MBA - Newletter

Rukhsana Ahmad is currently writing a feature adaptation of MAPS FOR LOST LOVERS, the book by Nadeem Aslam which she has already adapted for radio. Rukhsana is co-producing with Geraldine Patten and they have development funding from the Film Council.

Writer Simon Allen and director Toby Meakins have optioned their psychological horror feature BREATHE to Fidelity Films who have attached further development funding from Screen South. Simon and Toby will shortly complete their new feature screenplay.

Dan Berlinka & Andy Williams have had a busy summer and are having a busier autumn. They continued writing for HORRID HENRY, as well as developing new ideas with Novel Entertainment, and also wrote a series of interstitials for Disney’s PHINEAS AND FERB. They have been commissioned to write three scripts for a new pre-school series which POCOYO producers Zinkia are developing, and are working on an educational series for 1410°. Dan and Andy will be writing further episodes for Aardman / CBBC’s charming SHAUN THE SHEEP II. There are also a couple of very exciting new developments in the pipeline, as well as their ongoing work on a sitcom pilot for C4. Next transmissions of their work are their two episodes of SKATOONY on at 5pm on Cartoon NNetwork, on 4th and 17th November.

Jeffrey Caine is embarking on his next major feature commission. He will be writing the screenplay adaptation of PETER PAN IN SCARLET, the sequel to the J. M. Barrie classic by Geraldine McCaughrean. The producers are Headline Pictures and BBC Films.

Mike and Linda Carey have written a pilot for animated children’s series FISHBONE for Zinkia in Spain.

Watch out for Andrew Cornish’s latest episode of DOCTORS on 14th October. Always witty and a bit subversive, these are well worth watching. There are, of course, more commissioned from him.

Jeff Dodds had a great time writing for Kudos’ kids show MI: HIGH, and is currently writing his first episode for ITV’s THE BILL.

We are delighted to announce that the series of novels that begins with MISTRESS OF THE ART OF DEATH by Ariana Franklin has been optioned by the BBC. Set in the 12th century, these books feature the female doctor Adelia Aguilar, whose speciality is the study of corpses.

Christine Harmar-Brown has delivered a sample of her new observational sitcom, ‘FRESHMENTS, on DVD.

Paul Herzberg has been busy with feature rewrites. He was commissioned to write another draft of THE FIGHTING PRINCE for Focus Features / Completion Films, and has also completed a feature rewrite for a German producer.

Howard Hunt continues his run of DOCTORS commissions, following his April commission with another in July 08.

David Lemon’s drama series SLEEPING PARTNERS has been optioned by Celtic Films. He has also been writing for the hit online series SOFIA’S DIARY, and is the writer of its stablemate series FLATMATES. His feature film FAINTHEART closed the Edinburgh Film Festival, and was also featured at the London Film Festival. This Slingshot/Vertigo production stars Ewen Bremner, Jessica Hynes and Eddie Marsan, is due to be released on 14th February next year.

Robert Jones is writing one further episode of NO. 1 LADIES DETECTIVE AGENCY, bringing his haul to three in total, and is about to visit Botswana for filming. He is also commissioned by Blast! Productions to write a John Lennon project for BBC2.

Glasgow based writer Andy Macdonald has won two radio commissions for BBC Radio 4 through BBC Scotland, a 45’ Afternoon Play and a 60’ Friday Play, and is currently writing the first, IN A LAND FAR AWAY for producer Gaynor Macfarlane.

Award-winning playwright and radio writer, Linda Marshall Griffiths has been commissioned to dramatise John Irving’s A PRAYER FOR OWEN MEANY in five parts for BBC Radio 4.

Alice Nutter has been commissioned to write an episode of CASUALTY for the BBC this autumn, and is also continuing work on her original drama for ITV Productions, THE HOOK.

Susan Oudot has completed her episode of BLUE MURDER and is in the early stages of developing a new original drama series with ITV Productions North. Her three-part drama, WOMEN OF A CERTAIN AGE, has also been optioned by SMG.

We’re very pleased that Philip Palmer has joined us as a client. Well-known as a producer, script editor and writer, he has a number of projects in the pipeline.

Penelope Shales’ most recent block of HOLLYOAKS is a high-octane week of action and is on next week (13 – 17th October). Catch it if you can – it really shows what an experienced director can pull off with a small budget and a dedicated cast and crew. Penny is currently in Kenya where she is acting as Consulting Director for local soap MAKUTANO JUNCTION. She then returns to HOLLYOAKS where she is booked through to early 2009.

Will Shindler has been kept busy this year writing for THE BILL. One of his episodes broadcast last Thursday 9th October, and he has just completed writing a further episode for the series.

Paul Tickell is currently directing for ITV’s flagship arts strand THE SOUTH BANK SHOW

David Thompson at Origin Pictures has renewed the option on Mark Wallington’s book THE MISSING POSTMAN which Mark is adapting for feature film.

Dan and Nuria Wicksman have delivered the first draft of SKELETONS FOR SADNESS, their feature adaptation, to Apis Films. They will also be part of a team of writers representing Screen South on a trade visit to LA in November. They also have a horror picture, TOMB, in development with Danish production company Zeitgeist.

Valerie Windsor’s adaptation of Barbara Pym’s novel A GLASS OF BLESSINGS has been greenlit by the BBC.

NEW CLIENTS…


	AUTUMN 2008

	BOOKS
	Judith Allnatt’s first novel A MILE OF RIVER (Transworld) has been shortlisted for the 2008 Portico Prize for Literature. The Award ceremony is in Manchester on 13th November. Dr Mark Atkinson has delivered his long-awaited WOMEN’S HOLISTIC HEALTH HANDBOOK to Helen Stanton and Gill Bailey at Piatkus. This is THE health book every woman needs to read! Vivienne Bolton has been commissioned to write all the art and crafts projects for New Holland’s bountiful tome THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS. Expect to find this in a stocking near you for Christmas 2009. Having a policeman as a father, Emily Christie should have had the safest childhood imaginable. Instead she suffered ten terrifying years of sexual abuse and rape at the hands of her grandfather, who was a paramedic and respected member of the community. Her heart-breaking memoir, GRANDAD’S SPECIAL LITTLE GIRL, has been bought by Michael Joseph for publication next Summer. Alys Clare has been commissioned to write a new series of mysteries set in the Dark Ages by Severn House. Anna Dean’s debut novel A MOMENT OF SILENCE has been acquired in the US by Thomas Dunne Books. The sequel has been commissioned by Allison and Busby. Scriptwriter extraordinaire and IFTA nominee Marcus Fleming has just delivered his debut novel. Called THE BACK OF BEYOND, it deals with a greedy archaeologist who digs up a hitherto undiscovered sacred tomb. It could be described as Flann O’Brien meets Neil Gaiman. THE ACCIDENTAL TIME TRAVELLER by Sharon Griffiths, just published by Avon, has been sold to Reader’s Digest. She will be published in a condensed book alongside established authors Catherine Alliott and Kate Furnivall with a first printing of 60,000 copies. Jo Hill’s account of her childhood experiences in nudist camps – NAKED - was published by Headline in early August and is still selling strongly. Shy Keenan, currently riding high at the top of the Sunday Times bestseller charts with her childhood memoir BROKEN, has just inked a deal with the BBC to turn elements of her story into a 90- minute television drama. Shy will also act as a script consultant. Rosemary Davidson has bought World rights in Gareth May’s 21st CENTURY BOY - based on his website of the same name - for publication under her Square Peg imprint. This handy manual will provide advice on everything from how to change a tyre, to undoing a bra with one hand, frying the perfect steak and checking yourself for testicular cancer (not at the same time). Two further books in the DRAGONHARPER series by Anne & Todd McCaffrey have been commissioned. And an exciting and original new series has been commissioned from Anne McCaffrey writing with Ann Scarborough. Award-winning actress and wildlife campaigner Virginia McKenna has agreed to write her autobiography for Oberon Books. In this beautifully written and emotionally honest book Virginia reflects upon her life, her family, her triumphs and her tragedies. Insightful and inspiring this will be a cut above the usual celebrity memoir. Oberon will publish to coincide with the Born Free Foundation’s 25th Anniversary in 2009. Clare Morrall’s LANGUAGE OF OTHERS is published in paperback this month by Sceptre. It will be part of the Waterstones Book of the Year promotion and there will be a major marketing campaign including railway advertising. Victor Pemberton’s wartime saga, WHEN THE SWALLOWS COME AGAIN, has just been published by Headline. Following her appearance at the TCM Crime Scene Festival in London, Anne Perry will be appearing at the Manchester Literature Festival on 17th October and the Folkestone Literature Festival on 9th November. The latest dates in her speaking tour are 17th November (New End Theatre, London) and 20th January (Fairfield Halls, Croydon). She has delivered next year’s Christmas novella. Next year, we’ll be celebrating the 30th anniversary of the publication of her first book, THE CATER STREET HANGMAN, which amazingly is still in print. Gervase Phinn’s ALL OUR YESTERDAYS – An anthology of childhood memories has recently been published by The Dalesman and is being supported by a speaking tour throughout the country. Bethan Roberts’ highly acclaimed debut novel THE POOLS has been optioned for film by German producer Hans W Geissendorfer and his company GFF (Geissendorfer is a former Academy Award nominee as a Director and is the creator of the, hugely popular, long-running German TV series Lindenstrasse). In a major new deal, Simon Scarrow has been commissioned to write three further Roman novels following CENTURION’S second appearance in the Sunday Times top 10. Simon has also delivered a fantastic third book in the quartet of novels featuring Napoleon and Wellington. By now, Napoleon is emperor of most of Europe, but refuses to give his people the time of peace and affluence they crave. Wellington has a treacherous climb up the greasy pole of politics. Ruth Singer’s fabulous bible for all things sewing SEW IT UP is to be published at the end of this month by Kyle Cathie. Kyle Cathie has just completed a deal with Clarkson Potter US who have shipped 10,000 copies and Simon & Schuster are distributing in Australia. FOOTBALL BABYLON, Mel Stein’s fictional exposure of the typical ups and downs of a newly promoted Premiership club has just been published and has caused a terrific stir in the sporting community. Jan Stradling’s delightful story THE LOST TREASURE has been bought by Walker Australia for their Walker Stories series (publication late 2009/early 2010). Keith Tutt writing as David Douglas has now completed his trio of spiritual books for Godsfield Press. LOST CULTS AND MYSTERY RELIGIONS and THE MAYAN PROPHECY 2012: THE MAYAN CALENDAR AND THE END OF TIME will both be published January 2009. Catherine Webb has delivered her first fantasy for adults to Orbit. Its working title is THE MADNESS OF ANGELS. A sequel has also been commissioned. “When a man is tired of London he is tired of life” -Samuel Johnson. But there is much more than life in London - there is power that ebbs and flows with the rhythms of the city, making runes from the alignments of ancient streets, humming with the rattle of trains and buses, and varying with the patterns of the business day. It is a new kind of magic: urban magic. Enter a London where magicians ride the Last Train, implore favours of The Beggar King and insane wisdom of The Bag Lady. And rival sorcerers, hidden in plain sight, do battle for the very soul of the city. . .” Catherine will still be continuing her children’s fantasy series featuring HORATIO LYLE. DBDA are publishing three new plays by MBA clients – DRIVEN TO DISTRACTION by Mark Wheeller and Danny Sturrock, JAMIE AND THE LAND OF DINNERSPHERE by Mark Wheeller and Johnny Carrington and SUICIDE.COM by Danny Sturrock. DBDA will also be distributing a DVD version of Mark’s, GRAHAM, THE WORLD’S FASTEST BLIND MAN which has just completed filming. NEW CLIENTS… Steven Barley has joined MBA, bringing with him THE HOUSEHUSBAND CHRONICLES – a comical account of his first year as a stay-at-home dad. Having giving up a job in the city to spend more time with his kids, Steven underwent a massive culture shock. To find out more, ask Susan Smith for material. MBA also welcomes new clients Sita Brahmachari and Suzi Moore. Sita has written a beautiful book about a dying woman as told from her granddaughter’s point of view. Suzi is a teaching assistant with some wonderful picture book ideas, one of which has already attracted the interest of publishers. Gemma Burgess’ sparkling debut novel THE DATING SABBATICAL is as witty as it is stylish: about a girl who gives up dating after being rejected six times in a row. Classy chicklit/Bridget Jones with more than a dash of Sex in the City, the City in this instance being the bars, cafes and cool hangouts of Chelsea and Fulham in West London. Gemma is just thirty, lives in London and works as an advertising copywriter. Natasha Desborough has just given up her Radio 6 weekend slot to concentrate on writing her Parental Advisory Manual. Offering advice on essentials such as substitute penis names, this is a humorous and rather sweary alternative to those officious parental advice books that make mums and dads feel completely inadequate. "This woman is a prime example of the type of parenting that has led to the breakdown of family values. This handbook should be banned". The Croydon Guardian MBA is delighted to welcome Phoebe Frangoul, a freelance writer, journalist, ex editor of Glamour.Com, ex Agent Provocateur worker, co-creator of cult magazine Pamflet, fashion writer and stylist, sought after DJ and all round groovy chick. During her time at Condé Nast Phoebe wrote a much loved blog for bridesmagazine.com and is turning her winning talents to writing a handbook to stop the newly engaged woman from being a broke bridezilla. For foreign rights information on any of these titles please contact Stella Kane (stella@mbalit.co.uk) For information regarding Film and TV rights please contact Jean Kitson (jean@mbalit.co.uk)
	FILM / TV / RADIO
	Rukhsana Ahmad is currently writing a feature adaptation of MAPS FOR LOST LOVERS, the book by Nadeem Aslam which she has already adapted for radio. Rukhsana is co-producing with Geraldine Patten and they have development funding from the Film Council. Writer Simon Allen and director Toby Meakins have optioned their psychological horror feature BREATHE to Fidelity Films who have attached further development funding from Screen South. Simon and Toby will shortly complete their new feature screenplay. Dan Berlinka & Andy Williams have had a busy summer and are having a busier autumn. They continued writing for HORRID HENRY, as well as developing new ideas with Novel Entertainment, and also wrote a series of interstitials for Disney’s PHINEAS AND FERB. They have been commissioned to write three scripts for a new pre-school series which POCOYO producers Zinkia are developing, and are working on an educational series for 1410°. Dan and Andy will be writing further episodes for Aardman / CBBC’s charming SHAUN THE SHEEP II. There are also a couple of very exciting new developments in the pipeline, as well as their ongoing work on a sitcom pilot for C4. Next transmissions of their work are their two episodes of SKATOONY on at 5pm on Cartoon NNetwork, on 4th and 17th November. Jeffrey Caine is embarking on his next major feature commission. He will be writing the screenplay adaptation of PETER PAN IN SCARLET, the sequel to the J. M. Barrie classic by Geraldine McCaughrean. The producers are Headline Pictures and BBC Films. Mike and Linda Carey have written a pilot for animated children’s series FISHBONE for Zinkia in Spain. Watch out for Andrew Cornish’s latest episode of DOCTORS on 14th October. Always witty and a bit subversive, these are well worth watching. There are, of course, more commissioned from him. Jeff Dodds had a great time writing for Kudos’ kids show MI: HIGH, and is currently writing his first episode for ITV’s THE BILL. We are delighted to announce that the series of novels that begins with MISTRESS OF THE ART OF DEATH by Ariana Franklin has been optioned by the BBC. Set in the 12th century, these books feature the female doctor Adelia Aguilar, whose speciality is the study of corpses. Christine Harmar-Brown has delivered a sample of her new observational sitcom, ‘FRESHMENTS, on DVD. Paul Herzberg has been busy with feature rewrites. He was commissioned to write another draft of THE FIGHTING PRINCE for Focus Features / Completion Films, and has also completed a feature rewrite for a German producer. Howard Hunt continues his run of DOCTORS commissions, following his April commission with another in July 08. David Lemon’s drama series SLEEPING PARTNERS has been optioned by Celtic Films. He has also been writing for the hit online series SOFIA’S DIARY, and is the writer of its stablemate series FLATMATES. His feature film FAINTHEART closed the Edinburgh Film Festival, and was also featured at the London Film Festival. This Slingshot/Vertigo production stars Ewen Bremner, Jessica Hynes and Eddie Marsan, is due to be released on 14th February next year. Robert Jones is writing one further episode of NO. 1 LADIES DETECTIVE AGENCY, bringing his haul to three in total, and is about to visit Botswana for filming. He is also commissioned by Blast! Productions to write a John Lennon project for BBC2. Glasgow based writer Andy Macdonald has won two radio commissions for BBC Radio 4 through BBC Scotland, a 45’ Afternoon Play and a 60’ Friday Play, and is currently writing the first, IN A LAND FAR AWAY for producer Gaynor Macfarlane. Award-winning playwright and radio writer, Linda Marshall Griffiths has been commissioned to dramatise John Irving’s A PRAYER FOR OWEN MEANY in five parts for BBC Radio 4. Alice Nutter has been commissioned to write an episode of CASUALTY for the BBC this autumn, and is also continuing work on her original drama for ITV Productions, THE HOOK. Susan Oudot has completed her episode of BLUE MURDER and is in the early stages of developing a new original drama series with ITV Productions North. Her three-part drama, WOMEN OF A CERTAIN AGE, has also been optioned by SMG. We’re very pleased that Philip Palmer has joined us as a client. Well-known as a producer, script editor and writer, he has a number of projects in the pipeline. Penelope Shales’ most recent block of HOLLYOAKS is a high-octane week of action and is on next week (13 – 17th October). Catch it if you can – it really shows what an experienced director can pull off with a small budget and a dedicated cast and crew. Penny is currently in Kenya where she is acting as Consulting Director for local soap MAKUTANO JUNCTION. She then returns to HOLLYOAKS where she is booked through to early 2009. Will Shindler has been kept busy this year writing for THE BILL. One of his episodes broadcast last Thursday 9th October, and he has just completed writing a further episode for the series. Paul Tickell is currently directing for ITV’s flagship arts strand THE SOUTH BANK SHOW David Thompson at Origin Pictures has renewed the option on Mark Wallington’s book THE MISSING POSTMAN which Mark is adapting for feature film. Dan and Nuria Wicksman have delivered the first draft of SKELETONS FOR SADNESS, their feature adaptation, to Apis Films. They will also be part of a team of writers representing Screen South on a trade visit to LA in November. They also have a horror picture, TOMB, in development with Danish production company Zeitgeist. Valerie Windsor’s adaptation of Barbara Pym’s novel A GLASS OF BLESSINGS has been greenlit by the BBC. NEW CLIENTS…
	THEATRE
	Steve Attridge has written the Christmas family show for Newbury’s Watermill Theatre. MATILDA & DUFFY’S STUPENDOUS SPACE ADVENTURE opens on Wednesday 26th November and runs through to 3rd January. It’s a great fun show, with lots of great gags and music, and is a new addition to Steve’s writing repertoire. He has also recently delivered a children’s novel, and is in demand as a feature film polisher. Glenn Chandler’s play BOYS OF THE EMPIRE enjoyed a good run at Edinburgh, garnering excellent reviews. It is going on to run at The King’s Head Theatre in Islington for four weeks in late December, directed as it was in Edinburgh by Patrick Wilde. Carolyn Sally Jones’ first stageplay, SANCTUARY, has been shortlisted for the Bruntwood Playwriting Competition for the Manchester Royal Exchange Theatre. The prize is announced on November 20th. The shortlist is of nine plays from over 1000 submitted – so many congratulations to Sally for her achievement so far. We are very excited to represent a powerhouse new playwright, Dean Stalham. Dean is an ex-con, who has served a total of 6 years for fraud. He started writing when he saw a play that the Royal Court brought to the prison, and won a Koestler Award for his short play, IF THE CAP FITS. He went onto write his first full length play, SPORADICITY, with encouragement from Hampstead Theatre’s Start Night, which went onto be performed at the Pleasance Theatre in Islington. After SPORADICITY was SENTI-MENTAL, another full length play which was performed in Southwark’s Union Theatre to excellent reviews. IF THE CAP FITS was reworked and performed as part of Prose & Cons, a night of short plays by cons and ex-cons at the Union Theatre earlier this year, and another new short play, TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT was half of a double-bill at the Etcetera Theatre from 18th – 21st August, part of the Camden Fringe Festival. Dean has reworked SPORADICITY and it is having a run at Islington’s Hen & Chickens Theatre, along with a further run of IF THE CAP FITS, from 21st October to 8th November. The plays are directed by Johnny Harris, best known for his acting breakthrough LONDON TO BRIGHTON, and Liya Wu, a very exciting young Chinese director. Come along – it is going to be a great, and often surprising, evening and you’ll be there to discover a great new voice of the future! (www.henandchickens.com) Patrick Wilde had an excellent month in Edinburgh, where he directed his own play WHAT’S WRONG WITH ANGRY? to excellent reviews, and also Glenn Chandler’s play THE BOYS OF THE EMPIRE in a sell-out run. He will revive this show for a four week run at the King’s Head Theatre in December. For more information on any of our writers or directors, or to see samples of their work, please call Jean Kitson (jean@mbalit.co.uk)