Novel way to spend day

THE GROUCHO Club, the media meeting place in Soho, London, is staging a World One-Day Novel Cup for the most original book written in 24 hours.

There will be two 12-hour sessions, on March 12 and 13. First prize is a silver cup to be engraved with the winner's name and displayed in the bar.

Judges include the novelist Kathy Lette and science- fiction thriller writer Denise Danks. The deadline for applications is 4 March. Entrants need pounds 5 and an IBM-compatible lap-top computer.