Category Archives: Culture

Business of Books: Jane Cable talks to author & book designer Christine Hammacott

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the-business-of-books-interviewswithjanecableJane Cable talks to author and book designer Christine Hammacott
 
How much of your working life does the business of books take up?
The business of books is extremely varied these days. Being an author doesn’t just involve writing a book. It can involve research, editing, marketing and promotion, social media, blogging, events and book festivals, to name but a few – anything that can help raise your profile.
I’m an author and also a book designer. I run my own graphic design consultancy and spend a lot of time working on logos and brand development across all media both in print and online. Three years ago, I joined forces with a couple of other writing friends to set up a indie-publishing co-operative. We’ve published seven titles so far including my own book. As a result of this I’ve been asked by other authors if I would design their covers. So two years ago I added book design to my portfolio of offerings and word seems to have spread as I’m now constantly working with other authors.  
My writing is a lot less disciplined than the design side, as I’m forced to write around family commitments, often snatching time at the laptop or with notepad and pen in car parks and corridors while my daughter is at one of her out of school activities. It isn’t ideal but it’s a one way of ensuring I have some regular time to write.
Jane Cable talks to author and book designer Christine Hammacott
What’s your business model for earning a living from books?
As far as earning a living from my writing goes I’m a long from doing that. I’m not convinced I’d actually like to solely write, although I would like to address the balance better. In an ideal world I’d like to spend the mornings writing and the afternoons designing with a walk with the dog in between.
I really enjoy designing book covers. My first job after art college was working for a publisher doing just that. I turn an author’s manuscript into a marketable ‘product’ that is visually appealing and conveys the genre and essence of the book. It can be quite difficult getting this across sometimes to an author but it’s important for a potential buyer to know immediately what they are buying and whether they want it. 
I think authors like working with me because I’m an author too and therefore understand where they are coming from and that their work is precious. A lot of them haven’t published before and part of my role is to gently hand-hold them through the process.
What do you write and what do you consider your major successes?
Years ago when I first started writing, I entered a Writing Magazine short story competition and won first prize. That success gave me the confidence to believe in my writing and undertake something larger. I now write psychological suspense. I enjoy finding out how ordinary characters cope in extraordinary situations. My debut novel is about a young woman who just want’s to get back to some sort of normality after a devastating fire that has left her homeless and a neighbour dead. Only she then finds she has a stalker and begins to fear for her safety. It’s a genre I particularly like as it’s very easy to imagine myself in the protagonist’s position and that makes it scary.
Tell me about your latest project
I’m working on another psychological suspense. This one is set in the New Forest and is all about living with consequences, morality, family relationships and how easily a situation can get out of hand. 
 
 
Amazon link  https://www.amazon.co.uk/Taste-Ash-Christine-Hammacott/dp/1499590830/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1491584065&sr=8-1&keywords=christine+hammacott
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25820474-the-taste-of-ash?from_search=true
website   www.christinehammacott.com
www.artofcomms.co.uk
facebook   christinehammacott.author/
twitter @ChrisHammacott
 

Review: Forty Years on at Chichester Festival Theatre

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ARSONatChichesterFestivalTheatre.PhotoJohanPersson_02652

Photos: Johan Persson

Taking up his post as Artistic Director new Head Boy Daniel Evans opens his first Chichester Season with Alan Bennett’s early play, which is set in 1968 at Albion House, a fading public school.

Some fifty local schoolboys join the cast and are outstanding, opening the production with a roof-raising rendition of Praise My Soul the King of Heaven.

The occasion is the end of term show, which also marks the retirement of the elderly headmaster. Under the directorial auspices of his reformist successor, the offering of a history revue includes some sketches that get the old duffer decidedly hot and bothered – to be overtly risqué is definitely tsk-tsk territory.

There are some joyous moments. Danny Lee Wynter’s naughty portrayal of an elderly aristocrat à la Dame Maggie as Downton’s Lady Violet is delicious, while an ace tap-dance solo is worthy of the Strictly! final. A stage invasion of lusty-voiced rugger buggers is also a gas, which for all the headmaster’s puritanical tendencies is deemed perfectly acceptable once it is revealed that the opposition has been roundly trounced.

Alan Cox as incoming headmaster Franklin, Jenny Galloway as Matron and Lucy Briers as Miss Nisbitt give accomplished performances, while the music and singing is superb, thanks to the excellence and exuberance of a terrific ‘school orchestra.’

Some of the historical inspirations do not resonate, leaving these skits teetering on the brink of tedium. But there are plenty of jolly spoofs to compensate, as well as flashes of poignancy bringing a balancing shade.

)inCFT'sproductionofFORTYYEARSON.PhotoJohanPersson_04653You can almost smell overcooked cabbage thanks to Lez Brotherston’s impressive school hall set, which comes complete with an almighty oak organ, rising from and towering over the stage.

At eighty years on himself, and having suffered a heart attack only last year, it is perhaps unsurprising that Richard Wilson is not yet tight on his lines. Reading from a script for the most part, when he struggles to find his place on the page it causes the audience collective anxiety. It’s a shame, but there is still much to enjoy here.

www.cft.org.uk Box office: 01243 781312

Vicky Edwards

The Business of Books: The Taxman Cometh… Or Does He?

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the-business-of-books-interviewswithjanecableJane Cable on taxing income from writing

The first royalty cheque, the first receipts from Amazon – those are exciting moments for any writer. But in the slightly bewildered ‘wow – someone’s paid to read my book’ moment, whether you need to pay tax on the income is the furthest thing from your mind.

First let me say that taxation – any form of taxation – is a minefield. The volume of legislation is massive and while HMRC guidance is helpful and now provided in reasonably understandable lay terms, it is still easy to fall foul of the rules – or at very least not take full advantage of them. If you even think you might need professional advice then talk to an accountant – preferably a qualified one. Most offer free initial meetings and if you can’t find one by recommendation then the ICAEW’s Business Advice Service is a good place to start: http://www.businessadviceservice.com/

Assuming you haven’t set up a company for your writing business then your earnings from the business of books will be classed as self employment. This means that you won’t be taxed on your income, but on your profit. In broad terms, many costs which relate solely to your writing will be allowable for tax, including book production, marketing, attending conferences and agents’ fees. The list is not exhaustive but a good first question to ask yourself is ‘did I do that only for my writing business and was it necessary to do it?’ If the answer is yes, then you are more than half way there but the reality is that a good accountant will be able to maximise what you claim because they will know the laws inside out.

For the tax year just started, things will be quite a lot simpler for the majority of writers who have self employed earnings of under £1,000 per annum. Here I am talking about gross income, before any expenses. This is because the government has introduced a new limit below which HMRC doesn’t even need to know about it. The exception to this is if you already complete a tax return but even then the rules are relatively simple and you can read more about them here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/tax-free-allowances-on-property-and-trading-income

The Business of Books- The Taxman Cometh… Or Does He?

Of course another issue is whether you are trading or not with your writing, or if it’s just a hobby. Working out when a writer crosses the line is a matter of judgment – and case law – and everyone’s circumstances will be different. The key ingredient is whether you are doing it with a view to making a profit (one day, if not now) but once you actually start selling books, then you probably are.

There is a good chance you might be trading before that day, but this is where the waters become unbelievable muddy. Why would it matter, you may ask yourself, because if I don’t have any income then I’m not making taxable profits. The answer is that you might be making a taxable loss which can be used to reduce the tax on your other income. And this is where professional advice is essential because it’s also where HMRC can become mighty interested and in 2015 they won a landmark case where a tax tribunal decided that someone who had a full time job but poured money into a hobby they loved was not trading so couldn’t claim tax relief. Even though they made a little income from it. Even though they had a professionally designed website. It struck me at the time that the circumstances were pretty similar to most authors when they set out in their writing careers.

The new £1,000 tax free allowance will undoubtedly make things easier for those setting up many businesses, including writing, which can only be a good thing. But remember it’s only half the story. And never, ever, mess with the Inland Revenue!

Please note that this article only points out general rules and should not be used as a substitute for professional advice.

 

 

The Business of Books: Passion For Publishing

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the-business-of-books-interviewswithjanecableThis week I’m genuinely excited to welcome Karen Sullivan, the powerhouse behind the most talked-about independent publisher in the UK
 

1)   What is your book related job or business?

I am publisher and owner of Orenda Books, an independent publisher that specializes in literary fiction, with a heavy emphasis on crime thrillers and about half in translation. We turned ‘two’ last November.

 

2)   What is the most rewarding part of it?

In all honesty, all of it is rewarding. It is a genuine privilege to be in a position to work with talented authors from around the world, and to bring them and their brilliant books to readers. The Orenda list is very much my own taste, and I account to no one, so while I can often feel quite exposed when a new book comes out, it makes the positive response all the more exciting. With each little success, there is more attention paid to the list as a whole, and everyone benefits. 

 

I love the thrill of finding a new book, and working with authors from the moment a book is signed, right through the editing process and then onto marketing and PR and even sales … none of the original excitement is diluted en route. One of the most moving and satisfying parts of my job is publishing debuts, making some often very long-held dreams a reality. I work incredibly long hours, but as we inch towards increasingly strong book sales across all formats, shortlists for awards, mainstream press, invitations to prestigious festivals, and fantastic endorsements from highly regarded authors, every challenging moment is worthwhile and I am in a constant state of wonder that this is mine!

 

karen sullivan, writing, publishing, Jane cable

Credit: Ian Patrick

 

3)   What do you consider to be your major successes?

There have been many! It was fabulous to be shortlisted (twice) for the Nick Robinson Newcomer Award at the Independent Publishing Awards. Watching Ragnar Jonasson’s debut novel Snowblind knock The Girl on the Train off the number-one kindle spot for the first time was unbelievable (sorry, Paula!), as were the exceptional sales of the Dark Iceland series. We’ve had three books selected for the excellent WHSmith Fresh Talent promotion (Amanda Jennings’ In Her Wake, Agnes Ravatn’s The Bird Tribunal ­[translated by Rosie Hedger] and Matt Wesolowski’s Six Stories), and The Bird Tribunal was a Radio 4 Book at Bedtime. Ragnar’s Nightblind won Most Captivating Crime in Translation at the Dead Good Reads Awards at Harrogate, and In Her Wake was shortlisted for Most Recommended Read. Louise Beech’s How To Be Brave was a Guardian Readers’ Pick, as was Ragnar’s Blackout. David F. Ross’s The Last Days of Disco was sold for stage to the Scottish National Theatre, and to Random House in Germany. It was the first-ever book that I published, and a massive boost! 

 

There are more of these ‘individual successes’, but I suppose the most exciting thing is to see the company grow. We quadrupled turnover in less than two years, and Orenda Books is definitely becoming a recognizable name both with readers and in the trade. Every positive review (and there are thousands), every bit of support from the ‘community’, every opportunity to bring my brilliant authors to festivals and events and bookshops, has added to the thrill of it all.  

 

 

4)   Have you always loved books, and what are you reading at the moment?

I have always been a reader. My dad was transferred a lot when I was young, and books were my solace and my friends. I would take a dozen books out of the library every week and be transported! When I was about eleven, I read a novel where the protagonist got a job in a publishing house, reading the slush pile. I couldn’t believe it! That was a job? And here I am! I always have a few books on the go. I’m reading Stav Sherez’s The Intrusions and Sarah Perry’s The Essex Serpent at the moment, plus first drafts by Orenda authors, including Louise Beech’s Maria in the Moon and Michael J. Malone’s House of Spines. All are AMAZING!

 

Karen Sullivan is founder and publisher of independent publisher Orenda Books, and a Bookseller Rising Star for 2016.

First look at The National Theatre Salomé trailer

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SALOMÉ – a new play by Yaël Farber
theatre, salome, trailer

Previews from 2 May, with Press Night 9 May. Continuing in the repertoire until 15 July. Broadcast to cinemas by NT Live on 22 June.

The story has been told before, but never like this.

An occupied desert nation. A radical from the wilderness on hunger strike. A girl whose mysterious dance will change the course of the world. This charged retelling turns the infamous biblical tale on its head, placing the girl we call Salomé at the centre of a revolution.

Internationally acclaimed director Yaël Farber (Les Blancs) draws on multiple accounts to create her urgent, hypnotic production on the Olivier stage.

Salomé is designed by Susan Hilferty with lighting design by Tim Lutkin, music and sound by Adam Cork, movement direction by Ami Shulman, fight direction by Kate Waters and dramaturgy by Drew Lichtenberg. Cast includes Philip Arditti, Paul Chahidi, Ramzi Choukair, Uriel Emil, Olwen Fouéré, Roseanna Frascona, Lloyd Hutchinson, Shahar Isaac, Aidan Kelly, Yasmin Levy, Andrew Lewis, Anna Lindup, Theo T J Lowe, Isabella Niloufar, Lubana al Quntar,and Raad Rawi

Hundreds of Travelex tickets at £15 available per performance.

nationaltheatre.org.uk

@nationaltheatre

 

 

The Business of Books: Ready, Steady – Write!

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the-business-of-books-interviewswithjanecableJane Cable on writing competitively

Writing is not generally a competitive pastime; in fact, as I was saying in my last column, it’s a mutually supportive one. Yet writing competitions are forever popular and it’s probably the one time that pencils are sharpened into threatening points as we pit our wonderful words against those of our peers.

Doing well in competitions has shaped my writing life. Being a finalist in the Alan Titchmarsh Show’s search for a People’s Novelist gave me the confidence I needed to pursue my career as an author. Winning Words for the Wounded’s Independent Novel of the Year in 2015 led to representation by an agent and my first publishing deal.

There is no doubt that having a competition win on your CV helps get you noticed in all sorts of ways. Not only by agents and readers, but by sites like Bookbub and Ereader News who are impressively picky about the books they take for promotion. And as with everything else, practice makes perfect.

The Business of Books- Ready, steady – write!

Many competitions have an entry fee which funds not only the prizes but the running costs. Some, like the Words for the Wounded prize, exist to raise money for charity. Others help to fund literary festivals, but there is no doubt that entering enough of them to become really good at it can cost a small fortune.

This is one of the reasons that Frost editor Catherine Balavage and I are delighted to support a new free to enter competition, The Cornish Writing Challenge. Organised by short story writer Vikki Patis, the competition is open to writers everywhere but the entries must be either set in Cornwall or have a Cornish main character. There are four photographs for inspiration and full details can be found on Vikki’s The Bandwagon blog here: https://dracarya.wordpress.com/2017/04/04/cornish-reading-challenge-cornish-writing-challenge/

The judges are Vikki, Cornish author Angela Britnell, Catherine and me. The winning entry will be published in Frost and the writer interviewed on The Bandwagon. Highly commended entries will be published on The Bandwagon too.

So, how should you go about winning such great prizes and adding an impressive line to your writing CV? First and foremost, follow the rules. Don’t send 1,600 words when the maximum is 1,500. Make sure your entry is submitted before 27th May. The basics, really.

Choose your photographic prompt and use it – either literally or figuratively, but don’t half forget about it and slip it in at the end. It will show. But you are allowed to think outside the box and use the image as creatively as you wish.

Think your story through before you start to write. With a novel you can afford to ramble on a bit in a first draft, but a short story needs to move swiftly and smoothly from beginning to middle to end. It’s so much easier to do this when you know where you’re going from the outset.

Once your draft is down, edit it so that every single word counts. They don’t have to be long, difficult or showy words – in fact it’s often better if they’re not. But each one needs to have its place and contribute to the story. And don’t forget spelling and grammar because nothing grates on a judge more than sloppy writing.

Most of all, enjoy the journey and when you have a story you’d be proud to see in print, upload it to The Bandwagon website. Vikki, Angela, Catherine and I can’t wait to read it.

 

 

 

New Collection of The Beatles’ Albums on Vinyl LPs Launched

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BeatlesVinylCollection

At Frost Magazine we get sent a lot of stuff. Not all of it floats our boat to be honest, but when two albums from the new Beatles Vinyl Collection, Abbey Road and Sgt Peppers Lonely Heart Club in 180g Vinyl came we were absolutely delighted. They are something to behold. Beautiful and unique. We are a huge fan and will be procuring the entire collection. We suggest you do too.

Global partwork publisher DeAgostini launched, in association with Apple Corps and Universal Music Group, The Beatles Vinyl Collection. Featuring 23 albums, it will be available to purchase online and in newsagents all across the UK.

Issue by issue, the #BeatlesVinylCollection of single, double and triple albums builds into a comprehensive library of the momentous music made by The Beatles. Presented in exact replicas of the original sleeves, the specially pressed 180-gram vinyl LPs ensure the music will be heard in the best quality sound. Remastered at Abbey Road Studios in London, The Beatles’ reissued LPs have been universally acclaimed by sound experts and the group’s fans. Produced by George Martin in the 1960s, the albums contain some of the most celebrated recordings ever made.

 

The Beatles Vinyl Collection includes such groundbreaking albums as Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, Abbey Road, Revolver and Rubber Soul, as well as intriguing compilations like the three volumes of The Beatles Anthology and two Live At The BBC collections.

 

Amanda Honeybun, Marketing Director at DeAgostini, said: “We are so excited to launch The Beatles Vinyl Collection, which will give people of all ages the opportunity to collect on vinyl the greatest albums in the history of music. Our Beatles Vinyl Collection makes it possible to buy these wonderful records from the comfort of your own home or at your local newsagent. Then all you have to do is put the needle on the record to enjoy the best recordings ever made by the best group of all-time!”

 

Each album also includes an illustrated magazine containing the stories behind the group’s renowned recordings. Written by Beatles historian and award-winning radio producer Kevin Howlett, each issue reveals details about the creation of an album and an assessment of its significance within not only The Beatles’ legacy, but also the history of music.

Kevin Howlett said: “It was such a privilege to write about this joyous music. The Beatles have inspired generation after generation of music fans, songwriters, artists and producers. I’m also delighted that there is a resurgence of interest in collecting records. For music lovers, nothing can beat the look of a stylish LP cover and the authentic experience of listening to a classic album on vinyl.”

The global vinyl market is booming. Sales of records in 2016 reached a 25-year high as music buyers embraced this attractive physical format. More than 3.2m LPs were sold in 2016, an annual rise of 53% and the ninth consecutive year of growth1.

The Beatles Vinyl Collection is DeAgostini’s fourth vinyl collection. The company’s previous collections of Jazz, Blues and Classical Music proved very popular. This new collection establishes DeAgostini Publishing as one of the leading vinyl album market producers and distributors.

The Beatles Vinyl Collection is a 23-part series. Issue one will be priced at £9.99 for a limited time only, with subsequent single album copies retailing at £16.99; double and triple albums will sell for £24.99. Issues are available fortnightly in shops, with subscribers receiving two issues in one delivery every four weeks. Subscriptions can be purchased online at www.deagostini.co.uk/beatlesvinyl

 

 

Divine Chocolate & Christian Aid launch their 15th annual Poetry Competition for children

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poetry competition, childrenDivine Chocolate, the Fairtrade and farmer-owned chocolate company, has launched its 15th annual national Poetry Competition in partnership with Christian Aid. The poetry competition aims to take young people on a voyage of discovery about the world of chocolate, cocoa farmers and Fairtrade, firing their imaginations and encouraging their creativity.

The theme for 2017’s competition is ‘Sharing tastes Divine’, encouraging entrants to think about the joy of tasting and sharing chocolate with friends, and the fair price and a share of the profits farmers receive too.

Leading the judging panel is Laura Dockrill, author of the Darcy Burdock book series and a young and talented performance poet, author/ illustrator and short story writer.

Laura says; “I adore original writing. I look for poems that take brave risks, where an idea jumps off the page and is explored through beautiful language, description and form. Poems that come from the heart, that are full of feeling. I feel so privileged to be reading new work for the Divine Chocolate & Christian Aid Poetry Competition and can’t wait to read the submissions with a lovely cup of tea!”

Leading the judging for the Welsh language panel is Anni Llŷn, Children’s Poet Laureate for Wales.

As well as cherishing chocolate, the competition encourages young people to develop a greater understanding of where their food comes from, the people behind it and the potential challenges facing our food industry. Educational resources are available from Trading Visions, the sister charity of Divine Chocolate including lesson plans, videos and more, including a day in the life of Raphael, the son of a cocoa farmer in Ghana.

The judge’s pick of the best poems in each category will win a selection of gifts including book tokens and tasty treats from Divine. For more information on the competition and Divine’s story visit www.divinechocolate.com/uk/poetry

 

The Divine Poetry Competition is open to UK&I residents aged 7+ years. Closing date 30.04.17. Terms and conditions apply.

Entry forms and poems must be returned by 30th April 2017 to:

  • English poems by email: poetry@divinechocolate.com
  • English poems by post: Poetry, Divine Chocolate, 4 Gainsford Street, London, SE1 2NE
  • Welsh poems by email: cymru@cymorth-cristnogol.org
  • Welsh poems by post: Cystadleuaeth Barddoni Divine, Cymorth Cristnogol, Llys Porth yr Eglwys, 3 Heol yr Eglwys, Yr Eglwys Newydd, Caerdydd CF14 2DX

The winners of the competition will be announced and read by Laura on Divine Chocolate’s YouTube channel after the closing date of the competition.

Laura Dockrill was named as one of the top ten literary talents by The Times and one of the top twenty hot faces to watch by Elle magazine. Her sassy and unique way with words has captivated audiences everywhere from gigs and festivals including Glastonbury and Latitude, to radio and TV programs such as Woman’s Hour, Newsnight and BBC breakfast. As well as performing, Laura now as an impressive eight books under her belt, including the Waterstones shortlisted Darcy Burdock series which has been translated into 12 languages. Currently she is working on a script for a film, writing a new YA novel, and has even taken her hand to songwriting. In the words of Vogue magazine, ‘Everyone’s falling for Laura Dockrill.’

Find out more about her at www.lauradockrill.co.uk. Follow her on Twitter at Twitter.com/LauraDockrill.