It’s well into the summer holidays and the weather is doing it’s usual thing of keeping us on our toes but that doesn’t keep us down. Come rain or shine (preferably shine), we have a great selection of books for your summer holiday reading.

Have a look at our new titles, upcoming events, reviews and more.

NEW RELEASES

A fantastic new title from two genuine authorities on Celtic; Since Celtic’s formation in 1888, a total of seven hundred and seventy seven players have represented the club at first-team level. However, just twenty-eight players have managed to score more than 100 competitive goals for Celtic throughout those 120 years. Century Bhoys celebrates each of these twenty-eight players, from the first player to hit 100 goals to the greatest goalscorer of all time. It’s an incredible list and each legendary player who played for Celtic gets a look-in. Entertaining and informative, Century Bhoys is full of facts and anecdotes about the greatest goalscorers in the history of Celtic FC.

New paperback edition of the bestseller Villains. Murder, gunrunning, drug trafficking, kneecappings – Paul Ferris has been accused of many things in his life, but what’s not in dispute is that he spent twenty-five years as one of Britain’s most notorious gangsters. Out of prison and straight for five years, Paul still hasn’t forgotten the common thugs and big-time players that surrounded him or the world of violence, fear and uneasy alliances that he inhabited with them. Now Paul Ferris recounts the stories of a tough existence that nobody knows better. The brutality you’d expect, the strangeness you might not. The stories cover the underbellies of London, Liverpool, Glasgow, Manchester and beyond, but the material couldn’t be closer to home and, as you’ll discover, when it comes to villains, it takes one to know one.

NEWS

There’s been lots of great reviews for Paul Cuddihy’s new debut novel Saints and Sinners. Here’s a quote from John-Paul Holden’s review in The Big Issue Scotland:

“Saints and Sinners is a refreshingly straightforward and unpretentious historical thriller... Set in Glasgow’s whisky-addled, murderous East End in 1892, its tale of two immigrant brothers is a no-nonsense tartan Victorian romp sith generous lashings of gore – and some good old Mills and Boons-esque bodice ripping thrown in... Not that Saints and Sinners is all historical high jinks. Cuddihy makes sure that life in 19th century Glasgow is convincingly captured in all its filth, desperation and squalor.”

Haven’t read Meg Henderson’s new novel Ruby? Find out what the Daily Record had to say…

COMING SOON

Award winning author Cynthia Rogerson’s I Love You, Goodbye is a beautifully written new novel. Set in a small Scottish village she deftly depicts the exhilaration, confusion and frustration of love and relationships.	Dominik Diamond’s hilarious and original account of his very public life as a Celtic supporter. Celtic & Me is the story of a man who refused to shut up and the price you pay when you do that as an Old Firm fan with a well-known face.

COMPETITION

** WIN a FREE copy of VILLAINS **

3 free copies to be won!

To enter, please send your name and full postal address to mail@blackandwhitepublishing.com

along with the answer to the following question:

By what nickname was gangster Thomas McGraw also known as?

(Competition ends Friday 30th July 5pm.)

Congratulations to last month’s winners, Patricia Jack and Jean Thomson!

We hope everyone is enjoying the warm weather and the World Cup! Whether you’re basking in the garden or on the beach, we’ve got the perfect summer reads coming soon to a bookshop near you! First up, our June releases are sure to please – a new book from an established favourite, a fresh debut novel and another set of tales from the Hundred Acre Wood with a Scottish twist . . .

NEW RELEASES

	A new, exciting tale of mystery and suspense from the bestselling author of Voices in the Street, Maureen Reynolds. When Molly McQueen decides to return home after an unhappy time in Australia, she needs a new challenge. As the coronation of Queen Elizabeth-II lifts the spirits of post-war Britain, Molly opens her brand new venture, McQueen’s Agency, and is determined to make a go of it. The agency hires out temps to local businesses but Molly soon finds it tough going, until one day when a lucrative job comes in to McQueen’s Agency which almost seems too good to be true.
	On the run from the British authorities, Mick Costello flees Galway for Glasgow and finds shelter with his brother Thomas, a Catholic priest. But Thomas has problems of his own, drawn into the shadowy world of Irish Republicanism by order of the Church . . . Paul Cuddihy’s debut historical thriller, Saints and Sinners, is a compelling story of love and betrayal, obsession and faith – and the consequences of trying to run from the past. ‘A powerful Irish immigrant story, set in the mean streets of Victorian Glasgow’ — Professor Willy Maley ‘An assured, brilliantly paced first novel . . . gripping, powerful and explosive.’ — Hugh MacDonald, The Herald
	Following on the success of Winnie-the-Pooh in Scots from James Robertson, here comes the second volume of stories featuring Pooh, Wee Grumphie, Heehaw, Hoolet and all the other creatures of the Forest, and introducing the strippit bampot Teeger. The House at Pooh’s Corner was first published in 1928 and is a classic of children’s literature. This edition contains the original Ernest Shepard illustrations.

EVENTS

Maureen Reynolds

Will be signing copies of her new book McQueen’s Agency at the following location:

WH Smith Dundee – Saturday 3rd July – From 1-2pm

James Robertson

Explains why he’s translated A. A. Milne’s much-loved children’s classic The House at Pooh Corner into Scots on BBC Radio 4’s Open Book programme

Listen to it here.

Cynthia Rogerson

Will be reading from her new book I Love You, Goodbye – out in August from Black & White – at the Dundee Literary Festival. See their website for more details.

Friday 25th June at 9am

NEWS

Haven’t read Philip Paris’ new non-fiction account revealing the true story behind Orkney’s Italian Chapel? Find out what the The Press & Journal and The Times had to say . . .

The Times‘ Mike Wade also had this to say about James Robertson’s new endeavours in translating another classic A.A. Milne tale into Scots:

Robertson’s output is prodigious, and [Edinburgh International Book Festival] also marks the publication of The Hoose at Pooh’s Neuk, the second of his Scots translations of Winnie the Pooh. Its language is unforgettable: “ ‘I’m Pooh,’ said Pooh. ‘I’m Teeger,’ said Teeger. ‘Oh!’ said Pooh, for he hadna ever seen a craitur like this afore. ‘Does Christopher Robin ken aboot ye?’ ”

The books are aimed squarely at a young Scottish audience, to give them confidence in a language that Robertson, and other enthusiasts regard as their native tongue, but, like the English originals, the translations prove popular with adults. In the case of Pooh’s Neuk, said Robertson, there is a more grown-up tone to the stories.

“The last two or three chapters are not really for children, they are about kids growing up and leaving their childhood behind,” said Robertson. “In the last chapter, Pooh and Christopher Robin go up to the top of the Hundred Acre Wood and look out, and Christopher Robin says ‘I’m going away’. It gets quite deep. Reading it as an adult and working into Scots, I absolutely saw where AA Milne was coming from. I didn’t fully understand that as a child. It’s a very sad ending.”

COMING SOON

Century Bhoys celebrates the twenty-eight players that have managed to score more than 100 competitive goals for Celtic since the club’s formation in 1888.	The new B-format edition of Reg McKay’s bestseller that recounts the life of Paul Ferris, one of Britain’s most feared gangsters.

COMPETITION

** WIN a FREE copy of Paul Cuddihy’s SAINTS AND SINNERS **

3 free copies to be won!

To enter, please send your name and full postal address to mail@blackandwhitepublishing.com

along with the answer to the following question:

During which time period is Saints and Sinners set?

(Competition ends Friday 25th June 5pm.)

Congratulations to last month’s winner, Patricia Gray!

Our spring list is in full swing and there’s lots to get excited about this month. Rangers fans are already showing their support for their favourite foreigner, Nacho Novo. Novo’s autobiography, I Said No Thanks, has skyrocketed to the top of the charts as fans can’t wait to read the explosive and controversial account of Nacho Novo’s life as an Old Firm star.

Also out this month is the eagerly anticipated non-fiction account, Orkney’s Italian Chapel. Following the success of Philip Paris’ fictional testament to the little chapel that survived against all odds, now read all about the history behind this amazing true story.

And finally, don’t miss Ruby, the brand new novel just out from bestselling author Meg Henderson. This stunning family saga set in post-war Glasgow will take you on an emotional rollercoaster and have you gripped till the final pages.

	Nacho Novo is the most revered foreign player Rangers have had since iconic figures like Brian Laudrup and Jorg Albertz. He became an instant favourite with the Ibrox faithful in the summer of 2004 when he famously rejected overtures from arch-rivals Celtic and signed for Rangers.
	Orkney’s Italian Chapel was built by Italian POWs held on the island during the Second World War. In the sixty-five years since it was built it has become an enduring symbol of peace and hope around the world. The story of the people who built the chapel and how it came into existence and survived against all the odds is both fascinating and inspiring.
	The MacLean family has more than their fair share of secrets. They live in a close-knit community on Glasgow’s High Street and the men work on the railways. They’re hard-working, ordinary, respectable people but, behind the facade, they are a family in crisis.
	NEW B-FORMAT EDITION OF REG McKAY’S BESTSELLER. Tam McGraw was one of the most feared gangsters in Glasgow. Before his death from natural causes in July 2007, he had built up a huge crime empire which stretched from Glasgow to the Canaries. Few would talk openly about The Licensee while he was still alive – but now his incredible, untold story can finally be revealed.

EVENTS

NACHO NOVO

Nacho Novo will sign copies of his autobiography I SAID NO THANKS at the following times and locations:

Thursday 3rd June at 5:30pm

WH Smith
Argyle Street
Glasgow

PHILIP PARIS

Philip Paris can be heard speaking and signing copies of his new book at the following times and locations:

Thursday 10th June
Nairn Book & Arts Festival – 11 am
Waterstones, Inverness – 7 pm

Thursday 24th June at 8 pm

St Magnus Centre
Palace Road
Kirkwall

Saturday 26th June at 12 pm

The Orcadian Bookshop
50 Albert Street
Kirkwall

NEWS

For some sneak peeks and cheeky spoilers,

check out what these reviews have to say about some of our recent titles . . .

I Said No Thanks: The Autobiography – Nacho Novo

The Herald

Times Online

Sporting Life

Foster’s Scottish Oddities

The Free Library

Pat Stanton’s Hibernian Dream Team
On STV’s The Hour show
The Scotsman

COMING SOON

A fast-paced historical thriller set in Victorian Glasgow told through the varying perspectives of the three main characters – a fugitive, a priest and a prostitute: two brothers and the woman they both love.	Following on the success of Winnie-the-Pooh in Scots, here comes the second volume of stories featuring Pooh, Wee Grumphie, Heehaw, Hoolet and all the other creatures of the Forest, and introducing the strippit bampot Teeger.	The latest book from Maureen Reynolds, the bestselling author of Voices in the Street. McQueen’s Agency is a gripping tale of murder, mystery and suspense set in 1950s Dundee.

COMPETITION

** WIN a FREE copy of Philip Paris’s ORKNEY’S ITALIAN CHAPEL **

3 free copies to be won!

To enter, please send your name and full postal address to mail@blackandwhitepublishing.com

along with the answer to the following question:

What Orkney island is the Italian Chapel located on?

(Competition ends Friday 28th May 5pm.)

Congratulations to last month’s winners who have received a free copy of Jan-Andrew Henderson’s Edinburgh City of the Dead: Mrs P Jack, Emma Stewart and Christine Brackley!

Spring is finally here! As the weather gets nicer, we hope these April titles will inspire you to shake off those winter doldrums and get outdoors – whether it’s for a kick-about with the football or a ghost hunt!

	Pat Stanton is a Hibs legend. With his silky skills and natural leadership, Pat captained Hibs to three trophies and later went on to manage the team. Now he chooses his ultimate Hibernian dream team. In Pat Stanton’s Hibernian Dream Team, Pat devotes a chapter to each position and evaluates the many outstanding players who have worn the green and white during his lifetime. He looks at their strengths and weaknesses, reveals their character and tells personal anecdotes about many of the players he has known over the years. Written with humour, honesty and insight, this will be one of the most talked about books on the club for many years.
	It’s the capital of a civilized western nation – a seat of learning that influenced the world. Yet today it is famous as the most haunted city in Europe. This book sets out to discover why. Edinburgh – City of the Dead is the definitive exploration of Edinburgh’s dark side. It’s a history of the occult, a guide to grisly and paranormal locations, and an investigation into Edinburgh’s numerous supernatural phenomena. Is there really something strange and sinister lurking in its shadows?
	Foster’s Scottish Oddities is a fascinating collection of odd, extraordinary and barely believable true stories. There’s the cod that swallowed a bible, the cow that fell through the ceiling, the hare that ran off with a £10 note, the brothers from Dalkeith who were separated at birth but bumped into each other purely by chance in Coventry, the ocean liner that got a speeding ticket, the trawlerman swept off his boat by a huge wave then washed back on board minutes later – and much more. If you love bizarre facts then this treasure trove of amazing true stories is a must read.
	Everyone knows the tales of haunted castles and ghost-ridden cemeteries that have long plagued Scotland’s capital, but there are few who understand the deeper, darker facets of Edinburgh’s paranormal past. Edinburgh After Dark steps into the unknown and examines not just the ghosts and hauntings that have featured in the city’s past and present but also tales of vampires, UFOs, magical sites and poltergeists. Drawing on his own research of these paranormal phenomena, Ron Halliday shows why Edinburgh really is the perfect capital for the most haunted country in the world.

EVENTS

MEET HIBS LEGEND PAT STANTON!

Pat Stanton and Ted Brack will be signing copies of their new book Pat Stanton’s Hibernian Dream Team at the following locations:

Saturday May 1st – 12:30 pm

Waterstone’s Ocean Terminal

98/99 Ocean Drive

Edinburgh  EH6 6JJ

Saturday May 8th – 1 pm

WH Smith Edinburgh Gyle

33 Gyle Avenue

South Gyle Broadway

Edinburgh  EH12 9JT

Saturday May 15th – 1 pm

Waterstone’s Elements Square

The Centre

308 Almondvale

South Livingston  EH5 6GS

NEWS

If you missed Meg Henderson discussing The Holy City on STV’s The Hour, you can still catch it here.

Pat reveals a few insights in this recent article from the Scotsman – a nice taster for everyone eagerly awaiting more opinions and stories from the Hibs legend in Pat Stanton’s Hibernian Dream Team!

MAY HIGHLIGHTS

Keep an eye out for these exciting titles coming soon from Black & White Publishing

The funny, original story of Dominik Diamond’s very public life as a Celtic supporter.	Philip Paris’s extensive research into the creation of Orkney’s Italian Chapel by Italian POWs during the Second World War has uncovered many new facts, and this comprehensive book is the definitive account of the chapel and those who built it.	Meg Henderson’s stunning new novel featuring the vibrant heroine Ruby Maclean struggling to cope with personal crisis on the brink of the Second World War.	Nacho Novo became an instant favourite with the Ibrox faithful in 2004 when he rejected overtures from arch-rivals Celtic and signed for Rangers. Now, he tells his story in an explosive and controversial book that pulls no punches.

COMPETITION

** WIN a FREE copy of Jan-Andrew Henderson’s EDINBURGH CITY OF THE DEAD **

3 free copies to be won!

To enter, please send your name and full postal address to mail@blackandwhitepublishing.com

along with the answer to the following question:

What famous poltergeist resides in Greyfriars Kirkyard?

(Competition ends Friday 16th April 5pm.)

Congratulations to last month’s winners who have received a free copy of Meg Henderson’s The Holy City:

Debbie Fallaha, Christine Brackley, and Jean Thomson!

]]> http://www.blackandwhitepublishing.com/wordpress/2010/04/28/april-news/feed/ 0 http://www.blackandwhitepublishing.com/wordpress/2010/03/17/march-news-2/ http://www.blackandwhitepublishing.com/wordpress/2010/03/17/march-news-2/#comments Wed, 17 Mar 2010 09:45:24 +0000 rachel http://www.blackandwhitepublishing.com/wordpress/?p=155 Hello and Happy St Patrick’s Day from Black & White Publishing!

This March sees the return of two of Scotland’s bestselling female authors – Meg Henderson and Millie Gray. Whether you’ve been eagerly awaiting more from these powerful voices or this is the first time you’ve heard of them, here are two books you don’t want to miss!

The Holy City is Meg Henderson’s engrossing story of a working class Clydeside community. It tells the story of Marion McLeod, the daughter of a riveter, who has been brought up in the Clydebank tenements and brings the horror and pain of these wartime experiences vividly to life as she loses her entire family in the Blitz. ‘The Holy City is a novel about growing up in a close-knit blue-collar community from the twenties up to the present day . . . showing the true meaning of community with convincing, colourful characters.’ Scotland on Sunday ‘A hugely absorbing story.’ Observer ‘[Henderson] mingles fact and fiction to moving effect – her account of the Blitz on Clydebank and its aftermath is harrowing.’ The Times

It’s October 1954 and life in post-war Britain is slowly starting to return to normal. For Rachel Campbell, however, her family is proving to be a constant challenge. As her children grow older and start families of their own, Rachel must help them learn the often difficult lessons of life. Back from his National Service in Korea, Sam quickly rises through the police force, but soon finds himself in competition with his younger brother Paul. Meanwhile, Carrie realises that the joys of marriage may not create the easy life she had hoped for. And on what feels like the other side of the world, Rachel’s eldest daughter Hannah faces the harsh realities of life on a Hebridean island. Through blessings and tragedies, streaks of luck and blows of misfortune, the Campbells will face their most trying days. But when surprising news brings the opportunity for redemption, can the family learn to put the past behind them? Millie Gray once again brilliantly recreates the atmosphere of the era with all the hardships and struggles as well as the fun, warmth and humour of everyday life in In a League of Their Own.

EVENTS

Millie Gray will be signing copies of In a League of Their Own

Waterstone’s Ocean Terminal
Thursday 25th March
6:30 pm

NEWS

Precious and the Puggies has been turning many heads with its bold celebration of the Scots language. Gregor White from The Stirling Observer says that the Scots words ‘give it a vigorous kick that really lifts it off the page and the beautiful illustrations by Iain McIntosh are a delight’.

Read the whole article here!

FORTHCOMING TITLES

It’s the capital of a civilized western nation – a seat of learning that influenced the world. Yet today it is famous as the most haunted city in Europe. Edinburgh City of the Dead sets out to discover why.	Foster’s Scottish Oddities is a collection of strange coincidences, curious facts and extraordinary stories. If you love bizarre facts, then this treasure trove of amazing true stories is a must read.	Pat Stanton is a Hibs legend. With his silky skills and natural leadership, Pat captained Hibs to three trophies and later went on to manage the team. Now he chooses his ultimate Hibernian Dream Team.	Edinburgh After Dark covers the entire range of supernatural phenomena that has occurred in Edinburgh. Going beyond a narrow focus on ‘ghosts’ and ‘hauntings’, Ron Halliday examines the variety of paranormal happenings that have featured in Edinburgh’s past and present.

COMPETITION

*** WIN a FREE copy of Meg Henderson’s THE HOLY CITY ***

3 free copies to be won!

To enter, please send your name and full postal address to mail@blackandwhitepublishing.com

along with the answer to the following question:

What war is featured in The Holy City?

(Competition ends Friday 19th March 5pm.)