As Richard is currently laptop-less in New York, so has asked me to post about the Pan Macmillan effort at the annual PEN Quiz on Monday night.

For those of you that don't know, PEN is an international organisation which "exists to promote friendship and intellectual co-operation among writers everywhere, to fight for freedom of expression and represent the conscience of world literature."  The fundraising quiz was organised by Jonathan Heawood, the director of English PEN, who, as always, did a wonderful job.  The great and the good of the media and publishing worlds made up 36 teams, and rolled up to the Cafe Royal in Piccadilly to do battle.  The teams included delagations from The Times, The Mail on Sunday, Daily Mail, Daily Telegraph, Hodder, Penguin, Faber, Orion and Random House.  Quiz 'mistress' for the night was Mariella Frostrup, whilst the not so dulcet tones of Piers Morgan were employed for the raffle.

To properly set the scene, I should mention that Pan Macmillan were the winners of last year's quiz, in a tense tie-break situation.  So, our reputation was on the line, and it was with some relief that we came in at third place, after HarperCollins, and quiz sponsors, Colman Getty PR.  Those of us with a sweet tooth were particularly delighted with the third place result, as the prize was a box of luxury chocolates from Hotel Chocolat.

Congrats to all the Pan Mac team, which consisted of Booker-winning author Alan Hollinghurst, William Fiennes (author of The Snow Geese), Tim Dowling (author of The Giles Wareing Haters' Club, which Picador will publish next June), Tim Adams (Observer journalist and future Picador author, and James Walton, who won the tie-break for the team last year.  There was some controversy at the time, with shouts of 'Ringer' flying about the place, but for the information of those who might wonder about the connection, he is the cousin of our Deputy Picador Publisher, Ursula Doyle. In house team members were Richard Milner (team captain), Andrew Kidd, Camilla Elworthy, Ursula Doyle and Emma Giacon.  Can't wait till next year...!