Kate McCann's non-fictional book in running for Galaxy book prize UPDATED 5/11/11

Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy up for Galaxy book prize

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Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy is among those shortlisted for the Galaxy National Book Awards 2011.

Also up for UK author of the year are Booker nominees Julian Barnes and Carol Birch, plus Andrea Levy, Anthony Horowitz, and Alan Hollinghurst.

The awards, hosted by Dara O Briain, will be accompanied by six weekly TV programmes on More4.

Dawn French and Terry Pratchett are among those nominated for popular fiction book of the year.

Popular non-fiction titles in the running include Kate McCann's Madeleine, Caitlin Moran's How To Be A Woman and Brian Cox's Wonders of the Universe.

Claire Tomalin's Charles Dickens biography features alongside the likes of Keith Richards' Life and Bear Grylls' Mud Sweat and Tears in the biography and autobiography category.

The awards largely celebrate British authors, with the exception of international author of the year and paperback of the year.

The winners will be revealed at a ceremony in London on 4 November.

Could the risk giving that book an award with the re-opening of the investigation going on?

Imagine if the author/s was/were arrested with new evidence, tried and convicted?

Wouldn't it be slightly embaressing for the Galaxy National Book Awards people?

steevo1962 wrote:Could the risk giving that book an award with the re-opening of the investigation going on?

Imagine if the author/s was/were arrested with new evidence, tried and convicted?

Wouldn't it be slightly embaressing for the Galaxy National Book Awards people?

Would be particularly embarassing as the book is officially ;'non fiction' when it is in fact essentially 'fiction.

The McCanns' publicity machine seems to need oiling as this is all I can find about their being in Spain today to promote Kate's fantasy novel.

http://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/129629973/GettyImagesNews

Is it just me or does Gerry for some reason, look a bit resentful in that photograph?

Marian wrote:The McCanns' publicity machine seems to need oiling as this is all I can find about their being in Spain today to promote Kate's fantasy novel.

http://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/129629973/GettyImagesNews

Kate and Gerry McCann Launch Their Book 'Madeleine' in Madrid

But they are not smiling as much as they were on Madeleine's 4th Birthday

steevo1962 wrote:Could the risk giving that book an award with the re-opening of the investigation going on?

Imagine if the author/s was/were arrested with new evidence, tried and convicted?

Wouldn't it be slightly embaressing for the Galaxy National Book Awards people?

But not at all for the publisher!

This is truly ludicrous! Whether fiction or non-fiction, the book is lamentably badly written (I know, I worked as an editor). Surely prizes should go to books with a modicum of quality!

sharonl wrote:

Marian wrote:The McCanns' publicity machine seems to need oiling as this is all I can find about their being in Spain today to promote Kate's fantasy novel.

http://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/129629973/GettyImagesNews

Kate and Gerry McCann Launch Their Book 'Madeleine' in Madrid

But they are not smiling as much as they were on Madeleine's 4th Birthday

They were smiling quite a bit at the book launch in Amsterdam though. The reporter said they burst into laughter.

As you do when your much loved IVF baby is 'abducted' by a gang of paedos.

But at least they can't be accused of looking happy just for book launches.





http://goncaloamaraltruthofthelie.blogspot.com/2008/06/search-for-maddie.html

sharonl wrote:

Marian wrote:The McCanns' publicity machine seems to need oiling as this is all I can find about their being in Spain today to promote Kate's fantasy novel.

http://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/129629973/GettyImagesNews

Kate and Gerry McCann Launch Their Book 'Madeleine' in Madrid

But they are not smiling as much as they were on Madeleine's 4th Birthday

Gerry is doing his mean and moody Elvis impression. "Suspicious Minds"?

Cheshire Cat wrote:

sharonl wrote:

Marian wrote:The McCanns' publicity machine seems to need oiling as this is all I can find about their being in Spain today to promote Kate's fantasy novel.

http://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/129629973/GettyImagesNews

Kate and Gerry McCann Launch Their Book 'Madeleine' in Madrid

But they are not smiling as much as they were on Madeleine's 4th Birthday

Gerry is doing his mean and moody Elvis impression. "Suspicious Minds"?

Kate's smile is so as though she is saying "cheese". Her eyes look desperate.

This is the shortlist of books including "Madeleine"

A History of the World in 100 Objects Neil MacGregor Allen Lane
How To Be a Woman Caitlin Moran Ebury Press
Madeleine Kate McCann Bantam Press
Map of a Nation Rachel Hewitt Granta Books
The Good, The Bad and The Multiplex Mark Kermode Random House Books
Wonders of the Universe Brian Cox Collins

If you read the blurb below about each one ALL the others sound better written and more factual than Kate's "novel".

http://www.galaxynationalbookawards.com/shortlist_cat_pop_nonfiction.asp?

Also snipped from the same website.

"All will be revealed ...

The winners of the 2011 Galaxy National Book Awards will be revealed on Friday 4th November at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Knightsbridge. Dara O'Briain is the host for the evening and the event will be staged and filmed by Cactus TV, with a series of six programmes about the awards to be screened between 13th November and 17th December on More4. Cactus TV Managing Director and Executive Producer of the awards programmes, Amanda Ross: "It will be far more interesting for the viewers to experience the event in bite-size chunks spread across six shows, as we will be able to properly focus on the award winners."

Wonder if the lovely Kate will be one of the winners and therefore get on TV again! (Should I put a tenner on it?)

http://www.gerrymccannsblogs.co.uk/MADRID.htm

Note the good quality wristbands on show!

Jean wrote:http://www.gerrymccannsblogs.co.uk/MADRID.htm

Note the good quality wristbands on show!

Accompanied with a nice glass of NZ wine in the second picture?

Jean wrote:http://www.gerrymccannsblogs.co.uk/MADRID.htm

Note the good quality wristbands on show!

What a great set of photos, they tell so much. No doubt they've had much coaching on how to behave in front of the media/public but Gerry just can't help that smirk.

Daisy wrote:

Jean wrote:http://www.gerrymccannsblogs.co.uk/MADRID.htm

Note the good quality wristbands on show!

What a great set of photos, they tell so much. No doubt they've had much coaching on how to behave in front of the media/public but Gerry just can't help that smirk.

Kate now has almost the same haircut that Maddie has on the photo. Kate seems to be lapping this photo session up, looking sad, noble, thoughtful, the full gamut of emotions from a to b... Those acting classes are beginning to pay off. Gerry looks weird, the hairdye is too dark and there's something peculiar about his eyes, looks like he's had a hard night's drinking? Nor surprising if you're forced to go out with the wife all the time.
This life of theirs is nothing like they'd planned imo.

Gerry is pushing the "abductor" image isn't he.

He defiintely is dying his hair has he has had some grey sideburns in the past and now they are "whooshed"

See photo G12 if you don't believe me. Shame he hasn't learnt that the sneer isn't a good luck for a grieving father though

http://www.booktrade.info/index.php/showarticle/35234

Quick Reads has also announced the continuing support of main sponsor Galaxy, who together with freud communications, are creating and backing a major campaign, 'Fall in love with reading' in February 2012.

Freud Communications. Was that not Clarries old haunt.

The nomination seems to make more sense now. Makes a mockery of the awards and belittles many good writers before it. Is nothing done these days without pressure from some quarters being put to bear.

Everything in this case is corrupt and now 'The Galaxy Awards' can carry the corruption tag and never be the same prestigeous award it once was. How did Galaxy fool for it? Why are people still helping this child neglecting couple?
...A representative panel of around 50 experts from The Academy - representing all sectors of the book industry - chooses the shortlists for each category.

Be great to know who they are and do a quick canvas. That might make the Galaxy Awards become quite a bit stickier as they meltdown a little.

The PR company involved here is owned/headed by Mathew Freud, son of the late Clement, who owned a home in PDL atthe time Maddie vanished,and who according to Kate's book, offered her and Gerry hospitality[ meals, drinks on more than one occasion] and support in the aftermath of Mddies disappearance and who was scathing of the media reporting on the case.
She was surprised by his overtures but I wonder if it is in fact the case that he initiated contact, given his connections. I want to look at how high profile his son's PR company was in 2007 also when Clement Freud died, because if as I think it was 2009, he was not around[ as wasn't Mrs Pamela Fenn] when the book was published this year to dispute any untrue claims made about his role in events.
Given the couple's high profile and connections in 2007 and given their desire for maximum exposure to allow them to get what they wished publicised, it would not surprise me to learn it was they and not C Freud, who initiated their "friendship."

She hasn't won....................


5 November 2011 Last updated at 02:56

.Jackie Collins wins outstanding achievement book award

Collins has sold more than 400 million books in 40 countries across the world.
Jackie Collins has picked up the outstanding achievement prize at this year's Galaxy National Book Awards.

The author's career spans four decades and she has sold more than 400 million books in 40 countries across the world.

"It is always nice to have your work recognised," she said.

Dawn French won the fiction book of the year at the London ceremony for A Tiny Bit Marvellous while Caitlin Moran won the non-fiction prize for How To Be A Woman.

Collins' most recent novel, Goddess of Vengeance, debuted at the top of the Sunday Times bestseller list in April.

"I am a storyteller who is passionate about what I do, so thank you to everyone and keep reading," she said.


Dawn French, whose book tells the story of of a modern family "lurching towards meltdown", said she was "equally gobsmacked and delighted".

"Not too shabby considering I'm still not 100% sure where the apostrophe should go," she added.

Times columnist Caitlin Moran's "part memoir, part rant" beat Brian Cox's Wonders of the Universe, which dominated the bestseller lists all summer, to the non-fiction award.

"Brian Cox may have the Wonders of the Universe to play with, I had the contents of my bra and pants and, ultimately, they were obviously the more mysterious and awesome," she said.

Veteran author Alan Hollinghurst was named UK author of the year for country house novel The Stranger's Child.

He beat Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy and this year's Booker winner Julian Barnes to the prize.

Public vote

Emma Donoghue's novel Room was named paperback of the year.

Dan Stevens narrated winning audio book My Dear, I Wanted to Tell You, by Louisa Young
And newcomer SJ Watson beat competition from crime fiction heavyweights including Martina Cole to win crime and thriller of the year for Before I Go To Sleep.

There were also prizes for Claire Tomalin's acclaimed biography of Charles Dickens while Jennifer Egan won international author of the year for A Visit From the Goon Squad.

Simon Hopkinson's The Good Cook won the food and drink award, Patrick Ness' A Monster Calls won the children's book prize and Sarah Winman was named new writer of the year, for When God was a Rabbit.

For the first time this year an audio book category was included.

The accolade went to Louisa Young for her World War I novel, My Dear, I Wanted to Tell You, narrated by Dan Stevens from ITV's Downton Abbey.

All the award recipients will now compete for the Galaxy Book of the Year award.

Members of the public can vote for their favourite and the winner will be announced on 21 December.

Last year's winner was David Nicholls for his novel One Day.

It went to become the biggest selling paperback of 2011.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-15591714

Jackie Collins pipped the Kate McCann to the post?