Latest book news from UK

Book sales 'challenging' at W H Smith WH Smith has reported a 9% rise in pre-tax profits for the year but said books sales continue to be “challenging”.

Grisham: 'some don't deserve prison for viewing child images' US thriller giant John Grisham has made widespread headlines by telling the UK press that prison sentences for some people convicted of viewing indecent images of children are “harsh”.

Harry Potter film spin-off to be a trilogy J K Rowling’s Harry Potter film spin-off, inspired by Hogwarts textbook Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, will be a trilogy. Warner Bros has announced that the three films, which will follow Fantastic Beasts author Newt Scamander and are written by Rowling herself, will have release dates of 2016, 2018 and 2020.     Ion Trewin diagnosed with cancer Ion Trewin, literary director of the Booker Prize Foundation, has been diagnosed with untreatable cancer, it has been announced. Trewin was unable to attend the Man Booker Prize ceremony this week. According to a statement released on behalf of the Booker Prize Foundation, Trewin had been undergoing tests in hospital prior to the diagnosis. Trewin will continue in his role at the Booker Prize Foundation until he is unable to do so.