News from The Bookseller

Ghostwriter Rebecca Farnworth diesArrow has paid tribute to Rebecca Farnworth, best known for ghostwriting Katie Price’s bestselling books, who has passed away at the age of 49. Farnworth, who died on 24th November from cancer, wrote three romantic novels under her own name, all with Cornerstone imprint Arrow, and started working with Price on the former glamour model’s first book Being Jordan (2004). The writer subsequently worked with Price on nine novels and four autobiographies. All were top 10 bestsellers.

Orion signs cookbook from Tucci and BluntActor Stanley Tucci and literary agent Felicity Blunt have written a cookbook. The couple’s book features recipes from Tucci’s traditional Italian roots, as well as those of his British wife Blunt, who is an agent at Curtis Brown. Recipes include pasta alla bottarga, mushroom-stuffed trout, pork chops with onions and mustard sauce and barbeque chicken wings. Amanda Harris, deputy publisher, Orion Non-Fiction, bought UK and Commonwealth rights from Paul O'Halloran at Simon & Schuster in the US for The Tucci Table: Cooking with Family and Friends.

The Miniaturist named Waterstones Book of the Year The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton has been named as the Waterstones Book of the Year. Burton's debut novel, published by Picador, beat a shortlist that also included Man Booker Prize winner The Narrow Road to the Deep North and Samuel Johnson Prize winner H is for Hawk.

William Collins signs three from PaxmanHarperCollins imprint William Collins has signed three books, including a memoir, by broadcaster Jeremy Paxman. The first book, provisonally titled The Way We Live Now, will look at the past 50 years of British history and its impact on our current lives. The second book will be a memoir looking back over his career as a key presenter of BBC2's "Newsnight" for 25 years. Details of the third book in the deal have not been disclosed.

Octopus buys IlexHachette's Octopus Publishing Group has bought Lewes-based illustrated reference publisher Ilex. Ilex will become an imprint of Octopus, with its titles distributed from the LBS warehouse at Littlehampton. Ilex founder and publisher Alastair Campbell is retiring, but there will be no other redundancies, with all publishing staff transferring to London.

Guha wins Luke Bitmead Bursary 2014Unpublished author Tara Guha has won the 2014 Luke Bitmead Writer's Bursary, winning £2,500 and a publishing contract with Legend Press. Guha won the bursary for her debut novel Absent, which will now be published in November 2015.