We’ve been captivated by Sunny, the gripping new novel from Paul Murdoch. So have his school and library audiences. It’s kicking up a storm of enthusiastic supporters. Sunny is like a cross between Frank Cottrell Boyce’s novel/Danny Boyle’s film Millions and Theresa Breslin’s exploration of sectarianism Divided City. It’s a page-turning thriller with a mystery…
Gordon Brown’s stylish Craig McIntyre road-trip thriller rips along. It combines intrigue, action, sparky dialogue and the alarmingly possible. And that ‘alarmingly possible’ verges on probable given the twists and turns in American politics over the last few months. So we thought you might like a taster. Here’s the prologue + chapter 1. Enjoy. (Note that it’s a…
For some reason these scenes didn’t make the final edit for the BBC’s Planet Earth II. No idea why. Perhaps they’re saving them for the director’s cut?
The BBC’s Newsround has announced that ‘refugee’ has been deemed the Children’s Word of the Year. That comes after OUP analysed 120,000 stories written for BBC Radio 2’s 500 Words competition. In October, we published a children’s book (7+) about a very unusual refugee – Angle the crocogator – who has to leave Nowhere to go to Elsewhere. It…
Yes, author, songwriter, singer and guitarist Paul Murdoch is living the dream – he’s on a Stones tour. Okay, so it’s not the Rolling Stones. We’re talking standing stones. (What Mick Jagger & Co will become in the next few years?) Paul’s inspiration for The Peck Chronicles came partly from regular visits to the ring of…
Paul Murdoch‘s Citadel and Tyrant will both be launched on 3 March. This will give you a feel for what to expect…
Is it: A. R2D2 B. Harrison Ford C. Hugh Holman Somehow we don’t think you’ll find that one too difficult! And the X-wing? It’s his mode of transport. (In the film, not in real life…)
Later this month (Jan 2016) you’ll be able to get your hands on Paul Murdoch‘s Citadel – book 2 in The Peck Chronicles that began with Talisman. We know that many of you will be relishing the prospect of more edge-of-your-seat fantasy adventure. That’s if you haven’t worn out that seat edge already… And it won’t…
This from Mossneuk Primary School’s P7B class, writing in the new edition of Primary Times about the big launch of Paul Murdoch‘s Talisman at their school. The event included book trailers and a particularly good true story about a bear on the banks of Loch Lomond! Be sure to ask Paul to tell the tale if he comes to…
Meet the inspiration behind the dragon,Shona, in D A Nelson‘s DarkIsle books. The trilogy has captivated readers worldwide, but starts in Scotland (where the books are widely read in schools and elsewhere). That’s where this massive stone dragon – constructed from the remnants of a disused railway bridge – sits above the dunes in Irvine Beach Park…
Pupils in P7 at South Lanarkshire’s Mossneuk Primary School last week staged a fantastic launch event for Talisman, the first book in Paul Murdoch’s Peck Chronicles fantasy series. Paul dressed-up for the occasion – in a particularly cool T-shirt of the book. (His publisher was very jealous.) 2 impressive P7s acted as hosts, introducing the book…
It’s all go at East Kilbride’s Mossneuk Primary School, where preparations are in full swing for the launch of Paul Murdoch’s 9+ fantasy novel Talisman on 6 October. Primary 7s are doing the organising – fantastic preparation for their transition to secondary school next year. And they have everything under control. Chairing, reviews, trailers, posters,…
Fortunately we didn’t need to. But when we spotted Talisman author Paul Murdoch heading for Waterstones in East Kilbride, we nabbed him and ‘persuaded’ him to sign a few copies for us. The ‘persuaders’ fled their seats before they could be captured on film, but we caught brief sight of one of them as he made a break…
This just in from a young reviewer named Buddy. He’s been lucky enough to have had early sight of Talisman by Paul Murdoch, the 1st book in the Peck Chronicles series. ‘Oh my gosh that was the best book ever! When is the next book out??? My favourite part was when Craig [ah, sorry, we…
Children’s author (and sometime rock musician) Paul Murdoch is set to take readers to another world in Talisman, the first novel in his new Peck Chronicles children’s fantasy-adventure series aimed at ages 9+. It’s officially published on 4 September but the books have recently arrived from the printers, so they’re available to order now. Paul recently…
At a recent event at Waterstones in Glasgow’s Argyle Street, their children’s bookseller Lana noted a resurgence in rip-roaring adventure novels. It seems book-buyers are embracing jeopardy again. At Strident we like a good dose of danger and get our kicks not on Route 66, but from reading Matt Cartney’s Danny Lansing Adventures series. Few characters take risks like…
Is it a bird, is it a plane…? Actually, it’s probably Matt Cartney researching his next Danny Lansing Adventures novel. Matt may not have the Swivel Eyes of the Action Man below, but he’s got a lot more get up and go, as demonstrated by this short film. (Click link to view. You should be taken…
Sam Wilding’s eco thriller Windscape is being used by a number of schools running combined literature+eco projects. A neat example of cross-curricularism! (Made up word? Probably!)
The BBC recently unearthed a portrait of Bonnie Prince Charlie. Portraits are often more propaganda than true representation, and few leaders have been more romanticised than Charles Edward Stuart, figurehead for the Jacobite Uprising of 1745 . On 4 March we’re publishing For The Good of the Cause, Seán Damer’s brilliant fictionalised account of the events behind…
Action man and adventurer Matt Cartney used his expert map-reading skills to find Craigroyston recently. Read all about it in this North Edinburgh News blog… Matt Cartney enthralls Craigroyston
It be International Speak Like a Pirate Day t’day, me hearties. Which be the ideal day to be bringing out some scribblings entitled Pyrate’s Boy. They be the workings of an E B Colin, they be. And ye can find ’em in all good bookshops, priced 5 whole pounds and 99 of the little bits…
Matt Cartney, the intrepid author of the Danny Lansing Adventures series, is at it again. Follow his motorbike journey to Russia…all in the name of research for his next novel. Matt Cartney’s blog on his Russian research adventure
Sam Wilding‘s Windscape title has been chosen as a key part of the ‘Sustainability’ section of the ‘Leafing Through Natural Scotland’ exhibition at Edinburgh’s Royal Botanic Garden. Windscape is an adventure thriller for ages 9/10+. It is already widely used in schools to promot discussions about different sources of energy. The backdrop to the book is a move…
Watch: Trailer for The Sons of Rissouli and Red, White & Black by Matt Cartney. Action-packed adventure-thrillers.
Click to watch the brand new trailer for the hilarious LEE series…Lee novels trailer
See the great new trailer here! Includes previously unseen artwork. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8HT5gBVgdM&feature=youtu.be
This week it’s Bristol’s turn to be entertained and educated by Sam Wilding, with Ayrshire, Northern Ireland and Berwickshire to follow in the next few weeks. There’s great interest in this page-turning adventure from Sam. It’s partly the intrigue of the plot and the quality of the storytelling, but it’s also because it’s backdrop is the sometimes controversial subject of wind…