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Musique au Ch?teau du Ciel, the French edition of Sir John Eliot Gardiner's Music in the Castle of Heaven: A Portrait of Johann Sebastian Bach, has been awarded the Grand Prix des Muses. He was in Paris last week to receive the prize, which, now in its twenty-second year, is awarded by the prestigious Fondation Singer-Polignac to books on classical, jazz and traditional music published in the French language.

From 30 March to 2 April, Janklow and Nesbit UK will be travelling to Italy for the Bologna Children?s Book Fair, a leading international event for publishers, literary agents, illustrators and authors held annually since 1963. With over 25,000 publishing trade representatives from more than 75 countries, the city of Bologna becomes the stage to a celebration of the exciting and imaginative work the children?s sector of publishing has to offer. Rebecca Folland, the head of our Rights Department, will be taking the opportunity to present our list of authors and their work to the international publishing community, with the aim of putting their work on the global stage. Rebecca will be negotiating foreign translation and publishing rights to ensure our authors reach an international audiences.

Tune in to Radio 4 this week to listen to Dylan read from his incredible memoir The Utopia Experiment: The Utopia Experiment is a true story that you just couldn't make up - one man's attempt to survive a global catastrophe by setting up a commune in Scotland. While lecturing in robotics, academic Dylan Evans became increasingly concerned by the visible impacts of global warming, population increase, terrorism - and by our inability to cope with a doomsday scenario in a world engineered to just-in-time living. The concern became an obsession and Evans left his post to run an experiment. He set up a camp that would create the conditions for a post-apocalyptic world. It was established in the Scottish Highlands with a collection of people chosen for talents and skills necessary in a life without technology or comforts. The resulting story is a Lord of the Flies for the modern day, treating serious and normally sombre topics with dark humour. At its heart, however, is one man's well-intentioned dream and the price he paid for trying to do something good. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b059crs2

We are hugely proud to announce that Xiaolu Guo has been longlisted for the 2015 Baileys Women's Prize for her novel I Am China. Shami Chakrabarti, Chair of judges, says of the longlist: ?The Prize?s 20th year is a particularly strong one for women?s fiction. All judges fought hard for their favourites and the result is a 2015 list of 20 to be proud of ? with its mix of genres and styles, first-timers and well-known names from around the world." The judges must now whittle these 20 books down to a shortlist of six, before choosing an overall winner to be announced on 3rd June 2015. Here is the list, in full: Rachel Cusk: Outline Lissa Evans: Crooked Heart Patricia Ferguson: Aren?t We Sisters? Xiaolu Guo: I Am China Samantha Harvey: Dear Thief Emma Healey: Elizabeth is Missing Emily St. John Mandel: Station Eleven Grace McCleen: The Offering Sandra Newman: The Country of Ice Cream Star Heather O?Neil: The Girl Who Was Saturday Night Laline Paull: The Bees Marie Phillips: The Table of Less Valued Knights Rachel Seiffert: The Walk Home Kamila Shamsie: A God in Every Stone Ali Smith: How to be Both Sara Taylor: The Shore Anne Tyler: A Spool of Blue Thread Sarah Waters: The Paying Guests Jemma Wayne: After Before PP Wong: The Life of a Banana

Great piece in The Observer by Adam Rutherford about how genetics renders the idea of race meaningless. http://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/mar/01/racism-science-human-genomes-darwin Adam's fourth coming book, Know Thyself is partly about this: each of the sections within it is a story from human history, re-told with the knowledge born of 21st century genomics. For the first time, we have the tools to match up the narratives of our history ? the journey out of Africa, the Aryan invasion of India, the dynastic wars of the European renaissance, the colonisation of America - with the stories locked in our DNA.

To coincide with the arrival of the beautiful proof edition of Mrs Engles (pictured here), Gavin McCrea announces the launch of his new website. Definitely worth a look: www.gavinmccrea.com

"Written in a prose style that could be described as ?accessible scientific?, The Utopia Experiment should probably be a mandatory handbook for any slightly nesh person fantasising about living off-grid." The Guardian "The account of the collapse of the experiment is searingly honest; there is not a hint of self pity or recrimination against anyone but himself. The book makes fascinating reading..." The Sydney Morning Herald

?That this first novel has been hotly-tipped comes as no surprise? the reader can?t help but be snagged by its atmospheric, intensely-imagined strangeness? Smaill?s heartfelt message ? that we banish discord at our peril ? couldn?t ring out any clearer.? The Daily Mail "The Chimes, by the New Zealand poet Anna Smail (Sceptre, 12 February), has already picked up praise from Eleanor Catton and Kevin Powers ? Will it be the novel of 2015? Watch this space." The Independent ?This is a story that rivets us from the beginning but, for those wanting more, there are delicious depths that change an excellent story into an equally excellent thought provoking fable. As if that isn't enough, it also convinces us that Anna is a very clever lady. ... hugely compelling ... Oh yes, this is definitely a 'Wow!' book.? Bookbag ?For a story about music, The Chimes is a triumph on the printed page? SFX

The third book in M.J. Arlidge?s DI Helen Grace series has gone straight in at number 7 on the Sunday Times Bestseller List following its first week of sales. The Doll?s House continues the success of its predecessors with the first in the series, Eeny Meeny, the biggest selling debut crime novel of 2014. A young woman wakes up in a cold, dark cellar, with no idea how she got there or who her kidnapper is. So begins her terrible nightmare. Nearby, the body of another young woman is discovered buried on a remote beach. But the dead girl was never reported missing - her estranged family having received regular texts from her over the years. Someone has been keeping her alive from beyond the grave. For Detective Inspector Helen Grace it's chilling evidence that she's searching for a monster who is not just twisted but also clever and resourceful - a predator who's killed before.

"This week sees the publication of a brilliant new book, Accidence Will Happen, by Britain's King of Grammar, Oliver Kamm. King Kamm writes on all things grammatical for The Times. His book is a complete boon for anyone who loves English and who has an ear for the rhythm of words. We may not know all the rules of grammar, but we certainly know what sounds right. Kamm gives you chapter and verse on why it is perfectly acceptable to split your infinitives. Why "double superlatives" are more than just kosher - they can greatly improve your prose. And why, say, phrases like "She was sat" are perfectly grammatical." - The Huffington Post "His book is a welcome corrective to the notion that there is an objective standard we should strive for, and a celebration of a language in constant flux" - The Sunday Times The Guardian The Times

Last night, at an awards ceremony held at the BFI IMAX cinema, Terry Stiastny was awarded Political Fiction Book of the Year for her debut novel, Acts of Omission. The Paddy Power Political Book Awards cover all areas of political writing. Other awards presented on the night included Political Book of the Year, Political Biography of the Year, Polemic of the Year, Political History Book of the Year in association with News UK, the Political Humour and Satire Book of the Year, International Affairs Book of the Year and Practical Politics Book of the Year. This year, to commemorate the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War, there was also an award for Best Book on World War One. A total of 62 books were shortlisted across all 10 categories. There was also a Lifetime Achievement Award in Political Literature. The judging panels were made up of leading political figures, political journalists and people from the world of publishing, including Lord Ashcroft KCMG PC, Charles Clarke, Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, Damian McBride, Ann Treneman, Andrew Mitchell, Caroline Michel, Marilyn Warnick and Mary Beard. Iain Dale, founder of the awards, said: ?2015 is a massive year for everyone in politics, and by definition anyone who writes about it. The role of these awards in showcasing and encouraging the finest political writing has never been more significant. These are the books that have helped shape our thinking and will continue to do so right up to the general election and beyond.?

Emily Woof's The Lightning Tree among the most eagerly awaited fiction of 2015 in THE GUARDIAN: http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/dec/29/most-eagerly-awaited-fiction-2015-kazuo-ishiguro?CMP=twt_gu ?As these sympathetic characters search for their place in the world (Mary still harbours the hope that ?her life will be glorious, as it was meant to be?), Woof finds humour and poignancy in the gulf between how things are and how they ought to be.? The Observer '[This] is a novel that takes wild leaps, ducking and diving and weaving together the moments and episodes Woof wants to write about, often in an intensely impressionistic way ... She is impatient with the kind of literary criticism that makes too much of a writer?s biography, but sees her own inner life as her most vital raw material: ?It?s like diving, you go right under and drag stuff up. And sometimes when it bounces to the surface it?s wonderful, so exciting and effervescent, it just bubbles up."' Guardian '[A] comical, self-aware novel ... Woof is a storyteller and you can tell this from the first few pages. The Lightning Tree doesn?t commit to being a comic novel, a narratively adventurous or a wildly philosophical one, but takes the best aspects of each and plaits them into this clever and touching story.' Fiona Wilson, The Times 'An unusual but convincing love story that charts the often-distant lives of her two distinctive and appealing characters, written with wit and a lyrical flourish.' Daily Mail ?Woof writes with exuberant skill about the mess of metaphysics, dreams and history that can make people strangers to each other, and the inexorable life forces that can bring them back together.' Metro Blogs: 'Beautifully written and lightly philosophical, it is also a page-turning gem ... How [Ursula and Jerry] eventually get together keeps you on tenterhooks throughout this impressive book.' LoveReading.co.uk '[A] study in subtlety; [Woof] weaves her story across continents and through generations to create what becomes a surprising, and at times beautiful, novel. As a reader it creeps up on you, until suddenly it is impossible to put down; pages flick rapidly over like leaves lost to a gale.' David Handley 'The Lightning Tree is about spirituality, the power of adolescent attachments, the enigma of identity and different forms of love across generations.' Annethology 'Woof's lyrical storytelling moves effectively through time and place, interweaving Ursula and Jerry's futures as well as what came before them ... the result is transcendent. What unfolds is a story not just of young love but of how to cope when it is lost and shattered.' Ming Liu, Financial Times 'The Lightning Tree is a more ambitious book than One Day, moving away from the relationship much of the time to focus on themes of class, family and religion. There are undertones of Jeffrey Eugenides?s The Marriage Plot, which also sees its college-age protagonists wade through issues of love and spirituality while looking for answers.' Sarah Gilmartin, The Irish Times

'She (Emily) is impatient with the kind of literary criticism that makes too much of a writer?s biography, but sees her own inner life as her most vital raw material: ?It?s like diving, you go right under and drag stuff up. And sometimes when it bounces to the surface it?s wonderful, so exciting and effervescent, it just bubbles up. And sometimes it?s a kind of agony, like agghhh there it is.?...' The Lightning Tree by Emily Woof is published by Faber on 15 January, follow this link for the full interview: http://www.theguardian.com/culture/2015/jan/10/emily-woof-the-lightning-tree-books-interview

Janklow & Nesbit UK are offering representation to the winner of a debut novel competition launched today in association with Mumsnet and Gransnet. Users of Mumsnet and Gransnet can submit the first 8,000 words of a novel, along with a 500-word outline of the remaining chapters, by January 30th 2015. A shortlist will be selected, with the winner announced in March 2015. As part of the competition, a one-day Get Published event will be held in London on Saturday 17th January (next week!) where writers will get a chance to meet Janklow agents, leading editors and authors. There will be panel discussions and an opportunity to pitch directly to industry insiders. Tickets are still available, and can be purchased via the Mumsnet website. Mumsnet is a huge online community, generating over 60 million page views and over 13 million visits per month. We know from the success of their book club how engaged their members are and it feels like the perfect place to discover new talent. Justine Roberts, Mumsnet CEO and Founder said: ?Mumsnet and Gransnets? forums are teeming with great writing and shared stories. Joining forces with Janklow & Nesbit will give one talented user a substantial helping hand towards realising the dream prize of getting published and enabling their writing to reach a whole new audience.?