News Archive

Academi Writers' Bursary Recipient Hits Best-Seller Territory

Cardiff-based Belinda Bauer, who received a £6000 Academi Writers' Bursary in 2007-2008, has seen her debut title Blacklands (Transworld, 2010) being picked by high-street bookseller Waterstones as one of twelve crime novels in their Fresh Blood promotion.

The campaign showcases some of the best new crime writers around. Waterstones are offering a 30% reduction on the retail price of Blacklands, and the opportunity to download the first chapter for free. Click here for more information.

Blacklands was shortlisted for the Crime Writers’ Association Debut Dagger Award in 2008 and has been the subject of a high-profile marketing campaign by Transworld. It tells the story of twelve year-old Steven Lamb who is determined to find the body of his deceased eleven year-old uncle, thought to have been the victim of a notorious serial killer decades previously. The novel has received widespread critical praise and enjoyed strong sales.

Belinda worked as a journalist in Cardiff for seven years before winning the Carl Foreman Bafta for her first screenplay, 'The Locker Room'. She went on to write 'Happy Now' starring Ioan Gruffudd and Emmy Rossum (BBC Films 2000) and continued to work as a screenwriter for ten years. Her second novel Tipping Point (Transworld) will be published in 2011. For further information on Belinda, visit her Writers of Wales entry here.
 
For more information on Academi Writers' Bursaries click here. The closing date for this year is Friday 29 October 2010. Application forms will be available in July 2010.