SPINEBREAKERS LOVE LYRICS COMPETITION
Category: Writing and Poetry

Books are a great source of inspiration for song lyrics.

If you've ever read a book and really felt the rhythm of the words, the flow of the writer's pen, then now is your chance to embody this with some lyrics.

The Arctic Monkeys have done it, so have Radiohead and Nirvana. They've all written song lyrics inspired by a book - and now you can have a go.

You could see your winning words performed live by electro poet outfit Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip!

Choose one of the following books:

• The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle
• Anne Frank, Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
• Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
• Casino Royale by Ian Fleming
• The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
• Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
• Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
• Slam by Nick Hornby
• White Teeth by Zadie Smith

Follow these three easy steps to enter:
Step one: Take a look and choose a book
Step two: Feel the rhythm and get the rhyme
Step three: Submit your lyrics

 The closing date is 3rd October 2008.
You must be aged 13-18 to enter.

11:52 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

EOIN COLFER LIVE! TOURING THROUGHOUT THE UK AUGUST 2008
Category: Writing and Poetry

Following a sold out West End run in Autumn 2006 and to mark the publication of the new title in the series:  Artemis Fowl and the Time Paradox; the celebrated author and stand-up performer Eoin Colfer is taking his live show on tour throughout the UK in August 2008.

Join the hysterically funny and utterly brilliant number one bestselling author Eoin Colfer, on an adrenaline-fuelled expose of teenage criminal mastermind Artemis-fowl. The tour will also give Artemis' legion of fans an opportunity to meet the author and have their newly published copies of Artemis Fowl and the Time Paradox personally signed.

For more information, visit:
http://www.penguin.co.uk/static/cs/uk/0/penguin_events/index.html

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Calling all book heads, creative whizzes and budding writers!
Category: Writing and Poetry

We are recruiting a team of 13-18 year olds to take part in a two-week workshop and become the second generation of editors for Penguin's online book community, www.Spinebreakers.co.uk, run by teens for teens.

To apply, we want you to show us what you can do. Send us your favourite piece of writing you've done – it could be a short story, book review, rant or feature. Plus we want you to tell us in 100 words or less why you should become one of our teen editors.

The chosen editors will spend 2 weeks working with industry professionals over the summer holidays, based at a youth marketing agency in London. You will need to ensure that you are available during the weeks of 18^th and 25th August, weekdays from 10am – 6pm, and within commuting distance of London.

Please send your submissions in a WORD file to reach us no later than July 31st.

You can send them via email to apply@spinebreakers.co.uk

3:16 PM - 1 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

Nick Hornby at Spinebreakers Live!
Current mood: excited
Category: Writing and Poetry

On Friday 25th July, Nick Hornby will be appearing at The Roundhouse in Camden as part of the first ever Spinebreakers Live event.

www.Spinebreakers.co.uk is Penguin's teen online book community run by teens for teens. The day is aimed at young people aged 13 to 18 and as well as getting the chance to meet Nick and hear him read from SLAM, they will also have the opportunity to create a variety of multi-media content around their responses to books with music, film and creative writing workshops from expert mentors. Practical tips on creative writing from experienced journalist and editor, Emma Warren, the use of professional camera equipment and the opportunity to make a mini-film with film director Anton Saunders and soundtrack production with DJ and poet, Charlie Dark.

Tickets £3.00 plus £2.00 booking fee. Includes lunch and goody bag.
Go to www.spinebreakers.co.uk or www.roundhouse.org.uk for more information and to book tickets.

3:33 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Covering Bond
Current mood: artistic
Category: Art and Photography

Not long after my parents had relocated the family from the cold, damp and impressively windy Highlands of Scotland to the less cold, only marginally less damp, but no-doubt-about-it impressively windy island of Jersey, I was invited to a rich classmate's seventh birthday party. You could tell he was rich since on the way home from school in my parents' car we passed his house. This took a while.

The signature feature of this boy's party was something so unimaginably cool that I still think of it now with fondness and envy: a home cinema. Now this wasn't some tarted-up plasma screen under a ridiculous nom de guerre available on special offer at Curries. This was the mid-1970s. A home cinema meant a roll-up screen and stand, a 16mm projector, speakers and reels of film. In his house. My jaw drops still when I think about it...

Read more on the official Penguin Blog.

5:42 AM - 1 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

His first words were free
Current mood: productive
Category: Writing and Poetry

Last year I gave - hang on, let me count them up - yes, I gave fourteen books as gifts. All of these were books I’d read. Books I’d really enjoyed. Books I thought my friends and family might love or enjoy as much as I did.

How many books did I receive in return? None. Not a one. I’ve counted. Twice. It didn’t take long.

Read more on the official Penguin Blog.

6:12 AM - 1 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Stories and games
Current mood: adventurous

I’m sitting in Austin Airport trying to digest what has been a really interesting SXSW Interactive festival. Last year the big buzzy items were twitter and Second Life, but this year, while every single attendee seemed to be twittering furiously, I heard nary a mention of Second Life. How fickle the tech world is! There seemed to be a few more publishing types in attendance this year, but still a very tiny number relative to the amount of chatter in the book world on the impact that technology is starting to have on our business. The big talking point in Austin this year wasn’t actually a technology announcement, but the controversial interview of Facebook CEO (and the world’s youngest billionaire) Mark Zuckerberg.

Read more on the official Penguin Blog.

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Puffin away!
Current mood: bouncy
Category: Writing and Poetry

When your younger sibling does something impressive it can provoke not just pride but also jealousy. So it is for us with Puffin, for the brand new Puffin website launched yesterday and it's typically precocious. All shiny-shiny and oh-so-cute with mini-games and author interviews and a newsletter and a brand new blog – everything you could want from the publisher of some of the best kids' books, old and new, there have ever been...

Read more on the official Penguin Blog.

4:46 AM - 2 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

Penguin are hiring
Category: Jobs, Work, Careers

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic and self-motivated Online Development Producer to join the Penguin Group's Online Marketing Teams.

Reporting to the Head of Online Development and working with the Online Marketing teams, you will be creating and managing development projects for the Group's consumer facing online activities, responding to a continuously changing market place, maintaining high awareness and driving new online initiatives.

Key responsibilities will include managing online marketing and ecommerce related development projects for brands including, but not limited to, Penguin, Dorling Kindersley, Rough Guides, DK Eyewitness Travel, Ladybird, Puffin, Peter Rabbit, Spot and Flower Fairies; following and maintaining best practice procedures for site development, maintenance and measurement; producing business specifications and requirements; running UAT and acting as a secondary contact for the Group's online support with our internal and external support teams across the UK, US and India.

The successful candidate will need demonstrable knowledge of the digital media industry, a technical understanding of online systems and their uses, design and development methods and a sound strategic and financial awareness with the ability to work within tight budgets. Excellent negotiation and communication skills both written and verbal are also required as is the ability to balance online development concerns with editorial, marketing and sales objectives.

http://gs12.globalsuccessor.com/fe/tpl_penguin01.asp?newms=jj&id=34858

9:17 AM - 0 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

Oprah chooses A New Earth for her Book Club
Current mood: excited

STOP PRESS!

Oprah has chosen Eckhart Tolle's book, A New Earth, as her latest Book Club Selection. There will also be a series of live and interactive webinars for 10 weeks, starting on the 3rd of March. Pre-register now at www.Oprah.com/anewearth

http://www.penguin.co.uk/static/cs/uk/0/minisites/anewearth/index.html

2:45 AM - 1 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment