Some very good news!!

So, some very good news to share. I’ve now signed with Grainne Fox, Literary Agent with Fletcher & Company in New York. She is one of the top US Agents and is quoted as having a love for gorgeous writing, proper storytelling, and books that stimulate the mind and satisfy the heart. I’m over the moon to be working with her (apologies for the cliché), and to be joining such a formidable list of clients. Now back to editing!! :-)

Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year 2018 announced!!

Stav Sherez last night scooped the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award for The Intrusions.
Now in its fourteenth year, the Award is considered one of the most coveted crime writing prizes in the UK.

The Intrusions by Stav Sherez was a 2017 Guardian and Sunday Times book of the year, dubbed ‘A Silence of the Lambs for the internet age’ by Ian Rankin. The book was acclaimed by critics for its echoes of Emile Zola and influences from Graham Greene to Dostoyevsky.

Stav was presented the award by title sponsor Simon Theakston and broadcaster Mark Lawson at the opening night of the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival. 
Stav said: “I’m so shocked. Thank you so much for everyone who reads books, everyone who buys books, and talks about them. The world is full of hardships, but we have so much great stuff in culture and it means so much that there’s something to hide in.”
Stav talked about the inspiration of social media offering a new vein of storytelling and criminality.

“The Intrusions are the stuff we have all around us – all the static and scatter of TV and phones – everything is impinging on our consciousness and you don’t have time to think. So many great crime writers have come before us that have used all the great plots – Christie, James Ellroy – it’s good to have new criminality to deal with. But it’s not only criminality, the internet is affecting politics, it’s affecting elections, it affects us and our kids.”

Sherez beat off stiff competition from the shortlist of six, whittled down from a longlist of 18 crime novels published by UK and Irish authors whose novels were published in paperback from 1 May 2017 to 30 April 2018.
The 2018 Award is run in partnership with T&R Theakston Ltd, WHSmith, and The Mail on Sunday.

Stav Sherez collected a £3,000 cash prize, as well as a handmade, engraved oak beer cask made by Theakston Old Peculier.

The winner was decided by the panel of Judges, comprising literary and media figures chaired this year by Lee Child, alongside a public vote.

The Intrusions is structured around the lead character – Carrigan’s - visits to the hospital to visit his mother who suffered a stroke.

Stav said: “I didn’t know anyone who died from stroke, then a year into writing the book my dad had his first stroke, and I was in and out of hospital rewriting scenes I’d already imagined. Philip Roth in his book at his father’s death was shocked at himself writing notes, in a way it’s remembering the dead, making sure their stories are never lost, which is in a way what all literature is about.”

A special presentation was made to John Grisham - the winner of the ninth Theakston Old Peculier Outstanding Contribution to Crime Fiction Award.
Grisham joins Lee Child, Val McDermid, Sara Paretsky, Lynda La Plante, Ruth Rendell, PD James, Colin Dexter and Reginald Hill as recipients of the Award.

John Grisham said: “About twenty years ago I attended a Chelsea football match with my close friend and editor, Oliver Johnson.  Afterwards, we retired to a pub and I had my first pint of Theakston Old Peculier.  Others followed.  It’s my favourite beer in the world.” 

He added: “I want to thank you for your loyal readership over the years, because of you, the readers, people like myself and Lee Child are lucky enough to do what we do. Thank you very much.”

Title sponsor and executive director of T&R Theakston, Simon Theakston, said: “We’re particularly delighted to honour John Grisham. He is truly a giant of the genre, having sold 300 million books worldwide, with nine of his novels being adapted by Hollywood. His appearance at the Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival marks the first time he’s visited Yorkshire, something that will be remembered in Harrogate history for many years to come. The fact that he is a devotee of Old Peculier only adds to our delight!”

The shortlist in full:

• Mick Herron, Spook Street
• Val McDermid, Insidious Intent
• Denise Mina, The Long Drop
• Abir Mukherjee, A Rising Man
• Stav Sherez, The Intrusions
• Susie Steiner, Persons Unknown

Fiction Extravaganza!!!

Event, Time & Date for the diary!!

An evening of reading from 'READING THE FUTURE' from Hodges Figgis 250 year anniversary anthology (Arlen House)

Date & Time: Thursday 26 July 2018 @ 6.30

Place: Hodges Figgis - Dawson Street

FREE EVENT

Readers:

Sam Blake, Gavin Corbett, Tanya Farrelly,Patricia Gibney, Paul Lynch,Niamh McBrannan, Louise Phillips & Kevin Power....

It should be a cracker of a night!!!

ALL WELCOME

Michigan State University Students at Trinity College!

This is going to be one of my favourite events over the next few weeks as a key note speaker to students from Michigan State University at Trinity College Dublin!!

The students are here from July 2 – August 12 focusing on literary & cultural studies, including the Kate Pearson series of novels!

Homeless Hotel adapted to film!!

I'm very happy to hear that my short story 'Homeless Hotel' (published in the Irish Times) will be adapted to film by a very talented team from the Arts University Bournemouth!!


You can read the short story HERE

Before there was Love Hate there was Emerald Noir!!

Strangely, this came up in my news feed today...

RTE Interview for Crime Novel of the Year ...

Apologies in advance for my ridiculous attempt to cover my braces, and the subsequent lack of clarity at times....

Before there was Love Hate there was Emerald Noir - Watch HERE

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Murder & Mystery at Harrogate!!

This year sees a dazzling list crime writing stars taking part in the world’s biggest celebration of the crime writing genre. Lee Child author of the global bestselling Jack Reacher series will be chairing the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival which takes place 19-22 July.

Lee says: “I’ve been to all the festivals in the world and Harrogate is by far my favourite, so it’s a joy to be 2018’s chair."

Most importantly for readers and authors, it’s a great chance to hang out and socialise in beautiful Harrogate with each other. Blockbuster author, John Grisham, will be one of the headline writers. The lawyer-turned-author has had nine of his books adapted to film, including The Firm, The Pelican Brief and A Time to Kill.

Other American authors include Don Winslow, who has sold over 100 million books worldwide and Laura Lippman, a former journalist on the Baltimore Sun turned New York Times bestselling author, considered one of the most acclaimed novelists in America. There will also be husband and wife writing team known as Nicci French, and special guests also include Sophie Hannah, Linwood Barclay, Denise Mina, and Val McDermid. 

Val McDermid’s annual New Blood panel, will showcase four hand-picked debuts, one of which is Irish Crime Writer Dervla McTiernan for her novel The Ruin.

The festival opens with a day-long writing workshop, Creative Thursday, followed by the crime writing equivalent of The Oscars, the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award. The festival is well known for it's open approach, readers, fledgling writers, and established authors mingle in the hotel bar. Considered to be one of the most important events in the crime publishing calendar, agents, publishers, publicists, readers and authors attend from all over the world.

For more information, including tickets, visit HERE