PHILIP WOMACK: November 2013

Thursday, 28 November 2013

Telegraph Christmas Books Round Up

Sally Gardner: Hot stuff

Hello all: December creeps towards us, and what better time than to think about what books to get for any children of your acquaintance. Here's my round up of the best of this year, done for The Telegraph. It features a host of novels, from Sally Gardner, Emma Carroll, Katherine Rundell, Marcus & Julian Sedgwick, F E Higgins, Philippa Gregory, Anthony McGowan; my review of Patrick Ness' More Than This was cut, so I've pasted it here below:

Patrick Ness’ More Than This (Walker Books, £10.99, 477pp), is a book which descends from our anxieties about our universe, as seen in films such as The Matrix. What is this strange world on which we live, and what if it was all a simulacrum? Ness’ treatment of his troubled gay hero is thoughtful and brave – which more than makes up for the slightly creaky premise.

BBC South East: Costa Children's Books

I tootled down to Brighton College today, which certainly brought back a few memories, as it resembles rather closely my own alma mater, Lancing. I was there to be filmed talking about one of the shortlisted books for the Costa Children's Award - Chris Riddell's Goth Girl and The Ghost of A Mouse, which sees a Byronic cycling poet's daughter, Ada, uncover a nasty conspiracy going on in the grounds of her vast house, Gormly-ghast. I'm not sure when the piece will be on television, but I shall post a link as soon as I am told.

Tuesday, 5 November 2013

Troika Books press release for THE DARKENING PATH

Troika Books Press release: Troika Books acquisition news 4 November 2013

Womack trilogy The Darkening Path to Troika Books

Troika Books, the new children’s independent set up by veteran publisher Martin West is pleased to announce a major acquisition for 2014. The company has acquired The Darkening Path, a fantasy trilogy by Philip Womack, acclaimed author of The Other Book and The Liberators. The first book in the trilogy will publish in June 2014.

“The Darkening Path is a superlatively well-written quest adventure that will keep readers on the edge of their seats from the opening page to the very last word,” says West, “Taking as its starting point Browning’s poem Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came, the book tells the story of a boy called Simon who must undertake a dangerous journey into a brilliantly realised underworld to save his little sister. It is reminiscent of Alan Garner and Susan Cooper, intelligent fantasy for young readers of the very highest order. We are anticipating excellent review coverage and are hopeful of prize short-listings too.”

Troika’s promotional plans include trade support and a PR campaign. Proofs of book one, The Darkening Path, will be available in January.

West acquired UK and Commonwealth rights from Tom Williams at the Williams Agency.

Plus, Troika Books bringing Snowy back at last

Troika Books has also acquired rights in Berlie Doherty’s much-loved picture book Snowy and will reissue it in February next year. Snowy is the story of Rachel, who lives on a canal barge, Snowy is the white horse who pulls her boat. “Snowy won the Children’s Book Award for the best picture book of the year on publication in 1993 and is a favourite with many readers, booksellers and librarians. But it has been unavailable for some years,” says West. “I am thrilled to be bringing this outstanding children’s book back into print and immensely proud to have Berlie Doherty, one of our finest children’s authors, on the Troika Books list.”

For further information contact:

Andrea Reece
Troika Books
020 8889 1292 / 07807893369
andrea.reece@zen.co.uk

Notes for editors

Martin West began his long career in children’s books at Oxford University Press and Blackie before launching his own list Happy Cat Books. He founded Catnip Publishing in 2005 and joined Ragged Bears in 2009. He launched Troika Books in Spring 2013. Launch titles included Bocchi and Pocchi A Tale of Two Socks, a stylish and quirky picture book by debut artist Noriko Matsubara, as well as new books from award-winning children’s authors Bernard Ashley and Hilda Offen.

Troika Books sales are handled by Target Sales and distribution is through Orca Book Services. Petula Chaplin handles foreign rights sales.

Friday, 1 November 2013

T C Boyle Short Stories; Volume 2

T C Boyle: Giant of a man

Morning everyone, and a happy Hallowe'en for yesterday. I've reviewed T C Boyle's short stories; one or two of them, I suppose, could be considered topically scary; I did it for The Telegraph. Check it out here.

Quotes

Praise for The Arrow of Apollo

"The Arrow of Apollo ... drawing deeply and with great intelligence on classical mythology, is beguilingly original. ... The prose is both elegant and muscular ... There is much to admire in this intriguing, ambitious, immersive book." Julia Gray, Literary Review.

"Womack is a classicist so his grasp of the intricacies of Greek mythology is sure. Here he weaves the complexities of family relationships, the dark deeds that arise from jealousy, passion and revenge – and the consequences with assurance. He is not retelling the myths, already well known, he is carrying them forward, creating a group of very believable characters in so doing. The result is an exciting, immersive and engaging story that carries its learning lightly ... Though this is a novel to appeal to KS3 readers Womack’s uncluttered contemporary style – no anachronisms here – make it ideal for confident KS2 readers whether they have met the mythological world of the Greeks and Romans or not. Excellent." Books for Keeps

Praise for The Double Axe

"I began to leaf through, then could not put the book down, so easy to read it was like being in a trance. You can virtually taste the blood, smell the sea breezes, touch the stone walls of the palace as you run your hands along them, inhabit the strong young body of the 13 year old narrator and feel his fear and exhilaration. The pages almost turned themselves as my brain was effortlessly filled with data normally the preserve of scholarly classicists." Mary Killen, The Lady

"Womack’s fifth novel, unsettling, original and absorbing, shows him at the height of his powers." Imogen Russell Williams, Literary Review.

"Learned and exciting." Suzi Feay, Financial Times.

"...a clever rummage through the myth that manages to turn it on its head and recast it in a new light... promises great things to come." Toby Clements, The Telegraph.

" You should try this book. The spare, simple narrative tightens the tension in every page and keeps you reading. There is suspicion, trust, betrayal, and death. Curses, prophecies and magic. Excellent stuff!" Reading Matters.

Praise for The King's Shadow

"The King's Shadow, like The Broken King and Womack's two previous books, remains full of atmosphere, menace and lightly-worn learning. Classical influence is evident in the lunar names of King Selenus and his daughter and in the compass directions of the Roman winds; and there are nice, unsettling touches of warped courtliness and chivalry throughout. A darkly disconcerting high fantasy, in the vein of Alan Garner or Susan Cooper, it should appeal to adventurous young readers." - Imogen Russell Williams, Literary Review

"Womack delivers a whole, satisfying story ... Giants, dwarfs and magic all bubble in the mix - along with a dash of romance." Suzi Feay, The Financial Times.

Praise for The Broken King

"Philip Womack is one of the best contemporary writers of children's fantasy... There's a real sense of deepening menace... will please any young fantasy fan." Philip Reeve, author.

"[Womack] does conjure an eerie poetry of the subconscious, a kind of Alice in Terrorland." Suzi Feay, The Financial Times

"A magical story full of powerful images and unexpected consequences." Julia Eccleshare, Lovereading4Kids

" The Broken King is superbly written and totally gripping, and I want the next bit now." Kate Saunders, Literary Review.

"Like Alan Garner, Philip Womack takes ancient fairy-tales about searching for a child kidnapped by dark magic, and turns it into a haunting adventure exploring love, courage, fear and friendship. Written with sensitivity, intelligence and conviction, it's the kind of classic story readers can't get enough of." Amanda Craig

"A cracking pace, enigmatic characters and terrifying adversaries will have you clamouring for the next in the series. " - Sarah Naughton

Praise for The Other Book

"Philip Womack is a writer of huge talent" - Artemis Cooper in The Daily Telegraph

'Womack is not simply writing for children, he is, like many of the best children's writers, remembering how it felt to be a child'. Roz Kaveney in Times Literary Supplement

'Womack excels at vivid and lyrical phrasing ... Can't wait for more.' Elspeth Barker in Literary Review

'A ripsnorting children's adventure ... the helter-skelter pace will keep any right-thinking ten year old hooked.' Archie Bland in The Spectator

Praise for The Liberators

What is so rewarding about Womack’s book is that the quality of the writing is good enough to slow you down. From the “pall of fear” that “hung over London as its citizens mobbed around, uncertain of the dangers that hid in their midst” to the conversations between children and adults, the pace and mystery are underscored by a poet’s imagination. This is a proper, copper-bottomed magical story of the kind once written by Alan Garner and John Masefield, and it uses the sinister side of Greek myth with brio.' Amanda Craig, The Times

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