CHRISTMAS WITH YOU by Sheila O’Flanagan published today by Headline

Sunday Times and Irish Times bestselling author Sheila O'Flanagan's festive short story collection CHRISTMAS WITH YOU is published in ebook and paperback in the UK and Ireland today by Headline, and on 1 November in Australia and New Zealand.

Sheila O'Flanagan's romantic and heart-warming CHRISTMAS WITH YOU is the perfect festive read for fans of Veronica Henry, Carole Matthews and Marian Keyes. These enchanting closely-linked short stories from the No. 1 bestselling author bring to life one unforgettable Christmas full of surprise twists, life-changing moments ... and love. CHRISTMAS WITH YOU was previously published as A SEASON TO REMEMBER, but is now released with two poignant new stories and a Q&A with Sheila added.

In her newsletter, Sheila said: “This makes it ideal for some Christmas self-gifting, or as a stocking filler for the reader in your life! There are two new stories included, as well as a Q&A with me. This is my personal favourite of all my short-story collections and I hope it will put you in a suitably festive mood!” You can subscribe to Sheila’s newsletter here on her website.

Tucked away in the Irish countryside, the Sugar Loaf Lodge is opening its door for the festive season. With snow falling on the mountains outside and warm fires roaring inside, it's the perfect place for guests to celebrate the happiest time of the year. But what if you've just had your heart broken? Or discovered that the man you're married to has lied to you? What if a secret from your past has finally come back to haunt you?

For some of the guests arriving at the Sugar Loaf Lodge, Christmas is looking far from tranquil. But can they find the magic and romance of the season within the walls of this beautiful hotel?

Sheila’s novel WHAT HAPPENED THAT NIGHT was published in hardback and ebook in June, hitting #2 in the Irish bestseller charts, and the paperback will be published in February 2018. Her previous novel THE MISSING WIFE, was a huge success, snatching the No. 1 bestseller spot in Ireland and No. 4 in the Sunday Times Paperback Fiction list in its first week of sales, as well as being a #1 Kindle Bestseller.

For a chance to win one of two copies of THE MISSING WIFE all you have to do is answer the following question: What is the name of the hotel in Sheila’s new collection CHRISTMAS WITH YOU?

Send your answers to competitions@headline.co.uk to be in with a chance to win a copy and find all the Ts&Cs here

THE MISSING WIFE will be published in the US on 6 February 2018 by Grand Central, and rights have been sold in the Czech Republic, Russia, Estonia, Norway and Germany, with Italian and other offers pending.

Sheila O’Flanagan is the much-loved author of many hugely popular novels, including THE MISSING WIFE, MY MOTHER’S SECRET, IF YOU WERE ME, ALL FOR YOU (winner of the Irish Popular Fiction Book of the Year Award) and BAD BEHAVIOUR, as well as the bestselling short story collections DESTINATIONS, CONNECTIONS and A SEASON TO REMEMBER.

In 2016 Hodder Children’s Books published THE CRYSTAL RUN, her first book for younger readers. The sequel THE CRYSTAL RUN: SHIELD OF LIES is released in March 2018.

Sheila was awarded the prestigious Irish Tatler Woman of the Year Award in 2003, and currently lives in Dublin with her husband. Her books have sold over 6.5 million copies in English alone.

See more on Sheila’s website.

Follow Sheila on Twitter

Praise for WHAT HAPPENED THAT NIGHT

‘A fabulous tale with refreshingly inspiring heroines ***** (5 stars)’ – Sarah Hughes, Heat

Praise for THE MISSING WIFE:

‘Another first class bestseller. I read the book in one sitting as it was so enjoyable, full of romance and kept you riveted until the last page. A must for all Sheila's fans.’ – Woman's Way

‘A lovely book that will keep you guessing right up until the end.’ – Bella

‘Insightful, witty and full of fun... This is touching, tense and clever writing.’ – Irish Independent

‘This GONE GIRL-esque novel will have you gripped until the very end ****.’ – Look

Paperback publication day for NEED YOU DEAD, the bestselling 13th Roy Grace mystery from Peter James

NEED YOU DEAD, the 13th novel in Peter James’ Roy Grace series, is published in paperback today by Macmillan. In its first week of publication, NEED YOU DEAD shot straight to number two on the hardback bestselling list and became a number one eBook bestseller, knocking Paula Hawkins’ INTO THE WATER off the top spot.

You can watch a brilliant Meet The Author interview with Peter James on BBC iPlayer.

In NEED YOU DEAD, Lorna Belling, desperate to escape the marriage from hell, falls for the charms of another man who promises her the earth. But, as Lorna finds, life seldom follows the plans you’ve made. A chance photograph on a client’s mobile phone changes everything for her.

When the body of a woman is found in a bath in Brighton, Detective Superintendent Roy Grace is called to the scene. At first it looks an open-and-shut case with a clear prime suspect. Then other scenarios begin to present themselves, each of them tantalizingly plausible, until, in a sudden turn of events, and to his utter disbelief, the case turns more sinister than Grace could ever have imagined.

December will see the re-issue by Orion of THE TRUTH, one of Peter’s earlier novels, twenty years after its original publication, in ebook and audio, with the paperback to follow in February 2018, and more titles to follow. Collectors won’t want to miss the opportunity to re-acquaint themselves with Peter’s classic storytelling, with new introductions from the author in each edition.

Also in 2018, Macmillan will publish the 14th Roy Grace novel in May as well as the highly-anticipated standalone ABSOLUTE PROOF in October 2018, in the UK and US.

The Roy Grace series has been translated into 37 languages, with 19 million copies of Peter James’ books sold worldwide. Peter travels to Germany this week to accept the first Rheinbach Glass Dagger Award for his crime fiction.

See much, much more on Peter’s website.

Do also check out the array of excellent crime writer interviews and information on Peter James TV.

Follow Peter on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

 Praise for Roy Grace:

‘James’s superior 13th novel … This skilful twister shows why James was awarded the 2016 CWA Diamond Dagger.’ — Publishers Weekly Starred Review

‘Sinister and riveting… Peter James is one of the best British crime writers, and therefore one of the best in the world.’ – Lee Child

‘Peter James is one of the best crime writers in the business’ – Karin Slaughter

‘Peter James is one of the most fiendishly clever crime fiction plotters’ – The Daily Mail

 ‘In my thirty-four years of policing, never have I come across a writer who so accurately depicts “The Job”’ – Detective Investigator Pat Lanigan, Office of the District Attorney, NYPD

Lucy Clayburn is back! SHADOWS by Paul Finch published tomorrow by Avon

SHADOWS, the sequel to Paul Finch’s Sunday Times bestselling STRANGERS, is published tomorrow in paperback, ebook and audio by Avon. STRANGERS, the first book in the Lucy Clayburn series, was published last September by Avon.

As a female cop walking the mean streets of Manchester, life can be tough for PC Lucy Clayburn. But when one of the North West’s toughest gangsters is your father, things can be particularly difficult. When Lucy's patch is gripped by a spate of murder-robberies, the police are quick to action. Yet when it transpires that the targets are Manchester’s criminal underworld, attitudes change. Lucy is soon faced with one of the toughest cases of her life – and one which will prove once and for all whether blood really is thicker than water…

German rights are sold to Piper. Paul is also currently writing the next in his HECK series – watch this space!

About Paul Finch

A former cop and journalist, Paul was a writer for British TV crime drama, The Bill.  However, he is probably best known for his work in horror and thrillers. He has also written four Doctor Who audio dramas and his Doctor Who novel, HUNTER'S MOON, was published by Woodland Books in 2011.

Winner of British Fantasy Award 2002 & 2007, and the International Horror Guild Award 2007.

Visit Paul's blog here, or read more about Paul on the Blake Friedmann website. 

Follow Paul on Twitter  where you can treat yourself to a taste of the new novel — Paul’s been tweeting out snippets of the new novel for the past fortnight — and Facebook and see his most recent Facebook Live event, a conversation with Ash Cameron, here.

Praise for Paul Finch and his novels:

 ‘Finch is a born storyteller and writes with the authentic voice of the ex-copper he is.’ – Peter James

‘An ingenious and original plot. Compulsive reading.’ – Rachel Abbott

‘A deliciously twisted and fiendish set of murders and a great pairing of detectives.’ – Stav Sherez

‘Avon’s big star…part edge-of-the-seat, part hide-behind-the-sofa! An excellent series.’ – The Bookseller

‘An explosive thriller that will leave you completely hooked on Heck.’ – We Love This Book

‘Edge-of-the-seat reading…Heck is formidable – a British Alex Cross.’ – The Sun

Carole Blake Open Doors Project: "Bring a Blake Friedmann-shaped door-stop"

by Connor Faulkner

In the deepest, darkest reaches of the North, where an industrial smog still layers the landscape, a young boy sat looking out of his window, his gaze searching for a faintly-glowing beacon in the distance. That young boy was me. The glowing beacon was a nearby dustbin fire. The apparently up-and-coming city of Sheffield always seemed impossibly far from London, and this manifested in a self-perpetuated stubbornness to go below the North/South divide, but thanks to a bit of luck, I found myself in The Retreat at Kings Langley, ready to hastily commute myself into the lovely offices of Blake Friedmann, right in the middle of Camden. A big, big cheers to David Hicks of The Book Trade Charity for sheltering me in this alien sprawl, where everyone pronounces ‘the’ properly.

Upon applying to the Carole Blake Open Doors Project just before the dawn of the New Year, I never thought that I’d find myself swanning around the capital a few months later. Even then, I expected to have been glued to the printer, and practicing my best receptionist phone voice. So, you’ll understand my delight when I was thrown in at the deep end, once I arrived at the Agency and a plethora of submissions and meetings awaited me. But there was much more, too: I was told the ins and outs of foreign rights, I mercilessly shadowed agents (and pestered them relentlessly; apologies to Hattie, Tom and Juliet), and even tried my hand at reading the odd contract, (apologies to Resham and Sam if I land Blake Friedmann in a legal palaver sometime in the near future).

I delved into the heart of the industry for a jam-packed fortnight: I had things to do, I had responsibilities, and my opinion mattered. I even got to embarrass myself at the book launch of the wonderful Sonya Lalli’s equally wonderful feel-good novel, The Arrangement.

I took in as much as humanly possible at meetings with lovely people from publishers such as Allen & Unwin and Jacaranda, to the giants of Hachette and Amazon. This array of experience really kicked me into gear. Previously, I’d assumed that publishing simply wasn’t for me purely due to my location, but the Open Doors Project taught me that this isn’t the case. My time at Blake Friedmann was certainly no guarantee that I’ll one day sneak my way into the industry, but it gave me all the tools and invaluable information I need to stand a much, much better chance of grabbing that dream job.

Another thing that the Open Doors Project taught me, is that you need a very realistic world-view when gazing upon your dream job and the industry which encapsulates it. Aside from also making me aware of my tendency to ramble and make slightly inappropriate comments under a guise of northern ‘charm’, my rapid two-week stint at Blake Friedmann was incredibly enlightening: I learnt that there are vast complexities and intricacies within the industry, which can only be discovered through experience. It turns out that there’s much more to publishing than whacking out books left, right and centre…

In terms of advice for any lucky individual who gets chosen for the project: I can tell you that David Hicks doesn’t like rhubarb, to go steady on book-launch wine, and you had better be prepared to carry three tote-bags of books back home with you. Thankfully, bags filled with literature make for a great self-defence weapon when someone takes your seat on the journey home, so make sure you get as many books as your shoulders can handle.

So no, you don’t need to be born in the right place to one day make your mark in publishing. You just need to have enough drive and determination to make it happen. And you need to read. A lot. Get looking for jobs at every publishing house you know of. Expand your list of people you follow on Twitter, you unsociable sod. Join the Society of Young Publishers, get on The Bookseller website, pester anyone and everyone in the industry until you’re blocked from contacting them. Well, maybe not to that degree. The Carole Blake Open Doors Project is the best chance you’ve got at getting a foot in the very heavy, possibly mahogany door into publishing. Just make sure you’ve got sturdy shoes on. Or, even better, bring a Blake Friedmann-shaped door-stop.

Gingle bells, gingle bells, gingle all the way… CHRISTMAS AT THE GIN SHACK is published today!

The second book in Catherine Miller’s GIN SHACK club series, CHRISTMAS AT THE GIN SHACK, is published today by HQ Digital. Welcome in the festive season with love, laughter and the perfect G&T in the most uplifting holiday read of 2017!

 Olive Turner might have lived through eighty-four Christmases, but she’ll never get bored of her favourite time of year. And this one’s set to be extra-special. It’s the Gin Shack’s first Christmas – and there’s a gin-themed weekend and a cocktail competition on the cards!

But, beneath the dazzle of fairy lights and the delicious scent of mince-pies, Olive smells a rat. From trespassers in her beloved beach hut to a very unfunny joke played on her friends, it seems that someone is missing a dose of good cheer.

Olive knows she’s getting on a bit – but is she really imagining that someone in the little seaside town is out to steal Christmas? More importantly, can she create the perfect gin cocktail before Christmas Eve – in time to save the day?

THE GIN SHACK ON THE BEACH was published in June by HQ and received rave reviews, with Katie Fforde calling it ‘Charming, original and thoroughly enjoyable.’ German rights to both books sold at auction to Insel, who will publish in 2018.

Catherine and Olive will also be going on a blog tour to promote the book, with further details here.

Praise for THE GIN SHACK ON THE BEACH:

“Immensely entertaining, utterly enjoyable from the first page to the last and downright brilliant! Hugely inspiring and absolutely charming” – Kim Nash

About the author:

When Catherine Miller became a mum to twins, she decided her hands weren't full enough so wrote a novel with every spare moment she managed to find. By the time the twins were two, Catherine had a two-book deal with Carina UK. There is a possibility she has aged remarkably in that time. Her debut novel, Waiting For You, came out in March 2016.

Catherine was a NHS physiotherapist, but for health reasons (Uveitis and Sarcoidosis) she retired early from this career. As she loved her physiotherapy job, she decided if she couldn't do that she would pursue her writing dream. It took a few years and a couple of babies, but in 2015 she won the Katie Fforde bursary, was a finalist in the London Book Fair Write Stuff Competition and highly commended in Woman magazine's writing competition. Soon afterwards she signed with Carina. Soon after that, she collapsed in a heap and was eventually revived by chocolate.

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