At last, dear blog readers, I can announce what I’ve been surreptitiously up to for the past couple of months (and why there have been relatively few blog reviews here during that time) – Shiny New Books!
Let me explain – next Monday a new online quarterly magazine Shiny New Books will launch at www.shinynewbooks.co.uk. It’s a recommendations site, looking at the best books published in each quarter – fiction, non-fiction, and (my section) reprints, as well including author interviews, behind-the-scenes pieces by publishers, and other bonus material. We’re hoping that you’ll dip in and out of the site throughout each quarter, to see (as our tagline suggests) ‘what to read next and why’.
And who is this ‘we’? You may have noticed coy mentions of something exciting coming on other blogs – and I can now tell you that Annabel, Victoria, and Harriet are my co-editors. I’m sure you know all their blogs – you can click on their names to take you to them – and I feel very honoured to be working on this alongside them, given their talents and brilliant blogs. Not to mention how fun it’s all been!
The reviews haven’t only been written by the four of us, of course, although we have been beavering away at them – some of our favourite bloggers have been quietly writing reviews for us (and keeping nice and quiet about it, thanks everyone!) and we’re hoping to have many more on board for next time. Opportunities to write will come when we launch, of course.
Monday 7 April is when we go live – at the moment there is very little visible on the site, but feel free to go and check it out, or bookmark it ready for launch. And for now, you can follow us on Twitter, like our Facebook page, and (most importantly) sign up for the newsletter in the box below. This will have bonus material, and come out more frequently than the quarterly magazine issues.
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We’re all very excited about this venture – I hope you don’t mind us whetting your appetite with a week still to go before launch, but I will (of course) give another announcement when Shiny New Books is really and truly launched.
How exciting! Best of luck with your venture, I'll definitely talk about it on my blog once it's up and running. And I've signed up for the newsletter using my shiny new email address that I'm not actually using for everything QUITE yet … so that's me with the weird name who's just signed up!
Thanks Liz! Delighted to have you on board, and thanks for agreeing to spread the word once things are all go on Mon :)
What a secret! How splendid! Glad to be an Early Subscriber, can't wait to see what tricks you've got up your book sleeves…
And I want more Simon-stories, too. Your range is starting to intrigue me…
Diana
Aw, thank you Diana, I'm still trying to find 'my voice' (I feel old to still be doing that…) so may wander across the spectrum for a bit :)
And thanks for subscribing! Roll on next Monday…
Yay! Very exciting!! I'm signing up too! :)
Hurrah, Karen! And thanks so much for your support so far :)
Wonderful news Simon!
Thanks Elaine!
This sounds exciting! I've signed up :)
Gemma
Lovely, Gemma, great to have you on board!
I'm really looking forward to this – what a great idea.
All credit to Annabel and Victoria for the great idea – I am glad to hang on their coattails into the furore!
Congratulations – this sounds really exciting, especially your section. I know you'll be adding to my TBR lists. I'm off to sign up.
I have to admit, I was uncertain until I heard the word 'reprints' and then I was super excited! There are some really brilliant reprints coming up too, I must say.
Very exciting!
I'm so pleased to be able to tell people at last!
I signed up and am looking forward to your recommendations! Best of luck!
Thanks Laura! All so exciting!
So very exciting! Looking forward to Monday and to all those wonderful books you're going to tell us about.
I fully expect us to bankrupt everyone asap ;)
Congratulations, Simon!! This is very exciting :D Miranda
Thanks so much, Miranda! We're all v excited about it :)
Congratulations, Simon! I've just been over at Harriet's and read all about your exciting news. Can't wait for April 7!
I'm itching to launch it right NOW, but we're going to have to restrain ourselves :)
Congratulations! I have subscribed and am waiting impatiently for Monday. The site looks just gorgeous.
Thanks so much, Helen! We were really pleased with how the site ended up looking – a definite time when minds came together to make something we all liked.
Congratulations Simon, I'm sure it will be a huge success. After all, we all need more books on the tbr pile, don't we?!
Thrilling news Simon Well done to the SNB team!!
Simon, I am thrilled for all of you. I am assuming, could be mistaken, that you all met through blogging. What wonderful serendipity to find a group of like-minded people with whom to launch new venture. Best of luck and I will be closely following.
Congrats Simon–looks like it is going to be a really wonderful place to visit! I know I am alwys on the lookout for new books and so am excited to see your first issue!
I have been gleefully spreading the word and will definitely post about it come Monday!