Neil Cross's Blog, page 6
September 28, 2011
Luther returns to US television
True Stories Told Live: award-winning writers lay down pens for fundraiser
Neil and six other award-winning writers will lay down their pens and step away from their laptops to tell stories the old-fashioned way to raise funds for the Book Council in its first True Stories Told Live event for Wellington.
The New Zealand Book Council's True Stories Told Live events have been exhilarating and entertaining sell-out Auckland audiences for the past two years. Now, True Stories comes to Wellington with a stellar literary line-up.
Neil Cross, Elizabeth Knox, Kate De Goldi, Duncan Sarkies, Jenny Pattrick, Craig Cliff and Chris Bourke will have ten minutes each. No notes. No readings. No questions. Just true stories that promise to inspire, entrance and entertain.
The October 6 event (at St Andrew's on the Terrace) will raise funds for the Book Council's Writers in Schools programme, which has been bringing books, authors and children together since 1973.
'At True Stories Told Live, the story must have a beginning, middle and an end, and it must be true, but that's all' says the Book Council's Susanna Andrew.
Andrew says it is the compression, the construction and the sheer originality of each person's retelling that makes being in the audience so fascinating. 'The length is too short to be boring, and yet long enough for plot, pace, adventure and humour to sneak in and light up the threads, the contradictions and the beauty of the story.'
Book Council CEO Noel Murphy says he is excited to have some of the biggest names in New Zealand writing come out to raise money for Writers in Schools. 'We think this programme is about creating the writers and readers of the future, so to have the support of these incredible authors is very special.'
The Book Council's True Stories Told Live events in Auckland have been sell-out successes. Internationally, live storytelling events are the hot new literary ticket, especially in the US and UK. Trademarked storytelling organizations such as The Moth or The Stoop have been selling out within 48 hours and creating the sort of buzz that rock concerts are usually famous for.
True Stories Told Live
Where: St Andrew's on The Terrace, 30 The Terrace, Wellington
When: OCTOBER 6th
Starts 6.00pm
Tickets: $20.00 or $15.00 for NZBC members, on the door or online at www.bookcouncil.org.nz
Further Information
Writers in Schools
The Book Council's flagship programme, Writers in Schools, has been encouraging and inspiring children to read, write, create and learn through books for more than 35 years, providing free writer visits for more than 50,000 students each year.
New Zealand Book Council
The New Zealand Book Council is a non-profit organization, whose mission is to inspire more New Zealanders to read more; to promote reading in general, but particularly to represent and promote New Zealand writing and writers.
Writers
Elizabeth Knox is a novelist and Young Adult writer. Her novel The Vintner's Luck was shortlisted for the Orange Prize, and she has received various prizes for her Young Adult novels. Knox was awarded an ONZM for her services to literature in the 2002 New Zealand Queen's Birthday honours list, and received the Arts Foundation's Laureate Award in 2000.
Kate De Goldi is a novelist and children's writer. This year De Goldi won the prestigious Corine International Book Prize Young Readers Award. Her novel, The 10pm Question, took out the 2009 New Zealand Post Book of the Year prize. She received the Arts Foundation's Laureate Award in 2001.
Neil Cross is a scriptwriter and novelist. He has written for Spooks, and is creator and writer of BBC series Luther, which won the Mystery Writers of America's Edgar Award for Best Television Teleplay. Cross has written ten novels. Always the Sun was long-listed for the Man Booker Prize.
Jenny Pattrick is best known as a historical novelist. Her novels The Denniston Rose and its sequel Heart of Coal are two of New Zealand's biggest selling books. Pattrick won the 2009 NZ Post Mansfield Prize.
Duncan Sarkies is a playwright, screen writer and fiction writer. Sarkies wrote the screenplay for the hugely successful Scarfies, and has been a script writer for Flight of the Conchords. His short story collection, stray thoughts and nose bleeds, won the Hubert Church NZSA Best First Book of Fiction Award.
Chris Bourke is a writer, book and music reviewer and radio producer. He won the 2011 New Zealand Post Book of the Year award for Blue Smoke: The Lost Dawn of New Zealand Popular Music 1918-1964.
Craig Cliff is a writer and a Dominion Post columnist. His debut short story collection, A Man Melting, won the prestigious Commonwealth Writers Best First Book Prize in 2011.
September 19, 2011
Luther to return for Series 3
Idris and Luther recognised at Primetime Emmys
Congratulations to Luther star Idris Elba, who was recognised at yesterday's Primetime Emmys with two award nominations.
Idris was nominated for the award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie for his role in Luther, which screened on BBC America in the United States. At last night's ceremony, the award went to Barry Pepper for his role as Bobby Kennedy in the miniseries The Kennedys.
Idris was also nominated for his supporting role in the US series The C Word.
You can see him speaking about Luther on the red carpet at the awards here.
August 8, 2011
Whistle And I'll Come To You
John Hurt, one of Britain's most esteemed and prolific actors starred as James Parkin, in Whistle And I'll Come To You, the story of a man's encounter with an apparition on a desolate British beach and how this haunting begins to hound him.
Whistle And I'll Come To You, written by Neil and made by BBC Drama Production, is a modern adaptation of the evocative Edwardian ghost story Oh Whistle And I'll Come To You, My Lad by M R James, which delves into themes of ageing, hubris and the supernatural, adding a terrifying psychological twist in the tale. It was screened on BBC Two on Christmas eve, 2010.
John Hurt says: "Oh Whistle And I'll Come To You, My Lad is M R James' most famous ghost story and I'm thrilled to be involved in this contemporary re- working of it, particularly as I've never done a ghost story before and I love to have new territory to walk. It's also a great pleasure to be working with the BBC again."
Neil Cross adds: "For reasons I don't quite understand, I always enjoyed tales that terrified me. I grew up loving ghost stories, classic and modern. But I never got to tell a ghost story… until the BBC offered me the opportunity.
"Whistle And I'll Come To You is a contemporary re-telling of one of the greatest, most beloved tales of the supernatural ever told. With the flawless casting of John Hurt and Gemma Jones, it aims to break the heart as it chills the soul."
Directed by Andy de Emmony (West Is West, God On Trial), the one off drama was a cinematic, moody, poignant and unsettling spooky addition to the Christmas schedules, taking its lead from L'Orfanto, The Shining and Japanese horror movies.
Filming took place in Autumn 2010 in and around South East England. Kate Harwood, Controller, Series & Serials says: "BBC Drama Production is happy to be bringing together such a talented team to contribute a bit of a fright to the Christmas festivities."
Gemma Jones (Harry Potter, Spooks) and Lesley Sharp (Doctor Who, Little Voice) also starred.
Visit the BBC website for clips and further details.
August 7, 2011
The Calling
NEW:
A brilliant mind. A violent passion. Is DCI John Luther a force for good or a man hell-bent on self-destruction?
"Quite literally bloody brilliant" Metro (see full article)
DCI John Luther has an extraordinary clearance rate. He commands outstanding loyalty from friends and colleagues. Nobody who ever stood at his side has a bad word to say about him. And yet there are rumours that DCI Luther is bad – not corrupt, not on the take, but tormented. Luther seethes with a hidden fury that at times he can barely control. Sometimes it sends him to the brink of madness, making him do things he shouldn't; things way beyond the limits of the law.
Luther: The Calling, the first in a new series of novels featuring DCI John Luther, takes us into Luther's past and into his mind. It is the story of the case that tore his personal and professional relationships apart and propelled him over the precipice. Beyond fury, beyond vengeance. All the way to murder…
"Neil Cross has created such a compelling character"
Idris Elba, star of Luther and The Wire
"Cross has always dealt in darkness and been so adept at conjuring bogeymen from the catacombs of mythology that you start to see them everywhere"
Guardian (see full review)
"Cross is an amazing writer, capable of lyricism and pathos as well as some of the most traumatising scenes you're ever likely to experience in a mainstream crime novel."
Eurocrime (see full review)
This goes beyond the vicarious pleasure of standard crime, and into the territory inhabited by horror writers; we read because we wish to see the killer brought to justice, but more so because we cannot look away.
Book Geeks (see full review)
Podcast interview with Neil about The Calling
Excerpt from The Calling
John Luther, a big man with a big walk, crosses the hospital car park, glistening with night rain. He strides through sliding doors into Accident and Emergency, approaches the desk and badges the Filipino triage nurse.
"I'm looking for Ian Reed?'
"That's the police officer?" She glances at her monitor. "He's in cubicle eighteen. Over on the far side."
Luther marches through the waiting area, weaves through nurses in rubber clogs. He ignores the moans of the binge drinkers, the beaten women, the self-mutilators, the overdosers.
He sweeps aside the heavy curtain to cubicle 18 and there's Ian Reed, sitting tieless on the edge of the bed.
Download the First Chapter of – The Calling
Neil discusses The Calling
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Covers
UK Publication Details
ISBN: 978-0857203366
Format: Hardback
Pages: 368
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
1st Edition Published: August 2011
Publication Australia & New Zealand: August 2011
May 22, 2011
An Evening with Neil Cross – fundraiser
Wellingtonians can chat with Neil about the world of top TV drama, crime fiction and Hollywood scriptwriting this Wednesday at a special fundraising evening for Crofton Downs Primary School. Neil will be sharing his experiences as a novelist and former lead writer of the hit BBC show Spooks, the creation and development of BBC's award-winning crime drama Luther, and his collaborations with director Guillermo del Toro, on Wednesday 25th May, 8pm, at the school hall, Chartwell Drive, Crofton Downs. Tickets are $35 including a complimentary glass of bubbles or wine and supper, or $20 for senior students with ID. Contact the school office on 479 2429 or Helen on 479 4351 or 021 173 3293 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 021 173 3293 end_of_the_skype_highlighting.
May 7, 2011
BBC releases Luther 2 trailer
The BBC today will release the trailer for the second season of Neil's drama series Luther, starring Idris Elba, coming soon to BBC One and BBC One HD.
In the run up to Series 2, Facebook fans of Luther have been given a sneak preview of the trailer. It can be found on the Luther Facebook page along with other new features, including five "Ask Idris" clips where Elba answers fans' questions about his role and the series.
May 4, 2011
Luther wins US "Edgar" Award
Neil's crime drama Luther has won the Mystery Writers of America's Edgar Award for Best Television Teleplay.
Episode 1 of Luther, which stars Idris Elba, won the award in New York on 28th April. The full shortlist also included Episode 4 of Luther Series 1 as well as episodes of the acclaimed American television dramas Breaking Bad and Damages. Neil is a big fan of both.
Luther first screened on BBC 1 in the United Kingdom in May 2010 and in the United States on BBC America in October 2010.
Series 2 will screen on BBC1 this year. The latest news on the second series, including scheduling, can be found on the Luther Facebook page.
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