BL ACK & WHITE PUBLISHING RIGHTS CATALOGUE 2021
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CONTENTS BLACK & WHITE Non-Fiction
The Hebridean Baker Coinneach MacLeod Peter Bakes Peter Sawkins The Green & White House Lynne Kelleher Olive, Mabel and Me Andrew Cotter Taking the Plunge Anna Deacon & Vicky Allan The Art of Wild Swimming Anna Deacon & Vicky Allan For the Love of Trees Vicky Allan & Anna Deacon Burns for Every Day of the Year Pauline Mackay Feisty & Fiery & Fierce and Warriors & Witches & Damn Rebel Bitches Mairi Kidd The Art of Tweed and The Secret Life of Tartan Vixy Rae Artful Eating Karina Melvin The Art of Coorie Gabriella Bennett Library Cat Alex Howard
INK ROAD 4 5 6 7 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
Fiction
The Unexpected Love Story of Lexie Byrne (aged 39½) Caroline Grace-Cassidy Bride Squad Runaway Caroline Grace-Cassidy & Lisa C. Carey The Week I Ruined My Life and The Importance of Being Me Caroline Grace-Cassidy Perfume Paradiso Janey Jones The Secret Life of Lucy Lovecake Pippa James Sisters of Berlin Juliet Conlin The Lives Before Us and The Uncommon Life of Alfred Warner in Six Days Juliet Conlin The Devil Upstairs Anthony O’Neill Dr Jekyll & Mr Seek Anthony O’Neill Fishnet Kirstin Innes The Ludlow Ladies’ Society Ann O’Loughlin The Ballroom Café and The Judge’s Wife Ann O’Loughlin The Bestselling Glen Avich Series Daniela Sacerdoti Detective Grace Macallan series Peter Ritchie
19 20 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
Becoming Mila Estelle Maskame Book 2 & 3 in the Mila trilogy Estelle Maskame The Wrong Side of Kai Estelle Maskame Dare to Fall Estelle Maskame Just Don’t Mention It Estelle Maskame Fin & Rye & Fireflies Harry Cook The Year After You Nina de Pass The Jungle Pooja Puri Nowhere Else But Here Rachel Cotton A Bad Boy Stole My Bra Lauren Price T is for Tree Greg Fowler Street Song Sheena Wilkinson Dreams , Tide and Spirit Daniella Sacerdoti
33 34 35 36 38 39 40 41 42 42 43 43 44
BACKLIST Still Hot! Kaye Adams & Vicky Allan The Coorie Home Beth Pearson Naturally Stefanie Stefanie Moir The Italian Chapel Philip Paris Effie’s War Philip Paris Casting Off Philip Paris On Starlit Seas Sara Sheridan The Gravity of Love Noëlle Harrison The Gingerbread House Kate Beaufoy The Dolocher Caroline Barry Lullaby Girl Aly Sidgwick The Manhattan Project Paul McNeive Chasing Charlie Linda McLaughlan Tiny Acts of Love Lucy Lawrie Ursula’s Secret Mairi Wilson The Good Mayor Andrew Nicoll The Secret Life and Curious Death of Miss Jean Milne Andrew Nicoll
45 45 45 45 45 45 46 46 46 46 46 46 47 47 47 47 47
Non-Fiction 4
The Hebridean Baker
Recipes and Wee Stories from the Scottish Islands
Coinneach MacLeod With over 125K followers on TikTok, The Hebridean Baker (Coinneach MacLeod) is the ‘Beardy Baking Viking from the Outer Hebrides’. In this brand new cookbook he shares some of his favourite simple traditional home bakes, with a sprinkling of the fascinating wee stories of island life that make his videos unique. The Hebridean Baker has a global following and, with nearly 10 million views of his recipe and lifestyle videos, Coinneach MacLeod was recently featured in Elle Magazine as one of Elle’s Cosy TikTok Picks. His unique style and wholesome and delicious traditional Scottish bakes have won him fans around the globe and now, in The Hebridean Baker, Coinneach shares both his fabulous recipes and fascinating stories of island life, offering a true taste of Scotland’s wild and windswept Outer Hebrides.
COVER COMING SOON
• Over 126K followers on TikTok, with over 10 million video views. • Focussing on small bakes with simple ingredients, this is a great cookbook for bakers of all abilities.
‘Watching a dog-loving hot Scot bake bread is the ultimate antidote to these dark times’ ROSE MINUTAGLIO, ELLE MAGAZINE
SEPTEMBER 2021 HB 247x185mm • 256 pp Rights Held: World
Focusing on small bakes that use a simple set of ingredients, these recipes will unleash your inner Scottish baker – it’s all about rustic home baking and old family favourites because, as the Hebridean Baker says, ‘Homemade is Always Best’. From Croft Loaf to Cranachan Chocolate Bombs, Oaty Apricot Cookies to Heilan’ Coo Cupcakes, and from Granny Annag’s Christmas Cake to Aunt Bellag’s Duff, there’s something here to put a smile on everyone’s face. And with his faithful West Highland Terrier Seòras by his side every step of the way, the Hebridean Baker will even help you teach your dog Gaelic, while you enjoy some truly delicious Scottish bakes.
FROM INTRODUCTION “I feel like I am living my dream, sharing recipes and stories from the islands with you. The Hebrides is a larder like no other, with some of the best whisky, seafood, meat and homegrown produce you’ll ever be lucky enough to enjoy, and I’m hoping whether you are in Toronto, Dallas or Edinburgh, you’ll discover a wee slice of the Hebrides among these pages.”
MacLeod was born and raised on the Isle of Lewis, the most northerly of the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. Inspired by traditional family recipes and homegrown produce, Coinneach rose to fame as the Hebridean Baker on TikTok in 2020. He has motivated his 126,000 worldwide followers to bake, forage, learn Gaelic, enjoy a dram or two of whisky and to seek a more wholesome, simple life. Along with his partner Peter and their Westie pup Seòras, Coinneach’s aim is to bring the best of the Scottish islands to a worldwide audience.
Non-Fiction 5
Peter Bakes COVER COMING SOON
100 Irresistible recipes for teatime treats, showstopper cakes, yummy puddings and more
Peter Sawkins From the youngest ever winner of the G reat British Bake Off , a debut cookbook filled with classic bakes, imaginative Scottish twists and a myriad of gluten-free options. Peter shares his signature baking style with fans new and old. In 2020, Peter Sawkins became the youngest ever winner of the Great British Bake Off . Peter delighted the judges’ tastebuds – and won over millions viewing at home, during the toughest of lockdown times – with his imaginative, distinctly Scottish twists on baking classics, his unsurpassed flair for flavour and witty, self-deprecating honesty. Not to mention his sheer passion for baking, which took him on an extraordinary culinary journey that began, aged 12, watching GBBO – never imagining that one day he’d be the proud recipient of the prized cake-stand...
• 100 irresistible recipes for teatime treats, showstopper cakes, yummy puddings and more. • Special focus on gluten-free options. • The final of the 2020 Great British Bake Off was the most-watched episode in the programme’s history. • Peter has a loyal following of over 215K on Instagram.
And now, in 2021, Peter launches his debut cookbook: Peter Bakes. Full of Peter’s own delicious recipes for everything from ever-popular teatime cakes to showstopping patisserie, from yummy puddings that bring a smile to your face to fresh ideas to inspire kids in the kitchen... all, of course, with the gluten-free focus that’s so integral to Peter’s baking. Other food intolerances will also be covered, making this is a cookbook that genuinely offers something for everyone. With stylish, youthful photography and design, Peter Bakes offers hints and tips about how to truly enjoy baking, enhance your skills and develop the confidence to trust all your senses when baking. The sight of Peter listening so intently to his sponges as he took them out the oven in the GBBO tent? Just one of the unique secrets that Peter will share with his fans, new and old, in this irresistible, easy-to-follow and inspiring cookbook. ‘The Edinburgh student has become a national treasure with his calm demeanour, positive attitude and seriously good cakes’ THE SCOTSMAN
OCTOBER 2021 HB 247x185mm • 256 pp Rights Held: World
Peter Sawkins, an Accounting & Finance student at the University of Edinburgh, is the youngest ever winner of G reat British Bake Off . A passionate baker since childhood, he credits the show as one of the reasons he embarked on his culinary journey. P ETER BAKES is his first book.
The Green & White House Ireland and the US Presidents
Lynne Kelleher The Green & White House takes a wry, personal look at the special relationship that Ireland has with the world’s greatest superpower. Presidents from John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan through to Barack Obama and Joe Biden have unearthed their family roots on visits to Ireland. With exclusive interviews and first-hand accounts, the book offers a fresh analysis of the unique position of influence and shared history Ireland holds at the heart of power in the White House.
© Declan Hehir
The links between Ireland and the presidents of the United States of America extend further and deeper than JFK’s irresistible 1960s glamour and Bill Clinton’s stellar policymaking. From President Andrew Jackson in 1829 to President Joe Biden in 2021, Ireland’s influence has been hugely significant in the White House. Some direct, some oblique, but the bond between these two nations continues to fascinate and entertain.
COVER COMING SOON
The diplomatic bromance between the US and Ireland has seen a steady stream of American commanders-in-chief touching down in military helicopters in remote Irish villages over the last century. Their long-ago relatives crossed the Atlantic by boat, but these presidential descendants returned in Air Force One and armoured limousines. These visits sparked a wealth of brilliant stories – of high-tech telecommunications installed in a cemetery, of a hand-knitted Aran jumper treated like a hostile device, of FBI anti-personnel nets failing to trap would-be assassins but yielding a bumper catch of salmon. Not forgetting top-flight Vietnam peace talks in a Limerick dairy farm and the US secret serviceman who mislaid his machine gun only to find it being passed around a roadside crowd. We also hear the incredible account of Obama’s Irish cousins, guests-of-honour at the White House for six consecutive years. The indomitable Irish spirit is ever-present – however serious the political agenda, the homecomings of prodigal presidents are conducted with a twinkle in the eye. And this cross-Atlantic courtship has secured Ireland a standing annual invitation to the White House – something no other nation on earth can rival.
SEPTEMBER 2021 HB 234x153 mm • 256 pp Rights Held: World
Lynne Kelleher is an Irish journalist who writes for national publications including the Sunday Independent, Irish Mail On Sunday, Irish Sunday Mirror, Irish Examiner, Sunday World, Irish Star and Irish Independent. She has written extensively about every aspect of modern Irish life from the Magdalene Laundries to Fungie the dolphin, to highprofile court cases and US Presidential visits. Her interest in Irish American Presidents was sparked when her first job straight out of journalism college was helping to escort the former US Ambassador to Ireland.
non-fiction 7
Olive, Mabel and Me
Life and Adventures with Two Very Good Dogs
Andrew Cotter 70K COPIES SOLD IN THE UK (ALL FORMATS) Witty, warm-hearted and life-affirming, Olive, Mabel and Me is the story of Andrew Cotter’s adventures with his dogs, told in his very own unique style. Beautifully written, touching and laugh out loud funny, Olive, Mabel and Me is a treat for dog lovers everywhere. Olive and Mabel are now global celebrities thanks to Andrew Cotter’s brilliant and hilarious commentary in a series of online lockdown contests between his two Labradors. Their videos, Dinner Contest, Game of Bones, The Pond and Zoom Time have been viewed more than 40 million times on social media and have entertained dog owners and sports fans everywhere from German breakfast television to a TV sports show in the Netherlands and on the main evening news on MSNBC in the USA, where anchor Brian Williams signed off with, “Goodnight and thanks – to the great Olive and Mabel!”
‘Beautifully written ... as funny as you would hope.’ THE TIMES ‘There are times when I need the brilliance of Mr Andrew Cotter’ TIM RICE
In Olive, Mabel and Me, Cotter gives us a commentary of a different kind as he tells the heart-warming story of life with Olive and Mabel and their many adventures together. It will resonate with dog lovers everywhere, as he recounts a life filled with dogs and how his connection with his dogs has grown into an unbreakable bond. It is a book about the love we have for our dogs and the companionship and joy we can find from sharing our lives with our fabulous canine friends, as Andrew has done with dogs throughout his life.
‘Do we really need another dog book right now? Yes. Yes we do.’ OUTSIDE MAGAZINE ‘Beautifully written, touching and laugh-out-loud funny, Olive, Mabel & Me is a treat for dog lovers everywhere. In fact, even cat-lovers with enjoy this one. A fabulous dog’s tale – don’t miss it!’ BETTER READING
OCTOBER 2020 HB 234x153mm • 272 pp + 16pp colour plate section Rights Held: World Rights sold: North America (Countryman Press, imprint of W.W. Norton); ANZ (Text Publishing)
Andrew Cotter is one of the most recognisable voices in sports broadcasting. Cotter is one of the leading commentators on the BBC’s golf, rugby, tennis and athletics coverage. He started his career in local radio in Scotland before moving to the BBC in London in 2000. He has also worked for Sky, BT Sport, ITV, Channel 4, ESPN and Eurosport. When not covering some of the world’s great sporting events, he’s usually up a mountain with his dogs.
non-fiction 8
Taking the Plunge
The Healing Power of Wild Swimming for Mind, Body & Soul
Anna Deacon & Vicky Allan Told through the incredible stories and breathtaking photos of those who wild swim, Taking the Plunge shows how wild swimming can help you to physical and mental health. These are people who have brought their chronic pain, grief, loss, depression, stress and anxiety to the wild waters of seas, lakes and rivers. There they have found joy, confidence, fun, adventure and friendship. These experiences are backed up with the latest science and expert thought, and researched through interviews, on why cold-water swimming is both a mindful and physiologically healing practice. But, more importantly, Taking the Plunge tells how wild swimming works, through the compelling and moving personal stories of people from all walks of life. It features portraits of the swimmers in awe-inspiring scenery, in all weathers, including extremes of ice and snow. Through words and images, it highlights the wild swimming community’s inclusivity, joie de vivre and camaraderie. For newcomers, this book serves as a guide to all things wild swimming: what to wear, how to take the first plunge, how to keep safe and warm, and where to go. Above all, these are stories of taking the plunge. ‘Dip into this book, and understand the healing nature of wild swimming before you have even taken that first plunge.’ MIRANDA HART ‘Wow! What a book. This is an emotional description of what we wild swimmers know and love. Lived it, loved it. Fabulous.’ BETH FRENCH, marathon swimmer ‘This book is a joy!’ JO WHILEY, BBC Radio 2
NOVEMBER 2019 HB 245x188mm • 256pp Rights Held: World Rights Sold: The Netherlands (Kosmos Uitgevers)
ANNA DEACON has worked as a photographer for over a decade following a career in the music industry in London. Her photographic work has been published in T he Times, The Scotsman, The Herald and many others. She loves to photograph the great outdoors and enjoys portrait and documentary work. Anna has organised community swims, beach cleans, and fundraising for mental health charities within the swimming community. VICKY ALLAN is an award-winning journalist and author. A staff writer for the H erald on Sunday , her work has also appeared in The Times, Daily Express, Vogue, GQ, Guardian and Scotland on Sunday . She has won awards for her travel-writing, features writing and for her articles campaigning against violence against women.
non-fiction 9
The Art of Wild Swimming Scotland and England & Wales
Anna Deacon & Vicky Allan From the authors of Taking the Plunge, an in-depth, impassioned and expert guide to how, when and why to enjoy wild swimming adventures. The Art of Wild Swimming comes in two volumes; Scotland, and England & Wales. This unique guide to the where, when, how and why of wild swimming in Scotland, England and Wales draws upon the passion and knowledge of the wild swimming community. Here they share their hard-earned secrets, expertise and spirit of adventure to bring together over a hundred of the most invigorating and rewarding swimming spots around the country. All of which have been tried and tested by swimmers who can be found immersed there regularly, come rain or shine, ice or balmy waters.
COVERS COMING SOON
• • • •
How do you get started? What do you need? Why is wild swimming so good for you? Plus … biosecurity, water access, road access, wild camping, the plastic problem.
Full of local knowledge, quirky tips and a spirit of adventure, The Art of Wild Swimming is a brilliant, practical guide to wild swimming in Scotland, England and Wales which will help you make the most of your wild swims and the wild swimming community, as well as looking after the environment.
• ‘Wild swimming is having a moment’ – Vogue, June 2020. • Truly accessible and lifechanging, wild swimming has enjoyed a near 300% surge in popularity during the past twelve months. • Each book features over 100 swimming spots chosen by those who know them best. The ultimate know-how on being a safe, responsible, environmentally aware swimmer.
OCTOBER 2021 HB 185x145mm • 256pp Rights Held: World
non-fiction 10
For the Love of Trees Vicky Allan & Anna Deacon
A collection of extraordinary stories and photography about our human connection with trees and the ways they make a mark on people’s lives. For the Love of Trees is a beautiful celebration of trees and our connection with them. Combining amazing photographic portraits of people and trees with powerful personal testimonies, it tells stories of unique relationships with favourite trees. There are stories of people who have fought for trees, put down roots by planting them; found solace among them during times of grief; fallen in love through them; felt uplifted or relieved from stress or anxiety in their presence; known the way a window out on a tree can help during times of illness; memorialised loved ones through them; protected them and sought to understand them. These are stories of why trees have mattered to individuals, and how they have impacted on the lives of people whose own span, particularly in the case of older trees, is just a fraction of rings in their existence. Above all, this is a book about relationships – between humans and these majestic, long-living plants – at this time of climate emergency. For the Love of Trees is both unique and timely, as we look to find a new balance between humanity and our planet.
OCTOBER 2020 HB 245 x 188 mm • 256 pp Rights Held: World
Anna Deacon has worked as a photographer for over a decade following a career in the music industry in London. Her photographic work has been published in T he Times, The Scotsman, The Herald, Hood, The Big Issue, Refinery 29, Sunday Post and Outdoor Swimmer , and many others. She loves to photograph the great outdoors and enjoys portrait and documentary work. Vicky Allan is an award-winning journalist and author. A staff writer for the H erald on Sunday , her work has also appeared in The Times, Daily Express, Vogue, GQ, the Guardian and Scotland on Sunday . She has won awards for her travel-writing, features writing and for her articles campaigning against violence against women. Her novel Stray is currently being adapted as a feature film. She has always loved the outdoors and wild places.
non-fiction 11
Burns for Every Day of the Year Pauline Mackay
An authoritative and highly entertaining daily pinch of Robert Burns by one of the leading experts on the Bard. A great way to find out everything you really need to know about Burns and his life and work, in a beautifully produced edition. Robert ‘Rabbie’ Burns, Scotland’s National Bard, wrote over 700 poems and collected many traditional Scottish folk songs, and you can discover them here. Rabbie’s generosity and humanity are celebrated in the words of his most famous poem ‘Auld Lang Syne’, sung in a spirit of friendship and reconciliation as midnight strikes on New Year’s Eve across the world. And, for the international Scottish diaspora, the 25th of January offers an annual opportunity to enjoy a Burns Supper in exuberant honour of their National Bard. But Rabbie Burns is not just for New Year or for the 25th of January. Each page of this lively, unique collection features an extract from a poem or a song, matched to the date. Each day’s choice reflects the seasons, links the past and the present, and highlights key moments in the life and times of Robert Burns – a romantic, radical poet of the common man whose aim was to make the world a better place. Our editor’s introductions bring fresh insight into the work – in Scots and in English – of this poet whose values and aspirations remain as relevant to Scottish culture as they were more than 200 years ago. Authentic, democratic, thought-provoking and entertaining, the work of Robert Burns truly offers something for everyone. He’s been honoured with banknotes, statues and many a party, but now Burns for Every Day of the Year brings you Rabbie’s best-loved classics alongside equally loved but lesser-known extracts.
JANUARY 2021 HB 234x153 mm • 624pp Rights Held: World
DR PAULINE MACKAY is lecturer in Robert Burns Studies at University of Glasgow. She hosts the podcast series, #TaeTheBard and is one of Scotland’s leading Robert Burns experts.
non-fiction 12
Feisty and Fiery and Fierce Badass Celtic Women to Live Your Life by from Scotland, Ireland and Wales
Mairi Kidd The Celtic ties of Scotland, Ireland and Wales have been interwoven for generations. This new collection of FEISTY, FIERY, FIERCE Celtic women brings together inspiring stories of women who have made their mark on these connected nations, breaking barriers and changing the course of history in their wake. Celtic women, both ‘ordinary’ and ‘extraordinary’ have often been overlooked in recorded history, while their male counterparts hogged the limelight. Too often written by the victors, and written by men, for men, the incredible stories of Scottish, Irish and Welsh women have been all-too-often banished to the footnotes of our nations’ interwoven histories. This collection brings together the stories of those women already well-known, whose place in history is significant and remembered – or often misremembered – and those women whose mark is found in the shadows, women whose stories are now uncovered and celebrated in a new light. Feisty and Fiery and Fierce brings together 30 badass Celtic women whose stories challenge the idea that the women of the past rarely did anything worth recording. The stories of these women, and their true mark on history, will entertain you, enrage you, uplift you and inspire you.
MAIRI KIDD, is Head of Literature, Languages and Publishing at Creative Scotland. She was formerly Managing Director of Barrington Stoke, a prize-winning publisher. A fluent Gaelic speaker, she has an MA in Celtic Studies from Edinburgh University. As CEO of Stòrlann, the National Gaelic Education Resource Agency, she worked with Scottish Government, Bòrd na Gàidhlig and local authorities. Mairi is a contributor to BBC Radio nan Gàidheal’s books coverage and writes for broadcast, including Gaelic comedy series FUNC.
Warriors and Witches and Damn Rebel Bitches Scottish women to live your life by
Mairi Kidd A unique treasury of empowerment and inspiration. For the modern era, it’s relatively easy, but once you go further back in history it becomes more of a struggle. And so, Warriors, Witches and Damn Rebel Bitches aims to right a wrong. Here you will find women selected for their wit, wisdom and wickedness, and thoughts on the inspiration a modern woman – whether young, old or in between – might take from their experience. This book reads between the lines, in English, Gaelic and in Scots, in the margins and in the gaps, and trusts you will enjoy the company of these Scottish sisters. These women – their ambitions, frustrations, joys, sorrows and fears – offer unique lessons for contemporary readers to live their lives by. Each offers empowerment, inspiration, hope – or simply the reassurance that even at the hardest times, we are not alone. ‘I loved these powerful, moving and inspiring stories about women and sisterhood – I learned so much! I know so many activists and change-makers who will connect with this brilliant book and I can’t wait to share it with the women in my life.’ DAISY BUCHANAN
FEISTY AND FIERY AND FIERCE • SEPTEMBER 2020 HB 227x188mm • 224 pp Rights Held: World
WARRIORS AND WITCHES AND DAMN REBEL BITCHES • JUNE 2019 HB 227x188mm • 256 pp Rights Held: World
non-fiction 13
The Art of Tweed Vixy Rae
Lavishly illustrated and meticulously researched, The Art of Tweed explores the history of tweed, its origins and the enduring popularity of this versatile fabric in popular culture and fashion the world over. Tweed is one of the world’s most iconic fabrics, worn and loved from the country estates of Scotland and Ireland to the catwalks of Milan and Paris, and from the High Street to Peaky Blinders. In The Art of Tweed, master tailor Vixy Rae takes you on a beautifully illustrated journey explaining the genius of this cloth for all seasons, worn by style icons such as Anna Wintour, David Beckham and David Gandy as well as famous fictional characters like James Bond, Sherlock Holmes and Indiana Jones. Packed full of beautiful photography throughout, The Art of Tweed is the perfect book for anyone who loves this most fabulous and fashionable of fabrics. ‘Vixy at Stewart Christie has found the missing link, providing a unique bond between our history and traditional customs with a much needed contemporary feel.’ SAM HEUGHAN, actor in Outlander ‘The première of Mary Queen of Scots was one of the most memorable nights I’ve ever had. To have the opportunity to celebrate Scottish heritage and design by wearing Vixy’s capelet, made it even more special!’ SAOIRSE RONAN, actress in Mary Queen of Scots Before Vixy Rae took over Stewart Christie & Co, this Edinburgh institution was run by four generations of men named Duncan Lowe. Stewart Christie prides itself on garments of such quality and appeal that they last for decades. Vixy is the first female member of The Incorporation of Edinburgh Tailors, a trade body which dates back more than six centuries.
Stewart Christie & Co Ltd on Instagram: @stewartchristie_co (14.3K followers)
The Secret Life of Tartan How a Cloth Shaped a Nation
Vixy Rae Tartan creates passion, generates belonging, adds fashion flair. This book is cut on the bias to give a different slant to the most celebrated of cloths. Tartan’s status means we all have a relationship with Scotland’s famous fabric, but how much do we really know? The Secret Life of Tartan goes behind the scenes – and beyond the kilt – to stitch together the truth of this most majestic of cloths. From supermodels to clan patriarchs, from New York’s Tartan March to wedding finery, tartan transcends boundaries. With stunning images to celebrate the romance of a cloth that shaped a nation, this landmark book is a guide to the poetry of tartan. It speaks of colour and craft, texture and style, and features the people behind the cloth. Here are insights from the families, weavers and designers who keep the essence of Scottish tradition and culture fresh. From the shortbread tin to the catwalk, regal palaces to Highland bothies, The Secret Life of Tartan showcases tartan’s dramatic diversity and outstanding heritage. ‘There is so much to tartan - there’s a stirring and romantic history, a science, and a treasure trove of fascinating stories. This book is all of that, and more. A delight for the senses.’ ALEXANDER MCCALL SMITH
THE SECRET LIFE OF TARTAN • NOVEMBER 2019 HB 238x187mm • 304pp Rights Held: World
THE ART OF TWEED • OCTOBER 2020 HB 185 x 145 mm• 256 pp Rights Held: World
non-fiction 14
Artful Eating
The Psychology of Lasting Weight Loss
Karina Melvin Breaks down the psychology behind successful weight loss. Rediscover the magic of eating for pleasure and enjoy a life of balance with the freedom to eat the foods you want without dieting. Artful Eating will take you on a journey filled with stories, life lessons, practical tools and strategies all rooted in the most up-to-date scientific and psychological research. Learn how to reprogramme your mind to lose weight and achieve the body you desire, by changing your thoughts, behaviours and approach to pleasure. Successful weight loss is not about what you eat, it’s about why and how you eat. We are missing the most vital ingredient in the weight loss battle: the mind. It is our mind that fuels every decision we make about food and by focusing solely on the symptom, the excess weight, we have lost sight of the cause. There is no strenuous exercise regime, no food elimination, no strict meal plan, just powerful psychological tools and strategies which will create lasting change. You will be amazed at how easy it is to achieve the body you desire and truly deserve.
• Offers practical help to understand and break behaviours around food, providing techniques and advice that can be fitted to individual lifestyles and eating habits. • Helps the reader develop a positive and healthy relationship with food and enjoy every bite, guilt free!
OCTOBER 2017 PB 247x189mm • 240pp Rights Held: World Rights Sold: Audio UK & BC ex Can (Audible); Korea (moRan)
Karina Melvin has a BSc in Psychology, an MA in Addiction Studies, an MSc in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy and is currently a PhD candidate in Psychoanalysis. She is fascinated by how our mind works and has been helping people change their lives for over ten years. She set up her own private psychotherapy practice in 2010 and through that has developed her Artful Eating approach as a way to help many of the people she works with. Karina is married and lives and works near Dublin.
non-fiction 15
The Art of Coorie
How to Live Happy the Scottish Way
Gabriella Bennett Coorie – or còsagach in Gaelic – is the Scottish version of hygge. In The Art of Coorie, Times journalist Gabriella Bennett explores what coorie is and how it has helped nurture the astonishing creativity that Scotland is famed for, despite an often harsh and unforgiving climate. Now used to describe how we want to feel and be, coorie covers all aspects of enjoying life the Scottish way. The Art of Coorie showcases Scottish style, traditions, interiors and the outdoors – examining a unique heritage of hospitality, creativity and adventure. From bothies to textiles, cuisine to camping, coorie has at its heart an appreciation of what we find around us. Timely and witty, The Art of Coorie takes you off the beaten track to discover how the best of all things Scottish can enhance life and its pleasures. ‘We’re told that the next ‘breaking lifestyle trend’ will be the Scottish concept of coorie or còsagach in old Gaelic, which means snug or cosy.’ THE GUARDIAN ‘The Art of Coorie details the ways in which you can dial down your busy life and gain a bit of Celtic perspective and peace.’ METRO ‘The cosiest craze of the colder months . . . it is undeniably appealing.’ BRITISH VOGUE ‘Coorie is good for the heart and the soul.’ NEIL OLIVER, BBC Coast ‘There’s a different lifestyle concept that will be everywhere this season – say hello to coorie.’ MARIE CLAIRE
• Over 13K copies sold.
SEPTEMBER 2018 HB 185x145mm • 288pp Rights Held: World Rights Sold: Russia (Eksmo); France (First Editions)
Gabriella Bennett is a journalist and editor based in Glasgow. She writes for The Times about Scottish interiors, property and shopping habits. Her short stories have been featured in Gutter, The Cadaverine and T he Island Review . She likes wild places, growing things, and Scottish food and drink.
non-fiction 16
Library Cat Alex Howard
Insightful musings on modern life from Edinburgh’s most notorious Aristocat. Library Cat – the resident cat of Edinburgh University Library – is not like other cats. He is a thinking cat. You can tell by the canny glint in his eye, his arched, disdainful whiskers and his unrelenting interest in books and piles of paper. This is Library Cat’s story. Join him on the adventures he takes when he leaves his favourite turquoise chair in the library and his favourite food (bacon-rind) behind to go out into the big, bad world. Meet his cousins Biblio Chat and Saaf Landan Tom. Hold your breath during his brief encounter with the elusive Puddle Cat and his run-in with the terrifying and mysterious Black Dog. This is principally the story of Library Cat’s search for meaning in a seemingly meaningless world. But it’s about us Humans, too. You see, with his black and white head bobbing a foot off the ground, Library Cat has seen us Humans from a very different angle. And he thinks we have it all wrong . . .
• People’s Book Prize Winner • Beryl Bainbridge Award for New Writers
APRIL 2016 HB 198x138mm • 184pp Rights Held: World Rights Sold: Italy (Garzanti); Korea (Woongjin); France (Bragelonne)
Alex Howard has a PhD in English Literature from Edinburgh University. He has had poetry published in journals such as T he London Magazine, Cadaverine , and Gutter . He is the winner of the Red Cross International Writing Prize, a quarter-finalist in the Scottish Slam Championships 2012, and has performed his work at the Edinburgh Book Festival. He has had comedy writing shortlisted by the BBC and worked variously as a television researcher, ghost tour guide and tutor. Alex lives in Edinburgh with his cat, Tabitha!
FICTION
Fiction 18
The Unexpected Love Story of Lexie Byrne (aged 39½) Caroline grace-cassidy
A funny, sparkling and irresistible love story delivered with a delightful lightness of touch. As she approaches the big 4-0, Lexie Byrne is perfectly content as a singleton. After all, she can watch her favourite movie Dirty Dancing on repeat while eating crisp sandwiches in bed. And unless it’s her idea of a leading man, who merengues into her life, she is never settling again. Not after the cheating ways of her ex – he flattened her, yes, but she picked herself up and thanks her lucky stars for that particular escape. But then, one messy St Patrick’s night Lexie is forced into town for an impromptu leaving party. There, a serendipitous meeting – with Adam, an Englishman almost too hot to handle – sparks a romance that makes Lexie dream afresh of her ultimate happy ending. However, her best friend Annemarie makes her disapproval abundantly clear. And so, despite being thirty-two weeks pregnant, she insists on flying with Lexie to visit Adam in the Cotswolds. On touchdown, the chemistry with Adam is still electrifying, but Lexie soon discovers that he has a complicated past – and an even more complicated present. Despite finding herself at the centre of uninvited drama, Lexie can’t deny that she is having the time of her life with Adam. Well, that is, until the tension that’s been brewing between her and Annemarie finally erupts and Lexie’s weekend goes from surprising to completely unexpected . . .
‘A fun, warm-hearted romp.’
PRAISE FOR THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING ME
MARIAN KEYES
‘Mature women, good food, reasonable amounts of wine and a love story in a quaint Cornwall setting by the sea – exactly my kind of book.’
‘Fiercly funny and heart-warming!’ LAURA WITHMORE
KATRIN ANDRES , acquiring editor at Piper Verlag, Germany
PRAISE FOR THE WEEK I RUINED MY LIFE ‘The women are real – flawed and funny, and the story is a balm for the soul . . . making this the perfect, uplifting summer read.’ CLAIRE ALLAN
AUGUST 2021 PB 234x153mm • 256pp Rights Held: World
PRAISE FOR BRIDE SQUAD RUNAWAY ‘Caroline Grace-Cassidy’s writing shines with sparkling wit and warmth.’ CATHY KELLY
‘The Irish Amy Poehler and Tina Fey – I was crying with laughter!’ VIP MAGAZINE
Caroline Grace-Cassidy is an Irish writer and actress. In 2012 Caroline was a founding member of an all-female film and TV production company, for which she has written, produced and directed five short films. She is a contributor for Women’s Way, U Magazine and I rish Country Magazine and is a regular panellist for Elaine on TV3. She is the author of seven novels.
Fiction 19
Bride Squad Runaway
Caroline Grace-Cassidy & Lisa C. Carey A hilarious, upfront and wise read delivered with a delightful lightness of touch. Ava O’Hara looks to have it all at almost forty: a dream job at an arty Dublin gallery, a cosy cottage in the countryside, a très beau co-worker . . . and a decade-long relationship with a man they call ‘The Tuner’. So when The Tuner – aka wannabe rock star Simon – proposes during one of his own gigs it’s more of a relief than a surprise. He says he loves her, but he’s got a funny way of (not) showing it. Ava’s left to plan their wedding alone, but when the big day dawns it brings a shocking revelation. One that calls for an emergency bride squad to sweep her up and away from the ruins of her life . . .
The Week I Ruined The Importance My Life of Being Me Caroline Grace-Cassidy
Ali Devlin isn’t the type of woman to have an affair . . . But as her marriage to her childhood sweetheart Colin turns bitter, she begins to rediscover the woman she once was. She seeks solace from her toxic relationship by throwing herself into a new job that she loves, by confiding in her best friend Corina and, most dangerously of all, by spending more and more time with her workmate Owen – who just so happens to be passionate, charming and everything her husband used to be. Then one heat-of-the-moment decision on a business trip to Amsterdam sets off a series of events that will change the course of all their lives forever.
Caroline Grace-Cassidy Thirty-eight-year-old divorcee Courtney Downey has no idea who she is any more. She has devoted her life to bringing up her beloved teenage daughter Susan, but they’re growing apart. When Susan announces she wants to live with her dad and his new, younger girlfriend, Courtney is devastated. Then Courtney is offered a job in beautiful, sun-kissed Cornwall, and she and her vivacious best friend Claire follow their hearts and leave their problems behind for a summer of sand, sea and second chances. And when she meets sexy but infuriating builder Tony, Courtney rediscovers her passions for life and love. But just as Courtney is finally looking to the future, a crisis with Susan pulls her back to Dublin, and back into old habits. Will she ever be able to let go of the past and embrace the importance of being herself?
. . . And into a wild Irish road trip. Take a trio of unlikely friends, a creative rage-release therapy and add two roguish strangers in a disco-tastic ice-cream van . . .
MAY 2019
JUNE 2016
JUNE 2017
PB 234x153mm • 256pp Rights Held: World
PB 198x129mm • 304pp Rights Held: World Rights Sold: Audio rights, UK & BC ex Can (WF Howes)
PB 198x129mm • 256pp Rights Held: World Rights Sold: Germany (Piper Verlag)
Fiction 20
Perfume Paradiso Janey Jones
A fabulously funny and charming rom-com full of flirt with a breathtaking Italian backdrop. Piedmont, the height of summer. Charlotte can’t wait to conclude the biggest deal of her life. Ambitious and young, she’s at the top of her game as a perfumier. Her heart is set on making an international success of her new fragrance – which means she has lavender fields to buy. And so Charlotte arrives in the sleepy town of Montecastello. It’s gloriously picturesque with its ice-cream parlours and cobbled streets, but from the get-go, this Italian adventure doesn’t go quite according to plan. A sudden downpour and a twisted ankle get Charlotte off on the wrong foot with Alessio – an infuriatingly arrogant and successful entrepreneur – and soon it feels like he’s thwarting her at every turn. Until one day, Charlotte and Alessio are unexpectedly thrown together on a trip to the floating city of Venice in a vintage sports car. An undignified brawl outside a restaurant is followed by an impromptu wedding invitation; after this day of Italian adventures, Charlotte’s life will never be the same again … But, however fond she grows of Alessio, he remains an enigma – one who’s standing in the way of her dreams of success on a grand and perfumed scale. ‘A summer vacation you never want to end!’ MRSHIBLEREADS ‘This novel is a beautiful, fast-paced summer romance that makes you laugh and warms your heart … Allow Janey Jones to whip you up and whisk you away to Italy for one week, enjoy the sun and enjoy the happy moments.’ @THE.B00KREADER ‘I loved every minute of it, just pure escapism into fantastic settings with wonderful writing.’ @LINBY ‘I absolutely adored this book! I could just picture myself sat beside the pool at the Rossini Hotel sipping frizzante.’ @A_GIRL_WHO_LOVES_TO_READ
AUGUST 2020 PB 198x129mm • 256pp Rights Held: World Rights Sold: Audio, World (WF Howes)
Janey Jones is a full-time writer with a love for food, fashion and all things French and Italian. She is best known as Janey Louise Jones, author of the fantastically successful Princess Poppy series, with sales of over 4 million copies. Before Princess Poppy took over her life, Janey had always intended to write contemporary fiction, and P erfume Paradiso is her second novel after the very popular Secret Life of Lucy Lovecake , written as Pippa James.
Fiction 21
The Secret Life of Lucy Lovecake Pippa James
A laugh-out-loud rom-com full of charm, boundless energy and luscious baking. Daisy Delaney’s life is pancake-flat. A talented baker and passionate lingerie specialist, she has wound up with no one to bake for and a career that hasn’t proved successful. But when she starts a delicious relationship with famous French author-chef, Michel Amiel, everything begins to look a bit more exciting. That is until Michel’s bestselling cookbook is knocked off the top spot by newcomer ‘Lucy Lovecake’. His outdated recipes slide down the charts, while the popularity of Lucy Lovecake’s new dating cookbook is rising like the perfect sponge. As Daisy teeters on the brink of love, how can she ever tell Michel that she is the mysterious Lucy Lovecake? Could he ever forgive her for finishing off his career? And more importantly, does Daisy even want to be with a difficult, egotistical, downon-his-luck Frenchman just as her career is beginning to take off? Especially when she has some other very interesting offers ... ‘Like a perfect glass of Buck’s Fizz: bubbly, effervescent with a cool sharp tang. I loved it.’ SHAZ’S BOOK BLOG
• Over 10K eBooks sold
‘This is a perfect ‘girls read’. It has glamour, romance and is as sweet as the ‘French fancies’ Lucy concocts.’ POSTCARD REVIEWS ‘I have NEVER had a book as quirky, funny, mischievous and darn right fabulous as Pippa James’s novel is.’ THE WRITING GARNET ‘Fresh and radiant, brimming with a wonderful optimism inviting you to devour Daisy’s story in one sitting . . . Embracing opportunities, sharing your good fortune and taking charge of your own destiny are all part of the Lucy Lovecake experience.’ LITTLE BOOKNESS LANE
JANUARY 2017 PB 198x129mm • 288pp Rights Held: World Rights Sold: Germany (Droemer Knaur), Portugal (20|20 Editora); Audio, UK & BC (WF Howes); Large Print (FA Thorpe)
fiction 22
Sisters of Berlin Juliet Conlin
From an acclaimed author whose superb storytelling brings people and places to such intelligent, resonate life comes a novel of contemporary Berlin: its energy, its landmarks and the shadows of its past. Berlin 2019. The 30th anniversary of the fall of the Wall, and the city is gearing up for a celebration of unity and liberation. But, beneath the surface, are those for whom the divisions and allegiances of the past remain close to home. In her hushed and leafy corner of Berlin, Nina’s life is a comfortable, conventional one – until her younger sister Marie, a free-spirited writer, is attacked and left for dead. For Nina, Marie’s brutal, inexplicable demise – and that of her unborn child – tips her own carefully controlled life into a nightmare. Stonewalled by official incompetence and subterfuge, Nina begins to realise that her sister’s past and the secrets of the once-divided city are intertwined in unimaginable ways. As she seeks out justice for Marie, Nina becomes caught in a tangle of obsession, lies and hidden truths that threatens to destroy her marriage, her livelihood and all that she holds dear. ‘The superb atmosphere created in the book helps the reader feel connected with the narrative, you can see the detailed locations mentioned in the book, you can smell the odours, experience unease at the situations that occur … this is an intense and enthralling read.’ THE QUIET KNITTERER ‘Juliet Conlin is one of the most underrated writers going at the minute – if you haven’t discovered her yet and this is your introduction to her writing then you are definitely in for a treat … I loved the way that this novel wove many threads together.’ ON THE SHELF BOOK BLOG ‘This was a heart-wrenching, emotive, intense and powerful story, that took me to places I didn’t expect to go! … After reading such a thought provoking book I have to give it four stars!’ THE BOOK REVIEWING MUM
APRIL 2020 PB 198x129mm • 384pp Rights Held: World Rights sold: Audio, UK & BC (WF Howes)
Juliet Conlin was born in London and grew up in England and Germany. She has an MA in Creative Writing from Lancaster University and a PhD in Psychology from the University of Durham. She works as a writer and translator and lives with her family in Berlin. Her novels include T he Fractured Man (Cargo, 2013), The Uncommon Life of Alfred Warner in Six Days (Black & White, 2017), The Lives Before Us (Black & White, 2019).
fiction 23
The Lives Before Us Juliet Conlin
A story of survival, community and friendship in defiance of one of the worst threats to humanity the world has ever faced. April 1939. In Berlin and Vienna, Esther and Kitty face a brutal choice. Flee Europe, or face the ghetto, incarceration, death.But they’ve both heard of Shanghai – one of the world’s last free ports. And so, on a crowded ocean liner, these women encounter each other for the first time. Kitty has been lured to Shanghai with promises of luxury and marriage, but when her Russian fiancé reveals his hand she’s left to the city’s nightclubs and dark corners. Meanwhile, Esther and her daughter shelter in a house of widows until Aaron, a hot-headed former lover, brings fresh hope of survival. Then, as the Japanese army enters the fray and violence mounts, the women are thrown together in Shanghai’s most desperate times. Together they must fight for a future for the lives that will follow theirs.
The Uncommon Life of Alfred Warner in Six Days Juliet Conlin
A tour de force of evocative storytelling set against the backdrop of pre-Second World War Germany and post-war Britain. Approaching eighty, frail and alone, a remarkable man makes the journey from his sheltered home in England to Berlin to meet his granddaughter. He has six days left to live and must relate his life story before he dies . . . His life has been rich and full. He has witnessed first-hand the rise of the Nazis, experienced heart-rending family tragedy, fought in the German army, been interred in a POW camp in Scotland and faced violent persecution in peacetime Britain. But he has also touched many lives, fallen deeply in love, raised a family and survived triumphantly at the limits of human endurance. He carries within him an astonishing family secret that he must share before he dies – a story that will mean someone else’s salvation.
‘Strongly drawn characters quickly demand attention, and empathy. Very well written.’
Welcome to the uncommon life of Alfred Warner.
SARAH MAINE , author of The House Between Tides
‘This is a moving, heartwarming story, written with style and sympathy.’
‘Mesmerising and compelling, a beautifully written novel telling a little-known story from World War 2.’
THE COURIER (Scottish Book of the Week)
ELISABETH GIFFORD , author of The Good Doctor of Warsaw
‘Juliet Conlin vividly recreates the lost world of wartime Shanghai’s Jewish ghetto – a place of hope and despair in equal measure.’
PAUL FRENCH , author of City of Devils
• 180+ amazon reviews, average 4.7 out of 5 • 1100+ goodreads ratings, average 4.2 out of 5
MARCH 2019
FEBRUARY 2017
PB 198x129mm • 400pp Rights Held: World Rights Sold: Germany (Rowohlt Verlag); Audio, UK & BC ex Can (WF Howes)
PB 198x129mm • 448pp Rights Held: World Rights Sold: Audio, World (WF Howes); China, Simplified Chinese (Guangchen)
fiction 24
The Devil Upstairs Anthony O’Neill
Rosemary’s Baby meets Ambrose Parry’s The Way of All Flesh in this tale of the macabre – a devilishly brilliant allegory set in modern-day Edinburgh. Cat Thomas has relocated to Edinburgh, fleeing her job as a fraud investigator in Florida. Her Dean Village flat in an 18th century building is idyllic except for… the devil upstairs. With no soundproofing, the thrash metal, wild parties and crazy all-night noises are making Cat’s life hell. As she lies awake every night, she dreams up ways to silence him. And her days aren’t much better as past demons start to haunt her at work. Then, after one particularly hellish night, Cat tells her colleague, Agnes – a shameless Goth – about her devil upstairs and Agnes invites her to a conclave, saying she’s from a long line of witches. For Cat it seems like harmless fun, but the evening soon becomes increasingly strange. Suddenly, mysteriously, Cat’s life is eerily peaceful. Until the devil upstairs is found dead. According to the police there’s been no forced entry, no fingerprints, nothing. And there are no suspects, just an eviscerated body. Then her new neighbour moved in and he seems too good to be true. Stylish, worldly, considerate, he has a glint in his eye – and best of all, he’s quiet. But as others begin to die, Cat’s suspicions about her new neighbour grow. Could this really be Satan himself?
‘Once I started reading, I was utterly hooked. I particularly enjoyed the unpredictable turn of events, which showcases O’Neill’s prowess as a writer and storyteller. He infuses his narrative with a gripping level of suspense … As a macabre thriller, this exciting, slightly unsettling novel held my attention from start to finish but has put me off walking around Edinburgh in the dark for life!’ HOLLIE BRUCE, The Courier
SEPTEMBER 2019 HB 234x153 mm • 304pp Rights Held: World ex US, Can & ANZ Rights Sold: Film options (Sony Pictures)
‘Anthony O’Neill is the most ingenious and versatile writer I know. Every novel he writes is an individual gem that sparkles with its own particular brilliance. Wherever the magic carpet of his imagination takes him next, I definitely want to be along for the ride.’ ROBERT J. HARRIS, bestselling author of The Thirty-One Kings ‘Another phantasmagorical offering from the author of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Seek, The Devil Upstairs takes neighbourly friction to a whole new level. Our exasperated protagonist summons Satan in a bid to silence the resident upstairs in this pulsatingly dark thriller.’ WATERSTONES
Anthony O’Neill was born in Melbourne and lives in Edinburgh. He is the author of Dr Jekyll & Mr Seek , his sequel to Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde – recommended by Ian Rankin as ‘clever, gripping and reverent’; Scheherazade , an Arabian Nights homage; The Lamplighter , a psychological horror; The Empire of Eternity , a history-mystery involving Napoleon and Egyptology; The Unscratchables , a satire featuring dog and cat detectives; and The Dark Side , a crime novel set on the far side of the moon. Film rights to T he Dark Side sold to 20th Century Fox.
fiction 25
Dr Jekyll & Mr Seek Anthony O’Neill
The strange case continues . . . Seven years after the death of Edward Hyde, a stylish gentleman shows up in foggy London claiming to be Dr Henry Jekyll. Only Mr Utterson, Jekyll’s faithful lawyer and confidant, knows he must be an impostor – because Jekyll was Hyde. But as the man goes about charming Jekyll’s friends and reclaiming the estate, and as the bodies of potential challengers start piling up, Utterson is left fearing for his life . . . and questioning his own sanity. Can it really be that this man who looks and acts so precisely like Dr Henry Jekyll is an imposter? Beautifully written and richly imagined, this sequel to one of literature’s greatest masterpieces is an intelligent and thoughtprovoking re-examination of the duality of man and the fragility of the human mind. ‘Written with verve and humour, this is an entertaining tale which weaves an ingenious web of mystery and suspense.’ THE INDEPENDENT (9 Best Scottish Fiction Books, Jan 2018) ‘Being a huge fan of the original I was sceptical about this sequel, but it was clever, gripping and reverent. Recommended.’ IAN RANKIN ‘O’Neill infuses the narrative with suspense and meticulously researched detail. A gripping novel.’ KAITE WELSH, author of The Wages of Sin ‘Fiendishly ingenious.’ RONALD FRAME, prizewinning novelist ‘A strange and wondrous tale – beautifully told.’ LIN ANDERSON, author of the Rhona MacLeod series
SEPTEMBER 2017 PB 198x129mm • 256pp Rights Held: World ex ANZ Rights Sold: World Spanish (Roca Editorial); North America (Skyhorse Publishing)
fiction 26
Fishnet
Kirstin Innes Twenty-year-old Rona Leonard walks out of her sister Fiona’s flat and disappears. Six years on, worn down by a tedious job, child care and the aching absence in her life, Fiona’s existence is blown apart by the revelation that, before she disappeared, Rona worked as a prostitute. Determined to uncover the truth, Fiona embarks on a quest to investigate the industry that claimed her sister. Drawn into a complex world, Fiona’s life tilts on its axis as she makes shocking discoveries that challenge everything she’s ever believed . . . Bittersweet, sensual and rich, Fishnet is a passionately told story of love and grief, interwoven with a meticulous, controversial account of the sex industry and its workers. An outstanding piece of fiction, it questions the ways in which we perceive women, their interactions with the world and with each other. This unique, prize-winning novel challenges assumptions about power, vulnerability and choice. ‘If ever a novel deserved a long life it is Innes’ Fishnet.’ SCOTS WHAY HAE ‘Alluring, dangerous, entangling.’ THE GUARDIAN ‘Thoughtful, bruising, poignant and poetic.’ IAN RANKIN ‘It’s dark and provocative, and it holds its gaze steady on the sex industry. Here’s a new writer with huge talents and promise.’ METRO ‘Extraordinarily refreshing . . . a very erotic read . . . set to be a massive hit and deserves every ounce of that success.’ HUFFINGTON POST
• Winner of The Guardian’s Not the Booker Prize 2015 • STV Productions have secured TV rights for Fishnet and it is in development as a serial for television
AUGUST 2018 PB 198x129mm •352pp Rights Held: World Rights Sold: North America (Scout Press Books/Simon & Schuster); Audio, UK & BC ex Can (Audible)
Kirstin Innes is an award-winning writer, journalist and arts worker living in the west of Scotland. She founded the Glasgow literary salon Words Per Minute, and has had short stories published in a number of anthologies and commissioned by BBC Radio 4. Her new novel, S cabby Queen , is publishied by 4th Estate.
fiction 27
The Bestselling Glen Avich Series Daniela Sacerdoti
Four women, four novels, one village in the Scottish Highlands. A place where everyone knows everyone, where every house has seen countless generations, where the loch, the pinewoods and the ever-changing sky hold a million stories. A place to call home. WATCH OVER ME Eilidh’s life has fallen apart – when all is lost, and all she has left is hope, there is only one place to go: home, to the tiny village of Glen Avich in the Scottish Highlands. Here she reconnects with old friends, her roots and herself. TAKE ME HOME Inary feels there’s something missing. Her seemingly perfect life in London just doesn’t feel true to her soul. When she receives devastating news about her sister, she is called back to her home village of Glen Avich, where she faces old fears and new truths. SET ME FREE Margherita is taking a break from her unhappy marriage, while her adoptive daughter Lucy faces demons of her own. They decide to spend the summer in Glen Avich, where Margherita’s mum has opened a coffee shop, La Piazza. Daniela Sacerdoti is the bestselling author of the Glen Avich series of novels and the Young Adult Sarah Midnight trilogy. She was born and raised in Italy, before moving to Scotland for more than ten years. Daniela holds a degree in Classics from the University of Turin and has taught Italian, Latin and Greek. Her great uncle was the renowned Italian writer Carlo Levi. She has recently moved to Northern Italy with her family.
DON’T BE AFRAID In Glen Avich, Isabel is at her lowest point. At a loss, her husband Angus looks for a home companion for her, as he is often away. Enter warm, wise Clara who gains Isabel’s trust immediately. But there’s a mystery surrounding Clara . . . • The Glen Avich series has sold over 1 million copies as eBooks
2011–2016 PB 198x129mm • 256pp (WOM) • 293pp (TMH) • 304pp (SMF) • 256pp (DBA) Rights Held: World ex US & CAN Rights Sold: Watch Over Me: Germany (Piper Verlag); Italy (Newton Compton); Brazil (Lumen); Croatia (Mozaik); Bulgaria (ERA Media); Hungary (Gabo); World Spanish (Libros de Seda, Spain); Czech (Host); Lithuania (Jotema); Serbia (Evro Giunti); Turkey (Pegasus); Portugal (Bertrand); Audio, World English (Audible); Large Print (FA Thorpe)
Take Me Home: Germany (Piper Verlag); Italy (Newton Compton); Brazil (Universo dos Livros); Bulgaria (ERA Media); World Spanish (Libros de Seda, Spain); Hungary (Gabo); Audio, World English (Audible); Large Print (FA Thorpe) Set Me Free: World Spanish (Ediciones B, Mexico); Brazil (Universo dos Libros); Audio, World English (Audible) Don’t Be Afraid: World Spanish (Ediciones B, Mexico); Audio, World English (Audible); Large Print (FA Thorpe)
fiction 28
The Ludlow Ladies’ Society Ann O’Loughlin
A story of friendship, resilience and compassion, and of how women hold each other up through the most difficult times, this is a tale which will have you crying one minute and laughing the next. American Connie Carter has lost everybody and everything dear to her. She moves to Ludlow Hall, Wicklow, Ireland to nurse her grieving heart and find answers. There, she meets Eve and Hetty and is introduced to The Ludlow Ladies’ Society. Can her hurt be healed? Can she ever understand or forgive? As the women stitch patchwork memory quilts to remember those they have lost, the secrets of the past emerge. With the Ludlow Ladies’ Society behind her, Connie has to face those secrets and her memories, both bitter and sweet, but can she let go of the past? ‘It’s a heart-warming story . . . but also an addictive pageturner with plenty of unexpected twists and reveals in store.’ READER’S DIGEST (Best New Books to Read This Summer) ‘Many years ago, I used to devour novels by the late Irish writer, the fabulous Maeve Binchy. The Ludlow Ladies’ Society very much reminded me of Maeve’s books – what a wonderful community setting, strong female characters and humorous and emotional storylines.’ MY READING CORNER ‘A moving tale of loss, love and redemption.’ BELLA MAGAZINE
• The Ballroon Café has sold over 250K eBooks. • The Judge’s Wife was shortlisted for the Romantic Novel of the Year Awards 2017
JULY 2017 PB 198x129mm • 288pp Rights Held: World Rights Sold: Norway (Cappelen Damm); Audio (Bolinda); Large Print (Magna Books)
‘Perfect fireside read.’ IRISH INDEPENDENT ‘The Ludlow Ladies’ Society brought me to a beautiful place and into a circle of friends that I didn’t want to leave. Unputdownable.’ KATE KERRIGAN ‘An addictive page-turner with plenty of unexpected twists and reveals in store.’ READER’S DIGEST
Ann O’Loughlin is a leading journalist in Ireland. Ann spent most of her career with independent newspapers where she was security correspondent at the height of The Troubles. Originally from the west of Ireland she now lives on the east coast in Co. Wicklow with her husband and two children. Her debut novel The Ballroom Café was a bestseller, with over 250,000 copies sold in eBook. Her second novel T he Judge’s Wife was an Irish bestseller for 5 weeks and was shortlisted for a Romantic Novel Award (RoNA).
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The Ballroom Café
The Judge’s Wife
Powerful and poignant, The Ballroom Café is a moving story of love lost and found.
A tale of enduring love and scandal that begins in 1950s Dublin and unravels across decades and continents, digging up long-buried family secrets along the way, The Judge’s Wife asks whether love really can last forever.
Ann O’Loughlin
Sisters Ella and Roberta O’Callaghan live in separate wings of their crumbling Irish mansion. They haven’t spoken for decades, torn apart by a dark family secret, and only communicate via the terse, bitter notes they leave for each other in the hallway. Debbie, an American woman, is searching for her birth mother. She has little time left, but as she sets out to discover who she really is and what happened to her mother, she is met by silence and lies at the local convent. Ella tries to save the family home by opening a café in the ballroom – much to Roberta’s disgust. And when Debbie offers to help out in the café, the war between the sisters intensifies. But as Debbie begins to unravel the truth, she uncovers an adoption scandal that will rock both the community and the warring sisters. ‘This is a richly woven tale of passion, conspiracy, hypocrisy and a chilling secret beyond the grave.’ IRISH SUNDAY INDEPENDENT ‘An uplifting read, the kind of book you want to gobble up in one sitting.’ THE SUNDAY TIMES
Ann O’Loughlin
When Emma returns to Dublin to put her estranged father’s affairs in order, she begins to piece together the story of his life and that of Grace, the mother she never knew. She knows her father as the judge – as stern and distant at home as in the courtroom. But as she goes through his personal effects, Emma begins to find clues about her mother that shock her profoundly. ‘Deftly written, moving and courageous.’ THE SUNDAY TIMES ‘These ladies will worm their way into your heart and they made me proud to be a woman. I envied this warm circle of friends and wished I could be a part of it.’ NOVEL DEELIGHTS ‘Gripping . . . O’Loughlin is brilliant at revealing bits of personality and clues through conversation. … Fans of loveconquers-all stories will cherish this richly woven tale of passion and pride.’ PUBLISHERS WEEKLY (US)
JUNE 2015
JULY 2016
PB 198x129mm • 336pp Rights Held: World Rights Sold: Germany (Goldmann Verlag); North America (Skyhorse Publishing); Norway (Cappelen Damm); Italy (HarperCollins Italia); Hungary (Alexandra Publishing); Estonia (Varrak); Bulgaria (Hermes); The Netherlands (A.W. Bruna); Audio (Oakhill Publishing); Large Print (Magna Books)
PB 198x129mm • 320pp Rights Held: World Rights Sold: North America (Skyhorse Publishing); Norway (Cappelen Damm); The Netherlands (A.W. Bruna); Germany (Goldmann Verlag); Italy (HarperCollins Italia); Portugal (Grupo LeYa); Estonia (Varrak); Hungary (Alexandra Publishing); Audio (Oakhill Publishing); Large Print (Magna Books)
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Detective Grace Macallan series Peter Ritchie
The Grace Macallan series, with its strong female lead, is set in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Belfast. It features Detective Grace Macallan, who relocates from Belfast to Edinburgh after a covert police operation in Northern Ireland goes badly wrong. Finding her feet in the newly formed Major Crime Team gives Grace a fresh start and a chance to prove herself to new colleagues. But it also proves a challenge – not least because she has demons of her own to deal with. With a rich sense of place, a brilliantly drawn cast of characters and compelling plots, the five Grace Macallan novels are thrilling new additions to contemporary crime fiction.
BOOKS IN THE SERIES • Cause of Death • Evidence of Death • Shores of Death • Where No Shadows Fall • Our Little Secrets
‘Peter Ritchie pulls no punches with this gritty police procedural. A thoroughly absorbing read which drew me in from the first page.’ CAROLINE MITCHELL, international bestselling author ‘A first-rate police procedural by someone who evidently knows what he’s talking about.’ HANIA ALLEN, author of The Polish Detective ‘I was a little late to the Grace Macallan series, not joining in until book two, but as soon as I started reading I knew I had found a series that was right up my street. With a strong and determined central protagonist, tense action and truly dramatic storylines, as a reader you are faced with a very different view of life in two of Scotland’s most iconic cities – Edinburgh and Glasgow.’ JEN MED’S BOOK REVIEWS
2017–2019 PB 198x129mm • 384pp (CoD) • 416pp (EoD) • 416pp (SoD) • 400pp (WNSF) • 400pp (OLS) Rights Held: World Rights Sold: Cause of Death, Evidence of Death, Shores of Death and Where No Shadows Fall: Audio, UK & BC ex Can (Oakhill Publishing)
Peter Ritchie is former Head of the Organised Crime Unit in the National Criminal Intelligence Service and a UK Liaison Officer to Europol in the Hague. Written with an authenticity that can only come from real-life experience, his police procedural Macallan series is sure to keep every reader on the edge of their seat.
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ink-road.com @inkroadbooks
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Becoming Mila
Book 1 in the Mila trilogy
Estelle Maskame Set in Los Angeles and Nashville over a long, hot summer, this gorgeous contemporary YA romance shimmers with love, friendship and family frictions. Sixteen-year-old Mila lives in LA with her mom and A-list actor dad, whose fame constantly thrusts their lives into the media spotlight. But when Mila’s antics around town make waves ahead of her dad’s next big movie, something needs to be done. So Mila is dispatched 2,000 miles away to Nashville, Tennessee, where she can cool off for the summer with her aunt and grandfather. The perfect solution – right? Mila’s not so sure. She’s dreading the idea of a summer away from her friends, not to mention being shipped to the other side of the country. Apprehensive and out-of-sorts when she arrives, it doesn’t take long for her to get off on the wrong foot with the mayor’s son, Blake. In spectacular style. But Blake’s no stranger to Mila’s issues. He knows exactly what life’s like with a parent in the public eye – the pressures and politics, dramas and dynamics . . . Perhaps Mila and Blake have far more in common than either of them care to admit. ‘This is a book that draws you in and won’t let you go. I loved it! I loved Mila, I was rooting for her as she adapts to smalltown life and learns more about her family – and herself... I can’t wait for the next book!’ GILL STEWART, author of Lily’s Just Fine
ABOUT ESTELLE •23 years old•Author of 7 books• •27K followers Instagram•138K followers Twitter•
“Becoming Mila is one of those books that you try to read slowly so you can live in the story for longer, but it hooks you in right through to the last page! Estelle Maskame writes a sweet summer romance with a teenage protagonist you just can’t help but root for.” DIVIA KAINTH
ALSO BY ESTELLE MASKAME Did I Mention I Love You? trilogy Just Don’t Mention It Dare to Fall The Wrong Side of Kai
JUNE 2021 PB 198x129mm • 320pp Rights Held: World Rights Sold: World Spanish & Catalan (Planeta/Grup 62); Germany (Heyne Fliegt); France (Pocket Jeunesse); Portugal (Editorial Presenca); Russia (Eksmo); Czech Republic (Albatross Media/Fragment); Audio UK & BC ex Can (WF Howes)
Estelle Maskame is 23 years old and lives in Peterhead, Scotland. She started writing the DIMILY trilogy when she was 13 and it was first published by Black & White in 2015. Rights are now sold in 19 territories. She is the author of seven books and is currently writing a new trilogy, the MILA trilogy. Estelle was winner of the Young Scot Award 2016 (Arts) and shortlisted for the Young Adult Romantic Novel Award 2017.
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Book 2 of the Mila trilogy Set in Nashville, Memphis and LA, the second book in the MILA trilogy continues Mila’s journey, as she navigates her way through romance, friendship and family drama – and finds out what matters most in life and who she truly is. Knocked for six, Mila is distraught and confused at revelations that have brought chaos to her life. In the explosive fall-out, her parents jet from LA to join her in Tennessee. Entangled in their marital conflicts – and blindsided by an onslaught of past secrets – Mila can’t help but question everything she thought she knew about her family and herself. Feeling betrayed, she turns to Blake, the person who understands her better than anyone. And amid the turmoil their connection grows stronger and stronger. But Blake has his own crisis to deal with. Not least when his longabsent dad reappears on the scene. Soon Blake and Mila face growing pressure to pick sides in the drama unfolding between their two families. As the pressure mounts and other romantic interests enter the fray, Mila and Blake’s flourishing relationship is tested to its very limits.
Book 3 of the Mila trilogy It’s been a long time since Mila last set eyes on Blake – a time she’s spent finishing high school and getting back into the swing of LA life. She resolutely put their summer together down to nothing more than a fling, no big deal. Their parting may have been hurtful, but she is well and truly over him now. Definitely. But when Mila heads back to Tennessee for a family visit this conviction is seriously challenged. It turns out that Blake has also headed home to see his mother. Their paths inevitably cross and it soon becomes clear that they have unfinished business. Time may have passed, they may be more grown-up and different in so many ways – but those old, intense feelings quickly resurface. Can Blake and Mila make a proper go of things now? After all, their family issues are behind them, they’ve carved out their own paths in life . . . or have they both moved on in such different directions that what they once had in common is no longer enough to connect them? Set in sun-soaked Tennessee and California, here is the breath-taking finale to the MILA trilogy.
BOOK 2 • NOVEMBER 2021
BOOK 3 • MAY 2022
PB 198x129mm • 320pp Rights Held: World Rights Sold: World Spanish & Catalan (Planeta/Grup 62); Germany (Heyne Fliegt); France (Pocket Jeunesse); Portugal (Editorial Presenca); Russia (Eksmo); Czech Republic (Albatross Media/Fragment); Audio UK & BC ex Can (WF Howes)
PB 198x129mm • 320pp Rights Held: World Rights Sold: World Spanish & Catalan (Planeta/Grup 62); Germany (Heyne Fliegt); France (Pocket Jeunesse); Portugal (Editorial Presenca); Russia (Eksmo); Czech Republic (Albatross Media/Fragment); Audio UK & BC ex Can (WF Howes)
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The Wrong Side of Kai Estelle Maskame
True-to-life, honest and funny, The Wrong Side of Kai explores the utterly contemporary fallout from an act of revenge. Vanessa Murphy doesn’t do relationships. With a father who doesn’t notice her, it’s easy for her to sneak around with her latest fling, Harrison Boyd. But when an explicit video of Vanessa hooking up with Harrison is leaked the morning after she ends things with him, her life is thrown into chaos. And Vanessa wants payback. Enter Kai. With his own vendetta against Harrison, Kai proposes revenge, and the two pair up to ruin Harrison Boyd’s life. At first, they are nothing more than an illicit partnership. Team mates working on the same mission. But – between late-night stakeouts and the committing of random crimes – Vanessa is drawn into Kai’s life. And, as the two grow closer, she finds herself letting Kai into hers. Revenge is a tricky thing to contain, though. The plan was to regain control, not lose it. And so, as events spiral, just when is enough enough? ‘Utterly addictive and completely intoxicating. Estelle is a master at writing sizzling chemistry, relatable characters, and heart-stopping drama. I couldn't put it down!’ BETH REEKLES, author of The Kissing Booth ‘I may be 28 but I do love your writing, Estelle Maskame! Just finished The Wrong Side of Kai and wow! Loved it! Loved Vanessa’s character!’ NATASHA SCREATON ‘Finished The Wrong Side of Kai and all I can say is wow, so good! It’s one of those books you just don’t want to put down! Kai Washington is just so damn charming, you did it again Estelle Maskame!’ KAT’S SHADOWS
SEPTEMBER 2019 PB 198x129mm • 320pp Rights Held: World Rights Sold: France (Pocket Jeunesse); Germany (Heyne Fliegt); Czech Republic (Albatross Media/Fragment); Portugal (Editorial Presenca); World Spanish & Catalan (Planeta/Grup 62); Finland (Gummerus); Russia (Eksmo); Italy (Sperling & Kupfer); Hungary (Gabo)
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Dare to Fall
Estelle Maskame Death. She was afraid of it. He was used to it. MacKenzie Rivers seems like she has it all figured out. She has great friends, she’s doing well in school and her handsome exboyfriend is desperate to win her back. But something is missing from her life in Windsor, Colorado. And as much as she hates to admit it, that something might be Jaden Hunter. Tall, blond and athletic, a year ago Kenzie was falling fast for him and his crooked smile. Twelve months later, everything has changed. A tragic accident has destroyed Jaden’s family and, despite the way she feels, Kenzie has no idea how to talk to him anymore. She is all too familiar with the impact family tragedy can have on the people she loves, and she can’t bear to go through it again with Jaden. She does the only thing she knows how to do: walk away. When the pair meet again by chance one night, Kenzie realises that she can’t ignore her feelings for him any longer. But as she is drawn back into Jaden’s life, she finds herself caught between her increasingly volatile best friend, her interfering ex-boyfriend and her own fears about opening up to Jaden. Will Kenzie dare to fall for the one person she’s so afraid of growing close to? ‘This book will tug on your heartstrings like nothing else. Dare to Fall is a beautifully written, profound book that you absolutely have to read.’ THE BIBLIOPHILE CHRONICLES ‘It’s rare to find a book that leaves you in such an emotional state. It’s even rarer to find one that does this AFTER THE FIRST CHAPTER.’ DRINKING BOOKS ‘Now, let me say I love DIMILY, but what I love more is that Maskame has proven that she is more than a one-series wonder. The girl can write. Dare to Fall is an honest look at grief, love, and everything in between. It’s a can’t-miss contemporary.’ FANGIRLISH
JULY 2017 PB 198x129mm • 288pp Rights Held: World Rights Sold: France (Pocket Jeunesse); World Spanish & Catalan (Destino/Planeta); Poland (Wydawnicto JK); Finland (Gummerus); North America (Sourcebooks); Germany (Heyne Fliegt); The Netherlands (Uitgeverij Moon); Russia (Eksmo); Lithuania (Alma Littera); Italy (Salani); Czech Republic (Albatross Media/Fragment)
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THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING AUTHOR
ESTELLE MASKAME • 19 territories • 1.5 million copies • • Shortlisted for YA Romantic Novel Award •
Sixteen-year-old Eden Munro travels from Portland to begrudgingly spend the summer with her father in Santa Monica, California. Eden’s parents are divorced and have gone their separate ways, and now her father has a brand new family. For Eden, this means she’s about to meet three new step-brothers. The eldest of the three is Tyler Bruce, a troubled teenager with a short temper and a huge ego. Eden quickly finds herself thrust into a world full of new people as Tyler’s friends take her under their wing. But the one person she just can’t understand is Tyler, and the more she tries to figure out the truth about him, the more she finds herself falling for the one person she shouldn’t – her step-brother.
DIMINY re-joins stepsiblings Tyler Bruce and Eden Munro almost two years after they met for the first time in sunny Santa Monica. Having ignored their love for each other for the sake of their family, everything becomes complicated when Tyler invites Eden to spend the summer with him in New York.
It’s been a year since Eden last spoke to Tyler. She remains furious at him for leaving her and is trying to move on with her life in Chicago, where she is at university. As school breaks up for the summer, she heads back to Santa Monica, but she’s not the only one with that idea...
As their fling turns into something much more serious, Tyler and Eden must face up to reality and make some lifechanging decisions. But how will their family react when they confess their secret romance – and is their relationship strong enough to survive the devastating fallout?
Despite their break-up and Tyler’s abrupt departure last summer, are they both as over each other as they thought? Can Tyler and Eden finally work things out, against all odds? Did I Mention I Miss You? is the explosive finale to Estelle Maskame’s phenomenal DIMILY trilogy.
THE DIMILY TRILOGY • 2015-2016 PB 198x129 • 422pp (DIMILY) • 400pp (DIMINY) • 372pp (DIMIMY) Rights Held: World Rights Sold: North America (Sourcebooks); World Spanish & Catalan (Planeta/Grup 62); France (Pocket Jeunesse); Italy (Salani); Germany (Heyne Fliegt); Hungary (Gabo); Lithuania (Alma Littera); Poland (Wydawnicto JK); Finland (Gummerus); India (HarperCollins); The Netherlands (Uitgeverij Moon); Portugal (Editorial Presença); Russia (Eksmo); Czech Republic (Albatross Media/Fragment); Indonesia (PT Gramedia Pustaka Utama); Greece (Pedio); Brazil (Editora Arqueiro); Romania (Corinth Books); Slovakia (Albatross Media Slovakia); Audio, UK (Audible)
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Just Don’t Mention It Estelle Maskame
As irresistible and dazzling as its Californian backdrop, Just Don’t Mention It is Tyler’s story – his heartstopping tale of past hurt, finding hope and figuring out who the hell he wants to be. At seventeen, Tyler Bruce is hot – a hot mess. His girlfriend is a knockout, his reputation untouchable, parties are nothing without him. Even his car is unreal. But inside Tyler is in ruins – and he’ll stop at nothing to keep that a secret. Then one summer Eden comes to stay. She’s upfront, sharp and far more enticing than a stepsister should be. She also sees straight through Tyler’s bad boy façade . . . to the vulnerable kid within. The quiet kid who took all the punches. As Eden draws Tyler in, his defences start to crumble around him. ‘Maskame creates well-rounded characters with believable flaws. Readers watch them struggle as they try to make the best decisions they can; character development is at the heart of the story. Refreshingly, the teenage romantic relationship portrayed here is actually a healthy one, avoiding many common tropes and showing that vulnerability and honesty are everything . . . A beautiful romance for readers who appreciate a character-driven novel.’ KIRKUS REVIEW ‘This has been my most anticipated read of 2018 and it lived up to all of my expectations! . . . Whether you have read DIMILY before or not, you need to read this book. As someone who has read the DIMILY series multiple times, I loved this book from cover to cover and had trouble putting it down!’ HANNAH HEARTS ‘Honestly, I just wish I could have given this book more than 5 stars. I adored it and it’s definitely up there with my favourites, even if it did make me cry! I would highly recommend this book along with the DIMILY series and Dare To Fall! There’s just something about Estelle’s writing that I absolutely adore.’ GOODREADS, 5/5
JUNE 2018 PB 198x129mm • 512pp Rights Held: World Rights Sold: North America (Sourcebooks, US); France (Pocket Jeunesse); World Spanish & Catalan (Destino/Planeta); The Netherlands (Uitgeverij Moon); Poland (Wydawnicto JK); Czech Republic (Albatross Media/Fragment); Finland (Gummerus); Germany (Heyne Flight); Hungary (Gabo); Slovakia (Albatross Media Slovakia); Russia (Eksmo); Italy (Salani)
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Fin & Rye & Fireflies Harry Cook
A gloriously upbeat LGBTQI+ novel of love, hope and friendship – showing that although it’s not always rainbows and fireflies, life’s too short to be anyone but yourself . . . “It started with a kiss . . . as love stories often do. Jesse Andrews had the arms of a Greek god and he was on the track team. The night of our kiss fell on a Friday.” Then, only a few days later, Fin’s world is turned upside down – and not in a good head-over-heels-in-love way – when Jesse cruelly outs him. An event which ultimately leads to his family leaving town. But a fresh start isn’t going to change the truth of who Fin is. And it’s not going to stop his sexuality causing everyone all sorts of problems. Everyone, that is, apart from his new best friend Poppy, her girlfriend-in-waiting June, and his new crush Rye . . . So, while Fin and Rye are enjoying some seriously intimate moonlit moments together, Fin’s parents decide to pack him off to the local ReSouled ‘therapy camp’. It’s a nightmare – and there’s no easy way out. Can Fin’s squad hatch a plan outrageous enough to spring him before the ‘conversion’ acolytes force him onto the straight and narrow?
• Harry Cook is an Australian actor and international LGBTQI+ activist. Fin & Rye & Fireflies is his debut novel for young adults. • 70K followers on Twitter. • 33K followers on Instagram. © Sally Flegg
JUNE 2020 PB 198x129mm • 320pp Rights Held: World ex ANZ Rights Sold: The Netherlands (Unieboek|Het Spectrum);
‘Fin & Rye & Fireflies is a big-hearted queer romance that balances a beautiful optimism with a frank look at the challenges still facing queer youth. I was swept up in the love story and adventures of Fin and Rye, and I know they will be bringing smiles and fireflies to many a reader.’ ABDI NAZEMIAN, author of Stonewall Honor Book Like a Love Story ‘Charming. Sweet. Engaging. Important. Characters you will fall in love with and an author you will as well. Well done Harry Cook.’ GREG HOWARD, author of The Whispers and Middle School’s a Drag ‘All the Love, Simon feelings and then some. As cute and queer as it can get.’ KAI SPELLMEIER, YA blogger
Born in the UK, Harry Cook is an Australian actor and international LGBTQI+ activist. He has starred in major film, TV and theatre productions, including the lead opposite Geena Davis in A ccidents Happen . In 2013, at age 22, Harry came out to his fans on YouTube. The video went viral and Harry became front-page news in Australia, the UK and the US. He lives in Sydney with his boyfriend and his rescue dog, Poppy.
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The Year After You Nina de Pass
Up in the Alps, Cara’s old life feels a million miles away. Nobody at Hope Hall knows her past – and she intends to keep it that way. New Year’s Eve, San Francisco. The most promising party of the year ends in tragedy. Georgina is gone and nothing will bring her back. Nine months later, Cara’s mother decides a Swiss boarding school will be the fresh start Cara needs. Yet, as much as she keeps her distance, her new friends break down the walls she has so carefully built up – especially the offbeat, straight-talking Hector, who understands how she feels better than anyone. But the closer Cara grows to Hector, the more her old life slips away. Embracing life at Hope Hall means letting go of the past. But, with Georgina gone, how can Cara allow herself this second chance? ‘The Year After You is such a skilful, compelling story with intrigue that keeps you whipping over the pages, and a really poignant exploration of grief, guilt and forgiveness. It’s incredibly atmospheric, too!’ SOPHIE KINSELLA ‘An exploration of grief and loss that breathes new life into the boarding school genre.’ LAUREN JAMES ‘A poignant, touching story of grief and guilt that you will hold tight until the very last page. I loved this sad, beautiful, hopeful book.’ KATHLEEN GLASGOW ‘Nina has perfectly captured the confusion, the ups and downs, the heartache and loneliness of it all. A hugely moving, thoughtful and sensitively-written story. Wonderful. More books please!’ SOPHIA MONEY-COUTTS ‘The Year After You tugs at your heart strings.’ AKEMI DAWN BOWMAN
FEBUARY 2019 PB 198x129mm • 352pp Rights Held: World Rights Sold: North America (Delacorte Press/US); Italy (Sperling & Kupfer); The Netherlands (Unieboek/Het Spectrum); Czech (Albatros Media); France (Hugo New Way); Romania (Corinth Books)
Nina de Pass started writing The Year After You , her first novel, while on a creative writing course at the Faber Academy. She has an MA in French and Spanish from the University of Edinburgh, and has lived in three other capital cities too – Madrid, Paris and London. Nina now lives and works in London. You can visit Nina at www.ninadepass.com.
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The Jungle Pooja Puri
One of the first YA novels to depict life for children in the Calais refugee camp; alone and thousands of miles from home. Mico has left his family, his home, his future. Forced to set out in search of a better life, he instead finds himself navigating one of the world’s most inhospitable environments – the Jungle. A melting pot of characters, cultures and stories, the Calais refugee camp seems like its own strange world. It has a wildness, a brutality all of its own. Unable to buy his way out, Mico is alone, desperate, and running out of options. But when Leila arrives at the camp one day, everything starts to change. Outspoken and fearless, she shows Mico that hope and friendship can grow in the most unusual places, and maybe, just maybe, they’ll show you the way out as well.
• Featured on Buzzfeed ‘Just some really excellent YA books you need to know about’ • Featured in BookRiot’s ‘8 British YA Novels to Smuggle Across the Pond in 2017’ • Nominated for the CILIP Carnegie Medal 2018 ‘The Jungle is impressive, appalling, and entertaining, bringing to life the realities of people like Mico and Leila. It is the perfect introduction to a heavy topic.’ LETITIA MONTGOMERY-RODGERS ‘Every so often a book comes along which is timely, heartrending and really quite brilliant. The Jungle is one of those books.’ SHIFT ZINE
MARCH 2017 PB 198x129mm • 224pp Rights Held: World ex US & Can
Pooja Puri first tasted publishing success with her short story, C hess , and later graduated from King’s College London with a First Class degree in English Language and Literature. Whilst at university she read for a publishing house and has since worked in the education sector. In 2014, she was chosen as a winner of the Ideas Tap Writers’ Centre Norwich Inspires competition.
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Nowhere Else But Here
A Bad Boy Stole My Bra
Rose has always played by the rules – now it’s time to break them.
An authentic, sharp-eyed take on the twists and turns of teenage life. Perfect for lovers of quirky, laugh-outloud rom-coms.
Rachel Cotton
Life’s easier when you stay away from other people. Rose Valentine knows that. But some people are impossible to ignore. Take Theo Lockhart. He’s handsome, funny and beyond intriguing. He’s a mystery; one that Rose dreams of solving. Then one night the mystery deepens. Theo turns up on Rose’s doorstep, desperate to hide out at her house. He’s keeping secrets, and Rose has a million questions. Not least – why did he choose to run to her? ‘A dreamy romance, but also a touching story of two lost people finding each other and themselves.’ CHLOE SEAGER, author of Editing Emma ‘Fans of John Green and Jandy Nelson will love Nowhere Else But Here.’ PETRINA BANFIELD, author of Letters from Alice
Lauren Price
‘Warm, funny and seriously cute, this book will make you laugh, make you cringe . . . and have you cheering for Riley from start to finish.’ MAGGIE HARCOURT, a uthor of Unconventional ‘Sweet, funny and with a surprising heart . . . Bra kleptomania aside (what the actual fudge is that all about?!), teenage-me would have killed to live next door to Alec Wilde.’ ELEANOR WOOD, author of Floored ‘This book is a joy to read. Smart, hilarious and full of fun!’ KATY BIRCHALL, author of The It Girl
Lauren Price was born in Coventry in 1999 and remembers spending her childhood with her nose in a book or creating short stories. In her teens she first posted her writing on the online platform Wattpad and soon gained a devoted fanbase for her funny, playful and, in Lauren’s own words, ‘frankly quite weird creative voice’ – she enjoys bringing a smile to her readers’ faces!
Rachel Cotton is from Chessington, Surrey, where she studied English Literature and Creative Writing. She is currently studying Journalism at Cardiff University. Nowhere Else But Here is her debut novel.
MAY 2018
JULY 2018
PB 198x129mm • 256pp Rights Held: World Rights Sold: Russia (Eksmo)
PB 198x129mm • 256pp Rights Held: World English
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T is for Tree
Street Song
An intimate story about the power of individuals and the importance of finding value in the small things in life.
A frank, witty and gritty take on adolescence and finding your true identity in a world full of fame, family, relationships and addiction.
Greg Fowler
Eddy know he’s not like other teenagers. He doesn’t look like them. He doesn’t think like them. Eddy’s not even allowed to leave his bedroom. He doesn’t know why: all Eddy knows is that he’s different. But when Reagan Crowe moves in next door, everything starts to change… Set over the course of five years, T is for Tree is moving, lifeaffirming, and shows that we can all find greatness in the small things. ‘Truly and absolutely beautiful. Near damn broke my heart at the end. A wonderful masterpiece which I couldn’t put down at all.’ GOODREADS, 5/5
Sheena Wilkinson
Ryan’s career is over. After winning a TV talent show and becoming a teen sensation, his fame has spiralled into addiction, embarrassing headlines and career suicide. Now his image-obsessed stepdad wants him at home, back at school and under his thumb. However, a chance meeting with the enigmatic Toni offers him a fresh start in a new city. But starting over comes at a price… ‘Street Song played on my heartstrings. Rich and moving – a must read.’ L. A. WEATHERLY ‘This story rings with truth – a book to fall in love with.’ KEREN DAVID
‘This book was absolutely beautiful and heartbreaking.’ GOODREADS, 5/5
‘Sheena Wilkinson goes from strength to strength with this gritty, compelling novel about second chances and finding your place in the world. I couldn’t put it down.’ CAT CLARKE
Greg Fowler grew up in Wellington, New Zealand. He took up a career in risk consultancy while developing a hobby of writing short stories. Taking a break from his profession, he played sport overseas and returned to New Zealand to run his own business as a personal trainer and therapeutic masseur. Greg and his family have now settled back in New Zealand. Managing risk for the government during the day, Greg makes sure he finds time to tap away on his computer at night.
Sheena Wilkinson is one of Ireland’s most acclaimed writers of contemporary fiction for young people. She has won four Children’s Book Ireland awards for her work; a White Raven Award from the International Youth Library; an IBBY Honour Listing; and has been shortlisted for the Reading Association of Ireland Awards twice. Sheena tutors for Arvon, she set-up and runs the Belfast Inter-Schools Creative Writing Network, and is Royal Literary Fund Fellow at Queens University, Belfast.
AUGUST 2017
APRIL 2017
PB 198x129mm • 368pp Rights Held: World
PB 198x129mm • 320pp Rights Held: World
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Dreams
Tide
Spirit
First book in the paranormal YA trilogy The Sarah Midnight Trilogy.
The Sarah Midnight Triology continues . . .
The breathtaking conclusion to the Sarah Midnight trilogy.
Ever since her thirteenth birthday, seventeen-year-old Sarah Midnight’s dreams have been plagued by demons – but unlike most people’s nightmares, Sarah’s come true. Her dreams guide her parents’ hunt as Sarah remains in bed, terrified but safe, sheltered from the true horrors of the Midnight legacy. But all this is about to change.
Sarah Midnight is no ordinary teenager. She is a demon hunter, caught up in one of the deadliest wars unknown to man.
Sarah Midnight has never been a normal teenager. She is a member of the demonhunting Secret Families, caught up in a deadly war with the King of Shadows.
Daniella Sacerdoti
After the murder of her parents, she is cruelly thrust into a secret world of unimaginable danger as she is forced to take up their mission. Alone and unprepared for the fight that lies before her, Sarah must learn how to use the powers she’s inherited and decide whom to trust before it’s too late . . .
Daniella Sacerdoti
Now, in the exciting sequel to Dreams, the fight continues. Sarah and Sean may have defeated the Scottish Valaya, but the rest of the war still rages on, and Sarah, Sean, Nicholas and their companions must unearth the identity and location of the Enemy – the leader of the demons – before the world plunges into the Time of Demons once more. Their quest leads them to Sarah’s family home, the Midnight mansion in Islay, and there they discover horrible truths about the demon ruler, his plans, and Sarah’s own personal history. Along the way, Sarah must battle not only the demons but her hurt toward Sean and her feelings for the enigmatic Nicholas, who has plans of his own.
Daniella Sacerdoti
Now she and her friends must travel to the ancient forests of Poland to find the portal between their world and the Shadow World, to destroy the King of Shadow’s rule. But are all members of Sarah’s group really loyal to their cause? And will Sarah and Sean finally find a way to be together? Or will Elodie’s vision of the death of Sarah Midnight be realised? An ultimate sacrifice may be necessary to free humanity. It is time to face the Enemy. It is time for the final battle.
APRIL 2012
FEBRUARY 2013
NOVEMBER 2014
PB 198x129mm • 432pp Rights Held: World Rights Sold: Mexico (World Spanish); Poland
PB 198x129mm • 416pp Rights Held: World Rights Sold: Mexico (World Spanish); Poland
PB 198x129mm • 416 pp Rights Held: World Rights Sold: Mexico (World Spanish); Poland
Backlist 44
STILL HOT!
THE COORIE HOME
NATURALLY STEFANIE
Kaye Adams & Vicky Allan
Beth Pearson
Stefanie Moir
Timely, empowering, empathetic, this title cuts through the embarrassment, myths and silence that have surrounded women’s understanding of their own changing bodies for so long. A must-read for all women, and everyone who knows a woman!
The Coorie Home explores the art of creating a home that’s stylish and comfortable, an irresistibly cosy sanctuary from the outside world.
Featuring sumptuous recipes and detailed work out plans, N aturally Stefanie transcends the popular vegan cookbook and offers instead a vegan lifestyle guide.
Rights Held: World
Rights Held: World
EFFIE’S WAR
CASTING OFF
Rights Held: World
THE ITALIAN CHAPEL
Philip Paris
Philip Paris
Philip Paris
Orkney, 1942. Forbidden lovers, divided by war, united by a secret act of creation. Based on an incredible true story, this heartbreaking and inspiring tale tells of forbidden passion, lifelong friendships and the triumph of the human spirit.
The Scottish Highlands, 1943. Passion. Betrayal. Tragedy. A family torn apart by the secrets of war. Based on true events of the Second World War, this evocative novel captures the emotions, dangers and atmosphere of the days when the world faced its darkest hour.
When the residents of a Highland care home receive information that the new owners are about to substantially increase fees, their quiet days of knitting, chatting and trips to the local garden centre are threatened. Dorothy faces the prospect of having to move out, something her good friend former headmistress Miss Ross refuses to accept. But what can a group of elderly people do against a big organisation?
• Over 19,000 eBooks sold • Over 5,000 paperbacks sold Rights Held: World Other Rights: Audio (Audible); Large Print (Chivers)
Rights Held: World Rights Sold: Audio, UK & BC ex Can (WF Howes); Large Print, UK & BC ex Can (FA Thorpe))
Rights Held: World Rights Sold: Germany (Piper Verlag); Norway (Cappelen Damm); Audio (Oakhill Publishing); Large Print (FA Thorpe)
Backlist 45
ON STARLIT SEAS
THE GRAVITY OF LOVE
THE GINGERBREAD HOUSE
Sara Sheridan
Noëlle Harrison
Kate Beaufoy
On Starlit Seas is a breathtaking and compelling historical novel of passion, secrets and escape.
The Gravity of Love is a rich story of love and serendipity set in Ireland and America in the 1980s, and London in the 1960s – a perceptive, life-affirming novel about identity, family, and realising that it’s never too late to figure out who you want to be.
Nestled among cherry trees in a picturesque country garden, the Gingerbread House resembles an illustration from an old-world storybook. But beware! For in the fairy-tale, that’s where the witch lives...
Shortlisted for the Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize 2017 Rights Held: World Rights Sold: Poland (Illumination Lukasz Kierus); Croatia (Znanje); Audio (Oakhill Publishing), Large Print (Magna Print)
Rights Held: World Rights Sold: Germany (Piper Verlag); Large Print, UK & BC ex Can (FA Thorpe)
THE DOLOCHER
LULLABY GIRL
Rights Held: World ex US & Can
THE MANHATTAN PROJECT
Caroline Barry
Aly Sidgwick
Paul McNeive
With the help of his fearless landlady, ship’s surgeon-turned-apothecary Merriment O’Grady, Solomon goes after the Dolocher. Torn between reason and superstition, they must hold their nerve as everyone around them loses theirs. But are they hunting the Dolocher or is the Dolocher hunting them?
Found washed up on the banks of a remote loch, a mysterious girl is taken into the care of a psychiatric home in the highlands of Scotland, Mute and covered in bruises, she has no memory of who she is or how she got there. The only clue to her identity is the Danish lullaby she sings...
Taut, accomplished and spectacular in its scope, T he Manhattan Project is a fastpaced bioterrorism thriller spanning Japan, the Middle East and America.
Rights Held: World Rights Sold: Vietnam
Rights Held: World
Rights Held: World Rights Sold: Germany (Rowohlt Verlag); Audio, UK & BC ex Can (Oakhill Publishing)
Backlist 46
CHASING CHARLIE
TINY ACTS OF LOVE
URSULA’S SECRET
Linda McLaughlan
Lucy Lawrie
Mairi Wilson
When unlucky-in-love Sam bumps into her first boyfriend, the charming but roguish Charlie, she falls head first for him all over again. Even though he broke her heart, she’s determined to win him back – surely there’s a reason he’s come back into her life…
Marriage and motherhood isn’t the fairytale Cassie thought it would be. Will her strange new world fall apart around her or will tiny acts of love be enough to get her through? Funny, perceptive and real, Tiny Acts of Love portrays the rawness of motherhood, the flipside of love and the powerful lure of paths not taken.
‘Part detective thriller, part emotional journey, U rsula’s Secret is a highly enjoyable and intelligent adventure that will appeal to fans of Kate Atkinson and Maggie O’Farrell.’
Rights Held: World
THE GOOD MAYOR
Andrew Nicoll
An international bestseller, published in 23 countries, this stunning novel will be loved by fans of Joanne Harris ( Chocolat ), Louis de Bernieres ( Captain Corelli’s Mandolin ) and William Boyd ( Love is Blind ). Rights Held: World Rights Sold: 23 countires
Rights Held: World Rights Sold: Indonesia
THE SECRET LIFE AND CURIOUS DEATH OF MISS JEAN MILNE Andrew Nicoll A dead body is found in a locked house. It has been stabbed in a frenzy, the hands and feet bound, the skull smashed, false teeth knocked from its jaws. Blood pools around the corpse and drips from the staircase. Yet nothing is missing: money and valuables remain untouched. Who could have murdered an old woman in such a horrifying way? And why? Rights Held: World Rights Sold: Italy; Hungary
SOPHIE COOKE, author of The Glass House Rights Held: World Rights Sold: Poland