Recent news

13 December 2006 - The Black Sun goes on sale in the USA

It's my birthday and TBS has finally gone on sale in the US. What better present could you want??

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6 December 2006 - Greek language rights sold to Harlenic Hellas

The Greek language rights to TBS and TDE have been sold to Harlenic Hellas, a commercial house whose authors range from David Lodge to Jilly Cooper.

Also, the German language condensation rights to TDE have been sold to good old Reader's Digest who have also bought the French language condensation rights.

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14 November 2006 - The Black Sun enters the top 20

The Black Sun has entered the UK top 20 on the back of some fantastic sales. Thank you all for your support.

20 July 2006 - Czech and Italian language rights sold

Jiri Buchal/BB Art have bought the Czech language rights to both TBS and TDE. Also pleased to say that the Italian language rights to TDE have been sold to Newton Compton.

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29 June 2006 - Lativian rights to the Double Eagle sold

Budapest based publisher Kontinents have bought the Latvian language rights to The Double Eagle.

Meanwhile Reader's Digest in Hungary have bought the condensation rights - God bless you Reader's Digest!

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26 April - French language rights to The Black Sun sold

The French language rights to The Black Sun have been sold to City Editions. Luckily I won't have to dust down my French and translate it myself, although I do get the opportunity to review the fruits of someone else's hard labour and check I'm happy with it.

That, of course, is not an option with the Finnish condensation rights that have been sold to Reader’s Digest where I'll be lucky if I can understand the title.

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5 April 2006 - Romanian rights to The Double Eagle sold to RAO International

RAO International have bought the Romanian language rights to The Double Eagle, with publication slated for late 2007.

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3 April 2006 - THE BLACK SUN GOES ON SALE IN THE UK!!!

It's finally here!

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21 March 2003 - Polish rights to The Black Sun sold to Znak

Warsaw based Znak, one of the most successful publishers in Poland, have agreed to buy the Polish language rights to The Black Sun.

3 March 2006 - Sainsbury's in-store promotion

To mark the release of the movie of The Da Vinci Code in the UK on 19th May, Sainsbury's are running a "If you liked The Da Vinci Code you'll love this ..." promotion and The Double Eagle is in it!!

14 February 2006 - The Times paperback promotion

The Double Eagle is to appear in a special Times 99p paperback promotion to coincide with the publication of The Black Sun in May 2006. The promotion is being run in conjunction with WH Smith and will be advertised in store and in The Times.

1 February 2006 - James to appear at Left Coast Crime

James has been asked to appear on two panels at the forthcoming Left Coast Crime festival in Bristol, England. The two panels are entitled:

- FRESH BLOOD FIRST and
- THE HAUNTS OF THE PAST - THRILLERS & HISTORY

For further details, click here

13 December 2005 - Harper Collins UK signs a new contract for a further two Tom Kirk books

James has signed a new contract with Harper Collins UK for a further two Tom Kirk novels. The books, which are as yet untitled, are due for publication in 2007 and 2008.

3 November 2005 - More rights sold in October and November

The prestigious Madrid publishing house of Plaza y Janes has bought the Spanish language rights to both The Double Eagle and The Black Sun. Publication is slated for early 2007.

In addition, large print rights to The Double Eagle and The Black Sun have been bought by WF Howes.

28 October 2005 - Paperback edition of The Double Eagle hits the UK high street

This week sees the launch of the paperback edition of The Double Eagle in the UK. It is being stocked by Tesco, Asda, Woolworths, Waterstones and all major bookstores. It will also feature as WH Smith's "Book of the week" during the week of 14th November 2005.

19 August 2005 - The Double Eagle shorlisted for the Pendleton May First Novel Award

The Double Eagle has been shortlisted for the prestigious Pendleton May First Novel award as part of the Guildford Book festival. Other shortlisted works include two Booker prize long list nominees (A Short History of Tractors in Ukranian by Marina Lewycka and This Thing of Darkness by Harry Thompson).

The full list of shortlisted works is:

The Double Eagle - James Twining
The Great Stink - Clare Clark
Masterpiece - Miranda Glover
The Island - Victoria Hislop
Last Orders at Harrods - Michael Holman
A Short History of Tractors in Ukranian - Marina Lewycka
This Thing of Darkness - Harry Thompson

11 August 2005 - Sudden re-appearance of ten Double Eagles re-awakens controversy

In an amazing example of life imitating art, it seems that as TDE postulates, not all the 1933 Double Eagles were melted down. The US Mint has seized 10 Double Eagles from the daughter of one of the men suspected of involvement in the original theft of ten other Double Eagles in the 1930s.

Joan S. Langbord, 75, claims to have inherited the coins from her father, a jeweller named Israel Switt, a one-time member of Philadelphia's famous Jeweler's Row. Under questioning from the secret service in the 1940s, Switt admitted to have sold on nine Double Eagles but never identified his source.

The secret service identified the actual thief as George McCann, the one-time foreman of the Weigh Transfer Room at the Philadelphia Mint. However, they were prevented from prosecting either man because the Statute of Limitations had run out, although both McCann and Switt were convicted of other other theft and illegal ownership of gold offences - Switt was arrested in 1934 at the Philadelphia train station carrying a suspiciously heavy briefcase that was found to be filled with gold coins. [click here for more on this]

The US Mint now says that Mrs Langbord's coins could only have been originally obtained in an "unlawful manner" in the 1930s. She is, however, contesting this, arguing that the Government can't prove that the coins had been stolen, or were subject to forfeiture. She further claims that she merely sent the coins to the Mint to check that they were genuine and never agreed to give up her right to them.

The Mint says it will not auction the coins but is still deciding what to do with them. In the interim it is storing the coins in ... you guessed it! Fort Knox. Maybe the authorities read TDE when deciding where to put them!

To read the US Mint press release, click here

June 2005 - Reader's Digest buy Canadian condensation rights to The Double Eagle

Reader's Digest have added Canada to the UK, USA and Asia as territories where they have bought the rights to publish a condensed edition of The Double Eagle.

The Double Eagle has already sold translation rights into five countries including Germany and Russia.

June 2005 - The Double Eagle to feature in September Mystery Guild mailing

Mystery Guild have agreed to offer The Double Eagle as a featured alternate in the September cycle mailing. There will also be a limited offering of the book in BOMC.

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