Meltdown the sequel

Amusing to see that failed fund manager Nicola Horlick is setting up a film script development fund.

Surprising, the publicity does not mention that she has some experience in this area, having been an "executive producer" on the screenplay of her husband’s failed novel, Meltdown, two years ago.

She has yet to drum up any interest in that project, despite a costly six-month campaign of dinners and lunches with alleged movie moguls in London, New York and Los Angeles. This was a morale-sapping blow to hubby Martin Horlick (ne Baker), a former personal finance reporter, who, I hear, was also fanning his eyes at the news that Panmacmillan would only publish his sequel if, like Meltdown, Nicola paid half the costs (she declined).

Meltdown does the opposite

You'll recall my fixation with Meltdown - the pisspoor financial novel penned by Martin Horlick (ne Baker).
In August I reported that publisher Macmillan had axed plans for a sequel, despite originally signing the author - hubbie of Madoff victim Nicola Horlick - on a three book deal.
Bad news for the embattled Horlicks, for sure, but it seems that the concept (if not Martin's literary career) has legs. Another City thriller called Meltdown is now due out next month.
"For amiable City trader Jimmy Corby money was the new Rock n' Roll. His whole life was a party, adrenalin charged and cocaine fuelled," the PR puff relays. "If he hadn't met Monica he would probably have ended up either dead or in rehab. But Jimmy was as lucky in love as he was at betting on dodgy derivatives, so instead of burning out, his star just burned brighter than ever."
My guess is that Meltdown II might sell slightly better than the first draft, as it's been penned by the self-proclaimed comedy genius, Ben Elton. Still sounds like a load of tosh, though.

Surveillance...

City "superwoman" turned Madoff victim Nicola Horlick at the checkout of the Cromwell Road Sainsbury's this morning.
Nicola, sporting a pair of trainers, drove away with her bag of groceries in a silver VW Beetle.
Didn't she used to employ staff for this type of stuff?

Meltdown for Baker

Just what has happened to the sequel to Meltdown - the financial thriller penned by Martin Horlick (né Baker)?
The self-regarding husband of embattled City Superwoman, Nicola Horlick, has long promised a follow-up to his dreary debut novel, writing in Square Mile magazine two years ago: "I wanted to make the change from journalist to writer. And that’s something I’m doing. You could argue, given a three-book fiction deal with Macmillan ... it’s something I’ve already done ... Meltdown is being promoted as a major title in Macmillan’s list on its publication in January 2008."
Over to Macmillan. "We have no plans to publish Meltdown II," blocks a spokesman.
Or, as the great writer himself penned, back in 2007: "I’m in limbo, 34,000 words into novel number two, and still unsure how to manage the entrepreneurial change from journalist to author."
The man's a prophet!

Hampshire could land Nicola in a right Horlicks

Meanwhile in Nicola Horlick's world, how are relations between the City "superwoman" and Hampshire County Council?
The Hampshire pension fund is the second largest shareholder in Bramdean Alternatives with a 19% stake -- behind Vincent Tchenguiz who has 28%.
Tchenguiz wants to axe the board and liquidate the fund. If Hampshire agree with him, that's probably curtains.
Bramdean also manages £25 million of Hampshire pension fund cash -- a mandate that could be under threat....

Nicola Horlick - an inspiration

I'm told that there are many unkind City types who are convinced that Nicola Horlick is Matt Lucas's inspiration for Marjorie Dawes. Are they by any chance related?

Horlick concentrates on hubbie's career

Embattled fund manager Nicola Horlick may be fighting for her professional life, but she still finds time to promote the embryonic literary career of her husband Martin Horlick (Baker, as was).
On June 13th, just days before the crucial EGM called by her client, shareholder and landlord, Vincent Tchenguiz, at which he hopes to oust the board and liquidate her Bramdean Alternatives fund, the couple are off to the Althorp Literary festival.
There they will perform their unusual "In Conversation" double act. What's more they've been invited up to the Big House to entertain the Earl himself. A potential bidder for Bramdean?

The list de nos jours

Being as the Sunday Times is heavily trailing its Rich List (scheduled for this weekend) I feel free to shamelessly plug my own version.
SlackBelly's Less Rich List (admittedly not my invention, but appearing here next week with the permission of its creator) surely trumps the ST's effort as the list de nos jours, and a quick preview of this year's lucky entrants reveals such newly impoverished luminaries as Brian Myerson, Nicola Horlick and David Ross.

Horlick's costly little luxury

Nicola Horlick, whose Bramdean Alternatives fund lost almost 10% of its assets after investing with Bernard Madoff's get-stitched-quick scheme (allegedly), says her greatest luxury is taking a bath. Which is apt.

Making a Horlicks of real thriller

You can’t keep a good man down – or, even, Mr Nicola Horlick (aka Martin Baker, the "author").
Despite his financial thriller Meltdown being less than thrilling, the former journalist is convinced he can do for capital markets what John Grisham did for law.
Not only has he tossed off a sequel (edited by his wife), but he has also been touting his original masterpiece around Hollywood. He hopes that shooting will begin next summer, but the holy grail of production appears somewhat elusive as Le Horlick is now on a fourth version of his script.
Undeterred, he has already begun compiling Meltdown's dream cast list: John Malkovich for the baddie, James McAvoy for the hero and Michelle Pfeiffer for the beautiful broad who digs women.
I do hope they’re all available, especially as wife Nicola now looks in need of a pick-me-up after falling for an alleged Ponzi scam. Now that really was a ripping yarn.