may be history repeating itself? Look at Classsics Illustrated in the 1940's, or go back even further and find 'Bill's finest' as illustrated abridged children's editions produced as utility books at the start of WWII.

Seems that kids have always needed a bit of a push along the road to learning. Classics Illustrated are with us again www.classicsillustrated.co.uk and Wiley have sent over their US versions of Manga Shakespeare to further tempt the tastebuds of our reluctant readers.  http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6497100.html
And why not? Illustrations work. That's why instruction manuals are full of them.

From me that is - I left the company on Friday. Sad, as the books were like family, but as we all know, change is a constant!!
What next? Hmm..not sure yet. I'll be doing a spot of consultancy in the very near future, after that????? In some ways it is all very exciting, as moving on forces you to examine what it is you REALLY want from life. So I'll be doing some of that too.
So, a very happy and prosperous New Year to you all, more soon :-)

Had tonsils out by laser.
Need I say more? Almost two weeks later and still knocking back painkillers and avoiding long conversations :-(
If anyone EVER tells you it's a good idea, ask me first.......

I'm going to the SSAT show in Birmingham tomorrow for three days, so that should be a good test.
Can't even drown my sorrows with a stiff drink!

This morning I had an invite to join this lovely group of people http://yaynot.ning.com/from Jennifer Wardrip of www.teensreadtoo.com

Looks like a great place to meet and discuss, thought it might be of interest to some of you......if you let me have your email address I'll get you an invite over :-))

Frankie, jane and Scroog are all back from the printers and they are just WONDERFUL! We are a very tired but very happy team. Frankfurt Book Fair not far off now.......... Read the rest of this post

How could I?

Mention Christmas already.
Forced to, by the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet To Come......very exciting week as A Christmas Carol, Jane Eyre and Frankenstein are all at the printers.

Anyway, talking of Halloween, I've recently 'met' Lynn Huggins-Cooper via our books, and just had to click through to her site which has the fascinating title www.walkingwithwitches.co.uk

It is just wonderful. The book is out this Halloween, and the site will be a great place for teachers and students to find info and activities.  I love it.
Not least because it is based in my home-town, Newcastle on Tyne.
Can't wait to get my hands on the book.

The whole team are now racing towards the finish line with three books completing in the next couple of weeks. Frankenstein should be first, the pages have now gone off to the printers, Phew!  With jane Eyre and A Christmas Carol hot on his heels.
The team are working 18 hours days to make sure hat all is perfect with the pages, no easy job with both UK and US versions now to be done.

Once these are all printed fact rather than computer files, we'll be rushing  into the US launch (scary but really looking forward to it) then kuckle down to get Great Expectations finished.

Frankfurt Book Fair also beckons, together with three education/comic shows in the UK.

And four new teachers resources to get out before Christmas. Oh, and the free SATS downloads to get ready and up on the site....I think I need a lie down!!
Wish us luck, and friendly fingers crossed that the US will love our boooks :-))

We are about to launch in the USA.................yippeeeee!!!!

But...we need an experienced writer to 'convert' our books into US English.  The books are here:-
 http://www.classicalcomics.com/titles.html
The first two are Henry V and Macbeth.
As you will see, the Shakespeare books are all in three text versions. We won't be altering the original Shakespearean language at all!!
But the Plain English and Quick Text versions, plus the 'extras' pages in the books, will all need to be revised.
Not re-written, but the spelling changed to US verions and any UK English phrases that just don't work should be amended.

Then we'll need the teachers resources changed too........

So, anyone fancy the task? In the case of the first two, a love of Shakespeare would be a great help.
We'll pay a daily or project rate and credit will be given in the books.

Look forward to hearing from you :-)
ps need the first books completed asap

 

We got the Silver!!! Can't imagine how pleased I am about that......the team are thrilled.... shame I won't be in LA to collect it :-) but Clive will....... 
Adrian Tomine won the Gold - many congrats Adrian.

Rather excited, as -

'Graphic Novel/Drawn Book – Drama/Documentary

Images from the Neocerebellum: The Wood Engravings of George A. Walker (The Porcupine’s Quill); Shortcomings, by Adrian Tomine (Drawn & Quarterly); Strangers in Paradise – Pocket Book 6, by Terry Moore (Abstract Studio); Henry V - The Graphic Novel, by William Shakespeare (Classical Comics); Lost Raven, by Darren G. Davis (Bluewater Comics)'
We've made it to the last six!!!
Wow!!
With our first book. How thrilling is that??

http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/

Just read an article in The Times about this lady.

The books look/sound incredible! The sort of thing that you REALLY wish you'd written.
I love discovering an author when they are well into a series....no long wait between books, until two months later when I've bought and read them all.
Nipping across to Amazon now to do just that!
On her blog she says she loves Shakespeare, Jane Eyre and Austen....I'll maybe send some of our books across :-)

Wishing you a wonderful day, and a marvellous year.

Karen
:-)

We arrived on the Sunday for a rights seminar - useful and timely.

Got up Monday morning to find this in The Times http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/stage/theatre/article3729913.ece

How good is that??

The show was hectic, to say the least. 
We've got USA and Australian/NZ sorted out for distribution now, more of which later. 
Also should have some news to tell about translations of the books very soon.

It was great to meet so many people from all over the world that I'd been 'talking' to via email for months. We met artists and scriptwriters there too - didn't expect that!!
better go and catch up on emails now :-)

To any and all of you who will be going to the fair, we are on stand U805 if you would like to drop by.
The books are also on the IPG stand :-) J205

Free entry from here :-

Sorry it has been so long.....honest I am!!

Just found this.  http://ambersquare.com/  Designed for Indie publishers to promote books, and for avid readers to trawl through at leisure.

Authors........self published.......could get yours up here too......Still in Beta stage, worth a look. I've just listed ours, I'll let you know how it goes.

Any of you going to London Book fair?

See you there!!

Made new friends. 

Firstly Sara O'Leary who has written the ggorgeous book  - 'When You Were Small'. Her blog is here. http://123oleary.blogspot.com/ and Mike Jensen, who you can find here http://www.geocities.com/mikejensen16/michaelpjensen.html

Had a fabulous review in The Guardian for Macbeth http://books.guardian.co.uk/

And found this lovely site  http://vulpeslibris.wordpress.com/ via Eve at Litopia.

Ordered some books (always the sign of a good day, and these are mostly the fault of Sara O'Leary) , now just winding down for the evening.

The Classical Comics team are all off to The Education Show this week,  I must give those flat shoes a quick clean. Three days of standing - doesn't hurt until you finally sit down again!
www.education-show.com

http://www.authorcrossing.com/  have you seen this?
Part of Bookcrossing.com.

http://www.bookcrossing.com/register

Looks interesting!!

I'm releasing a few of ours into the wild to see what happens! I love the idea of books roaming the world, resting in cafe's, then moving on by boat, train and plane across continents.

"I’m fascinated by your  approach... I find them gripping, dramatic and, although for me the original  Shakespeare is always my reason for turning to these plays, I think that what you are doing in illuminating and making perhaps more lucid, especially for  young people, is clever and meaningful"
Patrick Stewart  

Isn't that just great??

Phew!!

The 45 minute session sped passed like a speeding podcast!

The panel were great, all writers (apart from Peter who is an agent).
Donna  Ballman and Beverly  Gray from the USA and Dave Bartram from the UK. 

Have a listen if you've got time, talked about free digital copies of books,  and e-book royalties.  As well as Classical Comics, obviously!!

At the end we all mentioned sites that were great for writers.
And I mentioned the lovely warm and welcoming crew at Jacketflap! Plus Bookfaironline and Abe Books.

http://www.litopia.com/

I'll be listening every week from now on.

Tonight folks, at 8pm GMT - I'm on Litopia!!  http://podcast.litopia.com/ Now this should be interesting!! (For me at least!)

It's another one of those  I'll never listen too, (can't bear the sound of my own voice) but feel free to tell me what it was like. :-)
This is much longer than an interview - 45 mins of discussion on all thing literary.

Also this week.....Macbeth is almost on the way to the printers and I've 'met' a fascinating bunch of people who are publishing On the Trail of the Real  Macbeth, King of Alba.  http://www.luath.co.uk/acatalog/New_On_The_Trail_Of.html

The authors have put together this site. I love it!! http://www.kingmacbeth.com/meet-macbeth.php?latestid=1

Better dash off and read How to Talk About Books You Haven't Read :-)

 

 Have you seen this?  http://www.bookfaironline.net/   Francesca was offering a great discount for early regustration, worth a look if you have a book to promote!

One of our artists, Jon Haward, has just reminded me about this. I haven't listened yet as I'm not that fond of the sound of my own voice (although some would say different!).
If you can cope with regional English(mine), give it a go!
http://www.panelborders.com/

Let me know what it's like!!

I didn't really say much about them, did I?

Best thing to do is have a look, as:-

a) they are incredibly visual and my words won't do them justice
and
b) the website explains more about the three text verion concept that Liz and all teachers we've met think is wonderful.

Here we are www.classicalcomics.com

Let me know what you think.