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Owen Sheers
The acclaimed poet Owen Sheers has written his first novel. Inspired by true stories he heard growing up in Wales, Resistance is a counter-factual version of history, set in a Welsh valley deserted by its menfolk who have left to fight an invading German army in 1944.

World Building in Science Fiction
Earlier this year on Open Book, historical novelist Tracy Chevalier admitted that she was in awe of science fiction writers who have to create a new world from scratch. Mariella Frostrup is joined by one such writer, Justina Robson and one of the judges of this year's Arthur C Clarke Awards Graham Sleight to discuss approaches to inventing a whole new universe.

American Book Critics
American literary critics have launched a campaign to save book reviews, as many newpapers in the US are cutting the number of pages devoted to them. John Freeman, President of the National Book Critics Circle talks to Mariella about the critics' concerns.

Blurbs
Kate Lyall Grant from Simon and Schuster and Katy Follain from Penguin reveal the secrets of writing seductive paragraphs for the back of book jackets which will succeed in enticing the casual browser to buy.