Friday assortment

Virtual Bookworm is a self-publishing services company that I had not come across before, but I find that it is listed as one of the outstanding companies in Mark Levine's The Fine Print of Self-Publishing, so I guess that quite a few people must be using it. To be precise, Amazon.com lists 743 books from this publisher.

I came across Virtual Bookworm because it is the publisher of A.W.G. Coleman's Quest of the Seal Bearer fantasy adventure series; book 2 of the series came out in April.

The whole series has quite an elaborate web site to go with it. Given that these multi-part fantasy stories seem to be popular, this one might do quite well. You can, in any case, read several chapters of each book online, to see if they appeal.

*
Catherynne M. Valente won the 2007 Million Writers Award for best online short story with "Urchins, While Swimming". She got 31% of the public vote. Details at storySouth.

*
Bewrite Books is a name that has cropped up once or twice recently, and it certainly seems to be an interesting little publisher. Magdalena Ball, for example, is the author of a non-fiction book on reviewing, The Art of Assessment, and a chapbook of poetry, and she has a novel coming out from Bewrite at the end of this month.

Sleep Before Evening is about a young woman 'teetering at the edge of reason. A death in the family has sent her brilliant academic career and promising future spiraling out of control. Growing resentment towards those who shaped her past sends her on a wild, desperate search for the truth about herself.' You can read an extensive sample on the publisher's web site; or, indeed, listen to the author reading it.

In her spare time (!) Magdalena runs The Compulsive Reader, which provides reviews, author interviews, literary news and criticism.

*
Fish Publishing (in Ireland) continues to run all kinds of competitions for writers. One of them offers a 10,000 euro first prize. Which ain't bad. Last year it was won by a young lady from New Zealand.

*
Touchstone Books have been in the news once or twice recently, but an email from them recommends Heidi's Bedtime Stories, which apparently contains 36 erotic quickies for men and women. This is, of course, of absolutely no interest to a man of my age and medical history, but it may conceivably (conceivably -- that's good, isn't it?) appeal to younger readers.

*
Robert Rankin is getting married in style. Plus lots more info at the latest Ansible. While you're there, read the bit about Diana Wynne Jones and be glad you're not a success. Think what you'd have to put up with. Those who enjoyed the debate about singular nouns and plural verbs should also study Thog's Masterclass. Oh, and, of course, Ursula Le Guin on serious literature. Look, why don't you just go there and leave me in peace. I'm sure you meet a much better class of person there anyway.

*
I don't feel any sympathy for ole O.J., of course, but it seems like the court done removed his copyright. Can they do that? Evidently so. (Link from Publishers Lunch.) Seems like the Goldman family can do everything except speak in his name. Although, come to think of it, maybe they can do that too.

*
Halfcut Books is a small UK fiction publisher with an elaborate web site but as yet a small list. No sign of inviting submissions either, so probably they have plenty to work on already. They also offer photographs, short stories, and songs.

*
Susan Hill, novelist and publisher of Long Barn Books, has for three years been offering a prize for best first novel submitted to her. The shortlist for this year has just been announced. According to the Bookseller, however, this will be the last such competition, as Susan is fed up with the criticism that the comp has brought her way.

*
Paul Perry in Melbourne Orstreyelia draws my attention to a self-published book with a difference. The story is a little difficult to follow, and I'm not quite sure that I've got it right, but it seems to go like this.

Michael Kelley has been running his 'Page of Misery' for quite some time now, and offers an archive going back to 1999. More recently, he has written, and published, a book on Roy Orbison. And, what's more, he has persuaded his local Waterstone's to put it on display. (He must have a hold on the manager: probably a firm grip on two sensitive parts of the body, I would guess.)

The new book apparently contains stories about Roy Orbison being wrapped in cling-film. And it is published (not surprisingly) under a pseudonym. In the circumstances, I'm sure you will excuse me if I have got confused somewhere along the way, but that appears to be the story.

*
Not surprisingly, the Australian writer Peter Temple has won the UK Crime Writers Association £20,000 prize for the best novel of the year award. (Report from the Bookseller.) When I reviewed the book last September I described it as the best novel in any genre that I'd read for quite some time.