Literary fasionistas take note

Books are now fashion accessories, according to a survey by the BAA (British Airports Authority). 'Books are the new snobbery,' writes John Ezard in yesterday's Guardian. 'Social competitiveness about which titles we read has become one of the new mass forces of the era.'

'Where fashion is concerned, the only place to be is ahead of the curve, among the early adopters,' writes John Sutherland commenting further on the same survey in today's Guardian.

Well, only me, my mother and a handful of people in editorial at Hale have read Perfidy and Perfection. So if you want to stay ahead of the crowd next Spring...

The Independent reports a mainstream publishing deal won by a self-published author, Mark Robson, after he took a novel approach to marketing his books - floor walking in his local bookshops. He sold over 30,000 copies of his self-published fantasy novels before meeting by chance Scott Pack, Waterstone's head buyer, and probably the most powerful man in the UK book trade. '[Mr Pack] sent copies of the book to publishers and agents and finally won a publishing deal,' writes Lousie Jury. 'Mr Pack said he was won over by Mr Robson's enthusiasm. "But he has actually written a very good series of books."'