Five things we loved this week

1.       The Man Booker Prize was electric this year

This year’s Booker Prize was the most exciting it has been to date. And, I don’t know about anyone else, but I was glued to the announcement of the winner, A Brief History of Seven Killings, the way some people are to the final minutes of a football match (no? Just me?). The winning author, Marlon James, is an eloquent, fascinating speaker: watch him talk about writing.

2.       Step inside a giant Chocolate Cake

Who doesn’t want to step inside a giant chocolate cake? But in case this needs further explaining: an interactive family event celebrating the work of Michael Rosen has opened today at the Discover Children’s Story Centre, Stratford. Put together in collaboration with Michael Rosen, the installation includes mysteries and hidden rooms, Bear Hunt trails and even a Dread Shed…do you need any more excuses to go?!

3.       Signings aplenty in Waterstones all round Britain today

No matter what you are in to, there is a signing happening somewhere (hopefully near you) today. Get in a car, get on a train, get on a tractor, whatever, because look who we have in store: there is Martina Cole, in Sheffield Waterstones, and Rick Stein in Winchester Waterstones (both at lunch time) and Bill Bryson in Harrogate Waterstones and Andrew Hurley, a debut horror writer, in Liverpool (both this evening). Not bad. And that’s just today. Details here.

4.       The Girl with More Sequels

Crime fans, Stieg Larsson’s Millennium series  is not over. Lisbeth Salander and Mikael Blomkvist will grace your pages through two more thrilling adventures, in two more sequels. After Larsson’s death, the series has been taken over by author David Lagercrantz - applauded for his faithful continuation of the story by the Larsson Estate.  Hurry up and write them, we say.

5.       Waterstones Exclusive: Signed Sophie Kinsella Novels

Becky Brandon has gone to Vegas! The next instalment of the Shopaholic series, Shopaholic to the Rescue is available – signed. Get your hands on one as soon as it is published by pre-ordering now.