Daily Express - 25.08.06
Paperbacks

The Rise and Shine Saturday Show
Written for eight-to-12 year olds, this book follows TV star duo Zaza and Didi's quest to find the next singing sensation. As wacky as their names suggest, the double act are more Sharon Osbourne than Simon Cowell. Sparks fly as the competition, set in a Lake District mansion, hots up.

Hold the Front Page - 03.08.06
Regional reporter-turned-freelance sets up her own publishing house

A former regional newspaper reporter-turned-freelance journalist will next week see her first children's novel hit the shelves -after setting up her own publishing house.
Emma Lee-Potter, who began her career on the Mirror Group training scheme, set up Porthminster Press after penning The Rise and Shine Saturday Show.
She had previously had three novels for adults published by Piatkus, but after a few "near misses" in her quest to find a publisher for her first children's book she decided to do it herself and has overseen the entire process from printing to illustrating to promotion.
Emma, daughter of the late Daily Mail columnist Lynda Lee-Potter, said: "I had a bit of interest from publishers but I suddenly thought 'hang on - why don't I be in charge of this?'
"I had already written the book and have seen the project through. I found a printer and an illustrator for the cover - it has been a steep learning curve but I hope it will be the first of many."
The Rise and Shine Saturday Show tells the tale of the nation's most popular TV show as it launches a competition to find a pop star, and follows the fortunes of five youngsters as their rivalry intensifies.
She was inspired to write the book by her daughter Lottie, and is also dedicating it to her mother, who read the book before she became ill.
Her previous books, Hard Copy, Moving On and Taking Sides, all draw on Emma's newspaper background, and although the new novel is not based on personal experience she admits she couldn't resist giving it a journalism connection.
She said: "The dad of one of the children is a tabloid reporter. I always have a reporter in there somewhere - I like writing about journalists and couldn't resist putting one in!"
The book is the first of a trilogy so Emma is hoping she will be able to publish two more books through Porthminster Press and is also open to the idea of helping others to publish their work.
But she also spends much of her time freelancing for a variety of newspapers and magazines and has no plans to quit.
She said: "I'm very much carrying on with journalism and am not suddenly going to become a full-time publisher.
"The book looks good and I'm quite excited.
"It has been great to be in charge, especially when as a freelance you are always commissioned by other people and given a brief.
"It's very satisfying."

www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk

The Northern Echo - 16.08.06
Author with Yorkshire links unveils novel

A FORMER Borrowby writer and freelance journalist has penned her first children's novel.
Emma Lee-Potter took three years to write The Rise and Shine Saturday Show.
She said: "My daughter, Lottie, is reading novels and she wanted to read something written by me.
"I thought I'd never seen her read anything about a talent contest so the book's idea came from Pop Idol and Fame Academy.
"I feel you have to keep the excitement up and make it a page turner as children are quite demanding."
The former Evening Standard, Sunday Express and Today journalist's book is aimed at eight to 12-year-olds. Now living in Oxfordshire, she lived in North Yorkshire for four years from 1996. The book is on sale from Porthminster Press priced £5.99.



Grumpy Old Bookman website - 16.08.06

Does the name Lee-Potter ring bells? It should, I think, at least in the UK. The late Lynda Lee-Potter was a Daily Mail columnist for many years, and her daughter Emma Lee-Potter is the author of three novels for adults. She also spent ten years working as a hard-news reporter for the Evening Standard, Sunday Express and Today before becoming a freelance journalist.
Now Emma has started her own publishing company, Porthminster Press, and the first book is just out. The Rise and Shine Saturday Show (written by Emma) is the new company's first book. It's a 'fast-moving, fun read for children aged eight to 12. Designed to be the first of a trilogy, it follows the fortunes of five youngsters from very different backgrounds who are all desperate to be pop stars.'
Emma's blog describes some of the joys of running a small, independent publishing company. And, if you're in search of a bit of inspiration, it relates the story of Catherine Jones (no, another one) who in 1990 self-published Gumboots and Pearls, a guide to being an Army officer’s wife, and sold 16,000 copies.
Crumbs.

www.grumpyoldbookman.blogspot.com/

Banbury Guardian - 15.08.06
YOUNG AT HEART OF EMMA'S TALE

Journalist Emma Lee-Potter always wanted to write a children's book for her daughter.
Now the idea has become a reality with the launch of The Rise and Shine Saturday Show.
Ms Lee-Potter is hoping the project will be a novel success after working on the entire process herself, from penning the story, to the book's release and promotion.
Ms Lee-Potter said: "I've always wanted to write a children's book and my daughter wanted me to write a book for her.
"There were quite a few publishing companies interested but none of them signed on the dotted line so I decided to do it myself? It's been a steep learning curve but it's been really fun."
The novel is the first in a trilogy and is aimed at youngsters between the ages of about eight and 12. Over about 200 pages Ms Lee-Potter tells the story of five characters who have entered a competition run by The Rise and Shine Saturday Show to find the country's next big pop star.
She describes the book as a "fast-moving and fun read for children."
Ms Lee-Potter said: "I was very much inspired by TV shows such as Pop Idol and Fame Academy and it was a great way of bringing in different characters from around the country. It seemed a really good subject as it was all my children ever spoke about at school!"
Ms Lee-Potter took about a year to pen the novel writing about 1,000 words a day. It took her about another nine months to publish it as she worked with companies in Reading and Abingdon to produce the finished article.
An artist from Taiwan has illustrated the cover.
Ms Lee-Potter is now ready to launch the first 2,000 copies of the book under her publication company Porthminster Press.
She said: "I'm really, really excited. When you publish with other people you don't really have a say or much power, but it was great to be in charge."
Ms Lee-Potter already has three adult novels on sale. She is preparing to sideline her adult books for the near future and concentrate on completing the trilogy.
Ms Lee-Potter has two children and has dedicated the book to her daughter and her late mother Lynda Lee-Potter, who also worked as a journalist.
She is in talks with the Amazon website and local bookstores about stocking the book.
Copies can be bought from Ottakars from her website - www.emmaleepotter.co.uk - for £5.99.