Blockade Billy hits the UK
Posted: April 19, 2010, 14:40
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NEW NOVELLA FROM STEPHEN KING BOUGHT BY HODDER & STOUGHTON FOR FATHER’S DAY
An explosion of interest across the world in King’s novella, BLOCKADE BILLY, has prompted Philippa Pride, King’s UK editor, to step up to the plate and acquire for Hodder & Stoughton, from Chuck Verrill in the States, UK and Commonwealth rights to the publication – which includes a bonus story, the chilling MORALITY. The story of BLOCKADE BILLY is the baseball story that King has long been asked to write by his fans: ‘Ask no more; this is it,’ King Says. ‘I love old-school baseball, and I also love the way people who’ve spent a lifetime in the game talk about it. I tried to combine those things in a story of suspense.’ The novella tells the story of William Blakely, unknown baseball player for the New Jersey Titans, whose baseball days in the late 50s are relayed in first person narrative to Stephen King by George ‘Granny’ Grantham, who coached third base at the time. Pride commented: ‘It’s another gripping, tale from the master: how does he captivate you so completely from page one and hold you in his brilliantly powerful and dark grip until the last page? He’s just got that inimitable X factor, hasn’t he?’
Hodder will publish in hardback, on 25 May 2010, at £9.99.
An audio version of the book will also be available.
