public Library. The clue was: ‘Ask the librarian – she knows’. But there’s no need to rush off to Greenwich! Someone’s already beaten you to it.

There will be two more books to be found on Friday, 6 February, at ‘a coffee shop in King’s Cross that serves the best Italian coffee this side of Milan.’ For more details, log on to www.christopherfowler.co.uk/blog and get hunting!

‘This book is fabulous, and I hope it sells forever.’ – JOANNE HARRIS

Paperboy • Published by Doubleday • 12 February 2008 • HB • £14.99

For further details, please contact Aislinn Casey on 020 8213 6712 or e-mail

a.casey@transworld-publishers.co.uk

The UK is preparing to rock out to some very unsuspecting musical heroes as the band Anvil take to our cinema screens and our bookshops this February.

At fourteen, Toronto school friends Steve “Lips” Kudlow and Robb Reiner made a pact to rock together forever. Their band Anvil went on to become the “demi-gods of Canadian metal,” releasing an album, ‘Metal on Metal’, that influenced a musical generation including Metallica, Slayer and Anthrax. All those bands went on to sell millions of records but Anvil’s career would take a different path – straight to obscurity.

Anvil! The Story of Anvil which will be on sale at the beginning of March is the autobiography of Lips and Robb, the two inspirational aging rockers who are now in their mid-fifties, and still heroically following their dream.

The film has been hailed by audiences and film critics alike and the UK trailer is now available to watch:

[youtube:http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=rHYH91YTIcg]

‘The best documentary I’ve seen in years!’
Michael Moore

‘Some of the scenes in “Anvil” are so outrageous, it feels like this must be a Spinal Tap sequel. It isn’t. These guys are for real. “Anvil! The Story of Anvil”: The year’s great rock movie!’
Rolling Stone

‘A story that will resonate with most of us who, for whatever reason, have modified our dreams over time to adjust to the expectations of real life… A must-see for dreamers everywhere.’
Indiewire

‘The best rock ‘n’ roll movie since Spinal Tap? Hell Yeah!’
Kerrang

The last time we saw forensic anthropologist Dr David Hunter he was about to meet his maker. Find out what happened next in Whispers of the Dead, the electrifying new David Hunter novel, available to buy now! The sequel to the No. 1 international bestsellers, The Chemistry of Death and Written in Bone, sees Hunter involved in his most testing investigation yet when he returns to the research facility where he first trained – the Body Farm.

For those not familiar with Simon Beckett’s fiction then grab a copy of the first installment The Chemistry of Death now. His books combine the forensic detail of Kathy Reichs and Mo Hayder, with the psychological terror of Susan Hill. Check out below an exclusive video of the master of suspense himself, Simon Beckett, discussing his own visit to the real life Body Farm in Tennessee. Yes the Body Farm really exists!  You can also find out more about Simon and his books at www.simonbeckett.com.

[youtube:http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=dKzCEUM_6vQ]