To celebrate the release of Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan, Tobey Maguire and Isla Fisher, we’re bringing Zelda - F. Scott Fitzgerald’s wife and literary muse – and Gatsby - one of the great characters of American literature – back together!

This is your chance to win a beautiful copy of Z and the tie-in edition of The Great Gatsby: all you have to do is visit and like our Facebook page and share with us the one thing you’d like to bring back from the Roaring Twenties: the glamour? the partying? the fierce literary talent? Zelda herself? We will pick the best 5 answers.

Competition open to UK residents only.

Win Zelda & Gatsby!

Category:Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, Two Roads, Uncategorized, Z

Tags: compeitition, facebook, fitzgerald, giveaway, news, publishing, Two Roads, z, zelda, zelda fitzgerald

What do you get when you mix the IT girl of the roaring 20′s and one of today’s most acclaimed and loved artists? Well, if you’re that lucky, you get a picture of Florence Welch (of Florence and the Machine fame) holding a copy of Z, the fictionalised account of Zelda Fitzgerald’s life by Therese Anne Fowler:

Florence Welch of Florence and the Machine holding a copy of Z

Florence has a new song on the soundtrack for The Great Gatsby, the new film adaptation directed by Baz Luhrmann and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan, Tobey Maguire and Isla Fisher. Have a listen to her song (and other tunes by the likes of Jay-Z, Beyoncé, will.i.am, Lana Del Rey, Emeli Sandé and Sia) here.

Category:New York, Two Roads, Two Roads film, Uncategorized, Z

Tags: 20s, Beyonce, book groups, books, Carey Mulligan, fil, fitzgerald, Florence + The Machine, Florence Welch, Gatsby, Great Gatsby, Jay-Z, Leonardo DiCaprio, movie, music, soundtrack, Two Roads, Two Roads Books, z, zelda, zelda fitzgerald

Hi Everyone!

We’ve almost got to the end of Monday here in sunny (!) London and it’s time to celebrate with one of our ‘Monday Blues Remedy’ blog posts. Lots of updates from our authors this week…

BESTSELLER NEWS

Until I Say Good-Bye OUT NOW!

Susan’s book is out now and it has been very warmly welcomed by readers all over the world. It became an instant NYT bestseller , entering the Hardcover Non-Fiction chart at #3:

Susan met with hundreds of readers at her local Barnes & Noble and signed over 400 copies with her thumbprint:

And publicity is going extremely well in the UK too. Susan’s story was featured on the cover of Guardian Family, complete with a beautiful shot of Susan and a touching interview with her husband John (you can read it in full here: http://goo.gl/Wlf3G)

As always her her Facebook page is the best place to keep up with all things Susan: click and like!

Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald OUT THIS THURSDAY!

Therese’s book was published in the US last week and it instantly became a bestseller hitting the NYT, USA Today, NPR lists among others:

The Sunday Telegraph run a wonderful piece by Therese on Zelda, ‘Rehabilitating Zelda‘ which went viral and was picked up by the New Yorker and the Daily Mail. Reviews are pouring in and readers are just loving this book:

‘Finely researched, entertaining and very plausible.’ Vogue UK

‘A thrilling read.’ Stylist.co.uk

‘In her new novel Z, Fowler draws a compellingly complete portrait of that other Paris (and New York and St. Paul and Long Island) wife: mother, painter, writer, flapper, feminist Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald.’ USA Today

A gorgeously rendered piece of literary entertainment, not a biography but rather a love story set in the Jazz Age.’ New York Daily News

‘Zips along addictively and exposes the dark side of artistic ambition.’ EW

‘Z is a fictional account of Zelda Fitzgerald’s life – giving voice to the determined, intelligent and vibrant woman who struggled to find her identity in the shadow of her husband, whose demons challenged them both with heartbreaking consequences. An unforgettable read’ Australian Woman’s Weekly

And look out for reviews and features in the Sunday Times Culture, Spectator, Stylist and Irish Tatler.

In the meantime our Australian and New Zealand friends are going literally crazy for the book:

The Still Point of the Turning World OUT THIS THURSDAY!

Emily’s book is also officially a NYT bestseller and the reviews are simply outstanding. We’ll let them do the talking:

‘A brilliant study of the wages of mortal love’ The New York Times Book Review

‘A radiant book steeped in deep feelings’ Los Angeles Times

‘Rapp combines an essayist’s willingness to lay herself bare on the page, a theologian’s search to plumb the mysteries of life and a poet’s precision’ San Francisco Chronicle

‘Rapp has written a beautiful and passionate elegy for her son, a book that offers deep wisdom for any reader.’ Boston Globe

2014 PREVIEW

The Legacy of Elizabeth Pringle (March 2014)

We are publishing Kirsty’s literary debut next year, but in the meantime take a look at the glamorous spread in the Guardian Weekend magazine:.  Sadly, she had to give the clothes back.

AND SINCE YOU’VE SURVIVED MONDAY… 

…you now need a good, refreshing, tall glass of one of these fab ‘literary beers’: http://flavorwire.com/382387/10-delicious-literary-beers-to-drink-while-reading

Cheers and until next time!

Fede

Category:Australia, book groups, Emily Rapp, Independent Booksellers, Lea Carpenter, Monday Blues Remedy, New York, Paris, Susan Spencer-Wendel, The Still Point of the Turning World, Two Roads, Uncategorized, Until I Say Goodbye

Tags: ASL, australia, b&n, bestseller, books, facebook, fitzgerald, monday, new york times, new yorker, new zealand, npr, publishing, reviews, signing, twitter, Two Roads, USA Today, z, zelda, zelda fitzgerald

Hi Everyone!

A month has passed since our last Monday Blues Remedy and a lot has happened in the meantime: we celebrated our birthday (pictures attached!); we published some great books; and we received some very exciting updates on our forthcoming publications. So put your kettle on and forget about the biting cold outside (what happened to spring?!)…

BOOK NEWS!

Doodlemum - OUT NOW!

The lovely book from our favourite artist/writer/mum was published on February 28^th. You might have seen the beautiful centre-spread Day in the Life of feature in Guardian Family, complete with Doodlemum’s pictures and an interview by Patrick Barkham; if not, don’t worry: you can still catch it online. Read the interview here and see the exclusive Guardian slideshow of original Doodlemum art here.

We ran a Doodlemum-centred Mother’s Day competition where we asked our readers to post their own doodles on our Facebook page and this is just one of the entries:

Quite something uh? Fede contributed his own drawing which received some mixed in-house reviews:

Also, the Daily Mail run a beautiful feature with the catchy headline ‘Doodles with oodles of love’. A little preview:

And a link to the online article on the Mail Online.

Until I Say Good-Bye (out on March 14^th)

As publication date is getting near, Susan’s story is getting a lot of interest both here and on the other side of the Atlantic. Have a look at the Sunday Telegraph piece, complete with wonderful pictures:

Even more pics on the Mail online page here.

Plus, a very rare and quite intense interview with Susan herself is up on NPR. Since ALS affects the muscles in the body, Susan’s ability to talk has quickly deteriorated in the past few month, which is why hearing her voice feels so special.

Finally, here’s Good Housekeeping’s take on Susan’s memoir:

You might worry that a memoir about living with a terminal disease could be too upsetting.  Instead, in Susan Spencer Wendel’s hands it is both life-enhancing and inspiring.  In UNTIL I SAY GOOD-BYE she chronicles her last year of adventures as she wrings every ounce of joy out of her remaining months.

As always do keep up to date with all things Susan on her Facebook page (over 3000 Likes now), and remember to grab a copy of the Guardian next Saturday and have a close look at the cover of the Family section…

Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald (out April 11^th)

Lots of updates on Therese’s Facebook page as publication gets near (only one month to go!). Gatsby mania is building fast: we have posted The Bookseller’s feature on all things Gatsby/Fitzgerald (complete with an interview to Lisa about Z) on our Facebook page; plus the April Vogue issue is just out, complete with an article on Zelda and an interview with Therese. Go grab your copy now!

Export copies are in and our beautiful hardbacks are due this week: exciting!

The Still Point of the Turning World (out April 11^th)

Emily’s son Ronan, who was suffering from Tay-Sachs, died recently – just before his third birthday. Emily talked about him and about her experience as a grieving mum in her emotional interview on the Today show last Friday. Take a look here.

The book is receiving great pre-publication reviews and is, quite literally, the talk of the town in the US, with an interview and excerpt running in the Huffington Post; a magnificent review in the Boston Globe and two more interviews with Bodega magazine and Bookslut blog.

To learn more about Tay-Sachs and to raise awareness please visit the American National Tay-Sachs and Allied Diseases Association at http://www.ntsad.org/

Eleven Days (out June 20^th)

There’s no stopping Lea Carpenter’s book from becoming the literary debut of the year. We now have a quote from one of the Greats of American literature, Toni Morrison:

A compelling story made memorable by the strength of its elegant prose

And our lovely cover is going live this week:

TWO ROADS TURNED 2! A few pics from our ‘Two Roads turns 2′ party: thanks to all the people who stopped by to wish us well and taste Fede’s delicious, home-baked, awkwardly-named ‘Morning Glory’ muffins:

A big thank you to all our followers and friends for the heart-warming birthday wishes!

Category:ALS, book groups, death and dying, Eleven Days, Emily Rapp, Fede, Uncategorized

Tags:

IT’S OUR BIRTHDAY – TWO ROADS IS TWO!

Two years ago, Two Roads published its first book, Sara Gruen’s Ape House. 

How to celebrate?  We thought it would be nice to share what we do, so we are offering

A YEAR OF TWO ROADS BOOKS!

That’s right: you could receive a free copy of every book we  publish in 2013.

All you have to do is follow these simple steps and keep your fingers crossed.

1. Subscribe to our newsletter on our homepage

2. Like our Facebook page and wish us happy birthday

or

3. Tweet us your greetings here 

Good luck!

PS: please note – this promotion is only open to UK residents

Category:Two Roads, Two Roads second birthday, Uncategorized

Tags: 2nd birthday, birthday, books, competition, giveaway, lisa, present, Two Roads, Two Roads Books

Will Schwalbe

Have you ever wondered why publishers play around with book covers so much?

What’s the point of changing the cover of a successful book when it comes out in paperback? Won’t that confuse readers when they browse in bookshops and online?

Actually the move from hardcover to paperback gives the publisher the opportunity to bring the book to a new market (and to those who were waiting for it to come out in paperback!).

Take the case of Will Schwalbe’s book, The End of Your Life Book Club publishing in paperback this June.

The hardback jacket design, with its bright green background and golden leaves, was a big in-house favourite and a hit with booksellers and readers alike, which is why we didn’t want to change it too much.  Using the same design, the new bright cream background,  gives a fresh (summery)  life to the cover, while making sure that the reader knows it’s already a big success (cue the “New York Times bestseller” sticker).

In the end, making sure that the book looks new but maintains the established and easily recognisable feel of its previous edition is always hard, but we believe our art department did a fantastic job with Will’s memoir. But you be the judge: let us know your thoughts!

The End of Your Life book Club (hardcover)

The End of Your Life book Club (paperback)

Category:End of Your Life Book Club, Two Roads, Uncategorized, Will Schwalbe

Tags: art, books, cover, design, editions, editorial, hardback, paperback, Two Roads Books, Will Schwalbe

Hey folks!

It’s Monday again and it’s our duty to help you kick-start the week in the best possible way. First piece of good news: you survived Valentine’s Day! Woo-hoo!

And now for some Two Roads-related news…

BOOK NEWS!

The Stockholm Octavo – OUT IN PAPERBACK!

Last week we published the paperback edition of Karen Engelmann’s brilliant novel. Our new Tumblr. blog is now live and filled with lots of interesting facts on the art of the Octavo.

Do visit and follow us on the @OctavoHandbook Twitter account. More pics, videos and extracts from the Octavo Handbook to come in the next few days: read carefully and who knows, you might even be able to create your own Octavo!

Doodlemum (out on February 28th)

Add a reminder to your iPhone calendar people: Doodlemum is coming to a newsstand near you! On March 2nd our favourite mum/artist/author will be the focus of the Day in the Life of feature in Guardian Family. The article feature Doodlemum’s pictures and an interview by Patrick Barkham.

Also: happy half term!

Until I Say Good-Bye (out on March 14th)

Finished copies are here and they look stunning. Take a look and keep up with Susan on her Facebook page

Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald (out April 11th)

More pre-publication love for Z this week! First there was this Shelf Awareness email including a readers’ guide and an interview with Therese. Plus USA Today run a online and print story on novels about the women behind famous men, featuring Z alongside such cherished books as The Paris Wife and our own Loving Frank  (credited with starting the famous men/forgotten women genre). Read it here and see a picture of the print edition on Therese’s Facebook page.

Eleven Days (out June 20th)

Proofs for Lea’s book are happening (get ready for a giveaway) and excitement is building.. We now have quotes from Kevin Powers, Ben Fountain and a new one from Alexandra Styron, author of the bestselling memoir Reading My Father:

Every soldier was, once, someone’s child. With this ineluctable truth at her story’s core, Lea Carpenter has crafted a beautiful, and original, work of art. Eleven Days manages to be both a meditation on courage and a gripping read. Scholarly and stylish, displaying a capacious mind and even greater heart. A magnificent debut.

ONE MORE THING…

IT’S OUR BIRTHDAY THIS WEEK!

Stay tuned for a big giveaway coming very soon…

Category:Emily Rapp, Lea Carpenter, Monday Blues Remedy, Susan Spencer-Wendel, The Still Point of the Turning World, Two Roads, Uncategorized, Until I Say Goodbye

Tags: blog, books, doodlemum, Eleven Days, Emily Rapp, half term, karen engelmann, Lea Carpenter, monday blues, news, newsletter, Stockholm Octavo, surprise, Susan Spencer-Wendel, the still point of the turning world, therese anne fowler, two roads book, until i say good bye, z, zelda fitzgerald

Good morning and happy Monday to you faithful followers of all things Two Roads!

Are you feeling down? Did you have a wet, miserable weekend? Did you look like this while crossing the road today?

Well then it’s definitely time for a healthy dose of Two Roads Monday Blues Remedy!

FORTHCOMING BOOKS FROM TWO ROADS

The Stockholm Octavo (out in paperback on February 14^th)

Here’s the updated cover for the paperback edition of Karen’s novel.

New look.

Same fantastic feel.

We are also launching a tumblr. blog devoted to the art of creating the perfect Octavo. Do check it out and follow the slow unveiling of this mysterious art of cartomancy on Twitter and Facebook as well.

Doodlemum (out on February 28^th)

Angie is hard at work on a secret Two Roads project (more juicy details to follow!). But in the meantime go ahead and enjoy her daily dose of Doodlemum on her website (and remember to like her Facebook page!) Stay tuned for a great update from our publicity department coming next week…

After Cleo Came Jonah (out in paperback on February 28^th)

If you haven’t already go visit Helen’s Facebook page and read Jonah’s Blog. Last post: THE ENEMY.

Beware of that cat…

Until I Say Good-Bye (out on March 14^th)

As you know a wonderful video has been uploaded on Susan’s page and on the Two Roads website. It’s a powerful message and although it’s Susan’s husband speaking, you can feel her energy coming through. It’s very moving. Watch & share and keep checking Susan’s Facebook page for touching (and quite funny) updates like this.

Island Wife (out March 28^th)

Finally the advance praise is in and it includes quotes from fellow writers, poets and rock stars (yup: you got that right!). Here’s a quick selection:

• ‘Brave, funny, poignant, beautifully written.’ – Elisabeth Luard, food-writer, journalist, and broadcaster

•  ‘The day to day details of a family who have followed the man’s ambitions to the remote island of Mull are  hilarious and very touching. A beautifully told story’ – Mike Rutherford, founding member of Genesis

• ‘Humour and honesty prevail throughout and always there is the poetic backdrop of the wild landscape of the island and the wild emotions that come and go with its tides.’ – Mairi Hedderwick, author of the Katie Morag series

• ‘Warm but never sentimental… It balances wry humour and lyrical delight, practical toughness and vulnerability in equal measure… A joy to read.’ – Philip Gross, novelist and poet

• ‘Island Wife is a breezy (in every sense), frequently funny and often dreadfully sad tale of a madcap adventure with an intrepid farmer husband and five children on a romantic Hebridean island, which often turns out to be not quite as romantic as the wide-eyed author had imagined.’ - Christopher Matthew, author and journalist

Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald (out April 11^th)

Great news coming from the US. Z is part of Publishers’ Marketplace BUZZ BOOKS 2013 (spring/summer edition).

You can download the digital booklet here or read the extract on USA Today’s website.

The Still Point of the Turning World (out April 11th)

Will Schwalbe, author of the New York Times bestseller The End of Your Life Book Club, loved Emily’s book. Here’s what he had to say:

• ‘It’s hard to find words that do justice to Emily Rapp’s The Still Point of the Turning World. It’s one of those rare books that you want to press into people’s hands and simply say, “You must read this. You will thank me.” At every turn, Rapp avoids the maudlin and the expected to get at very deep truths, sometimes painful and sometimes liberating and sometimes both. She looks for wisdom and comfort to a wide range of sources ranging from C.S. Lewis to Marilynne Robinson to Buddhist teaching. And she looks to her son. This is one family’s story of living while facing death, but also an astonishingly generous work about recognizing the pain and grace that exist all around us.’

SOCIAL MEDIA

You can now find Fede on instagram as well: just look for Due_Strade_London. Lots of pics of London, Italy & Italian food (and wine), and of course books, books, and even more books.

ONE MORE THING…

Public service announcement!!!

In case you intend to visit Leicester in the future with a dead monarch in the boot of your car…

Until next week..

Category:Emily Rapp, End of Your Life Book Club, Fede, Island Wife, Judy Fairbairns, Monday Blues Remedy, The Still Point of the Turning World, Two Roads, Uncategorized, Until I Say Goodbye, Will Schwalbe

Tags: blog, book groups, books, facebook, monday, Monday Blues Remedy, news, octavo, office, richard III, stockholm, The End of Your Life Book Club, tumblr, twitter, Two Roads Books, Will Schwalbe

Welcome to our blog’s new weekly digest of all things Two Roads! Every Monday morning we bring you the latest updates on our books, authors, events and giveaways.

It’s our own little way of helping you begin each new week with a spring in your step and a positive attitude. Hey: if it doesn’t work there’s always coffee!

Here we go…

WEBSITE REFRESH

Our new home page is live! Go to www.tworoadsbooks.com to see a list of upcoming titles and see an updated take on our mantra: stories… voices… places… lives…

Stay tuned for even more changes…

FORTHCOMING BOOKS FROM TWO ROADS

Our publishing schedule for the next few months is filled with loads of great books and we want you to be constantly up-to-date with the latest news. So, in strict order of publication:

The Stockholm Octavo (out in paperback on February 14^th)

The paperbacks have arrived in the Two Roads office and they look fantastic! TCPalm.com run an in-depth Q&A with Karen with some fascinating questions including Karen’s pick for main actor in a film adaptation of her book (we’ll give you a hint: he’s blond, charming and Canadian). Read more here.

Doodlemum (out on February 28^th)

We are gearing up for the pub date of Doodlemum’s first book. Do check her blog and her Facebook page to see why we are so excited about this celebration of family life in drawings. Here’s an example that pretty much sums up how we all feel during those long, bleak, winter evenings (the message is simple: hug someone!)

Until I Say Good-Bye (out on March 14^th)

We have just added this beautiful (and definitely emotional) video of Susan and her husband talking about her book on her page: it really captures the essence of Until I Say Good-Bye, and the joy that transpires from every single page of the book. Susan updates her Facebook page herself: have a look and share the journey of this incredible woman. There’s also a great website with more info on the book, pictures and posts from Susan.

Island Wife (out March 28^th)

Advance praise for the book keep pouring in so keep coming back to her page for more info. And if you’ve always wondered what life on a remote island might be like read Judy’s take on it here.

Z: a novel of Zelda Fitzgerald (out April 11^th)

Many, many different events lined up in the coming months taking full advantage of the Gatsby-mania spurred by the release of the Baz Luhrmann film. Take a sneak peek at the film costumes designed by Miuccia Prada or book your tickets for the stage adaptation coming to Wilton’s Music Hall in London at the end of February.

Also, Sam Baker, editor of RED, tweeted about Z last week (excitement is building already!)

The Still Point of the Turning World (out April 11^th)

The website page is live and includes wonderful quotes from the likes of Cheryl Strayed, author of Wild, and Gary Shteyngart, author of Super Sad True Love Story. Have a look!

TWO ROADS AUTHORS NEWS

Gretchen Rubin

Gretchen keeps making the headlines. She was part of a recent New York Times profile on self-help authors and she is now in her 98^th straight week on the NYT bestseller list.

TWO ROADS BIRTHDAY!!

Two Roads is turning 2 this month! We are looking forward to celebrating this milestone with you, the readers who make all of this possible, and we will give you more details on a big (no, really: BIG) giveaway we are planning very soon. So keep coming back for more..

That’s all folks for this issue of the Two Roads Monday Blues Remedy.

Have a great week!

Category:Emily Rapp, Gretchen Rubin, Island Wife, Judy Fairbairns, Memoir, Monday Blues Remedy, Susan Spencer-Wendel, The Still Point of the Turning World, Two Roads, Two Roads second birthday, Uncategorized, Until I Say Goodbye

Tags: birthday, books, Emily Rapp, Monday Blues Remedy, news, Stockholm Octavo, Susan Spencer-Wendel, Two Roads

“Mmmh I wonder if they sell espresso here”

One month. Thirty days.

Sometimes that’s all it takes to change your life in unexpected, quite dramatic ways. Right before Christmas I was standing in front of my desk in an office tower in the outskirts of Milan, looking at the space where I had worked for the past 16 months and that I had just finished cleaning out. It was my last day at Rizzoli before the holidays. My last day before moving to London for my new job as Editorial Assistant at Two Roads.

Category:Coffee, Eleven Days, Expat, Fede, Italian in London, Lea Carpenter, reading lists, Two Roads, Uncategorized

Tags: books, coffee, Eleven Days, Italy, Lea Carpenter, London, Two Roads