Unwin Awards submissions open in inaugural year
thebookseller.com – Thursday September 5, 2024
The Unwin Award has today announced that submissions are now open for the inaugural year of this new literary award recognising non-fiction authors in the earlier stages of their careers whose work is considered to have made a significant contribution to the world.
The award, administered by the Publishers Association, aims to "champion and showcase the value of the UK publishing industry to the world". The Unwin Award has been made possible following a donation from the Unwin Charitable Trust.
Worth £10,000, the winner of The Unwin Award will be awarded to the author for their overall body of work (comprising no more than three non-fiction books), rather than being associated with a specific title.
The award will be judged by an independent panel of judges, which will be announced shortly, with a shortlist revealed in February 2025 and the winner at a ceremony in April 2025.
UK publishers are now invited to submit up to three authors per imprint that fulfil the submission criteria: full information on The Unwin Award eligibility and submission guidelines can be found here.
Black Crow Books: new horror publisher aims to open up 'booming' genre to everyone
thebookseller.com – Tuesday September 3, 2024
Black Crow Books, the new horror-dedicated publisher launching next year, is reportedly off to a strong start as its co-directors say they have already received an "insane" number of submissions, despite announcing the new press only last month.
Jamie-Lee Nardone, publisher and co-director, will helm the new independent alongside Matt Holland, founder of special-edition publisher and online bookshop The Broken Binding. “I don’t think we could do it without each other,” Nardone told The Bookseller.
Last year, the horror genre recorded its biggest year since accurate records began, with a 54% year-on-year increase in value reported by Nielsen BookScan. Submissions in the genre have also been on the rise. Black Crow Books is a response to the “booming” genre and Nardone’s desire to “open” the genre “up to everyone”. She continued: “I think there is a need [in the industry] for people who really understand the genre, to know what they’re looking at.”
Nardone, who has "always been a massive horror fan", is looking to publish titles “that might get overlooked or explore something that isn’t trendy”. She added: "We’re not going to be ticking boxes." Unlike some larger publishers, she said, the smaller independent will have the agility, “the freedom and the expertise to work on passion projects that might get overlooked by bigger publishers”.
Sebes & Bisseling hires four new agents as part of major expansion
thebookseller.com – Monday September 2, 2024
Sebes & Bisseling Literary Agency has hired four new agents across its English and Scandanavian offices. Sam Birmingham, William Crona, Elizabeth DeNoma, and Pär Sjölinder join Haico Kaashoek, who was appointed to the London office in 2023.
Birmingham and DeNoma work from New York and Seattle, respectively, while Crona, a Swede who has lived in the UK for most of his life, works from Stockholm, as does Pär Sjölinder. The four new agents report to Paul Sebes and Rik Kleuver.
Birmingham and DeNoma represent Anglophone authors from North America, Australia, and the UK, as well as writers from various European languages. Crona represents Scandinavian authors writing in their native language or in English, as well as UK-based authors. Pär Sjölinder focuses solely on Scandinavian authors.
Birmingham specialises in a diverse array of non-fiction and select fiction, and his clientele includes cultural critics, academics, journalists, and influencers.
Agatha Christie’s holiday home set to host new writing workshops
bude-today.co.uk – Saturday August 31, 2024
THE National Trust are hosting a range of writing workshops at Greenway House, near Galmpton in Devon, this September to encourage the next generation of budding writers.
The taster workshops include a crime fiction workshop with Cate Quinn, bestselling thriller writer and journalist, and a series of workshops from Jenny Kane, award-winning contemporary women’s author including young adult and short stories.
Lauren Hutchinson, senior marketing and communications officer, said: “The house and garden at Greenway inspired Agatha Christie in a number of her novels, and it continues to inspire people today.
“We’re passionate about building on the literary legacy here at Greenway, and with the recent rise in romantasy and young adult fiction, it’s wonderful to host this series of workshops that caters to all genres and tastes.”
A M Heath reveals plans for 'significant growth' with key promotions
thebookseller.com – Thursday August 29, 2024
A M Heath has revealed "significant" plans for growth at the literary agency, with a series of promotions and career moves.
Bill Hamilton will take on the newly created role of chairman from 1st September.
Hamilton oversaw the evolution of the agency into a significant presence in London publishing, representing prize-winning novelists, historians, journalists and estates, including that of George Orwell. Hamilton will oversee the next phase of A M Heath’s expansion.
Meanwhile, Victoria Hobbs has been promoted to managing director. She joined A M Heath in 1999, and has established a large list of clients including Women’s Prize for Fiction winners Maggie O’Farrell and Kamila Shamsie; Conn Iggulden and Tim Shipman.
Hamilton said: “It’s a pleasure and a privilege to see Victoria stepping up to managing director. She has been essential to the agency’s growth and success, bringing wonderful clients and inspiring us all with her passionate advocacy for them.”
Jade Kavanagh and Rebeka Finch step up at Darley Anderson
thebookseller.com – Tuesday August 27, 2024
Jade Kavanagh and Rebeka Finch have been promoted at Darley Anderson Agency & Associates, expanding the agency’s space for romance, fantasy, crime and horror.
Both are stepping up from associate to literary agent. Kavanagh joined the agency in early 2020 from Caroline Sheldon Literary Agency as assistant to Camilla Bolton before quickly taking the step up to agenting. She signed on her first author, Holly Craig, who became an e-book bestselling writer. Kavanagh is building her list of crime, horror and suspense authors.
Finch joined DA in 2019 as assistant to Darley Anderson, supporting him across his list of brand authors. Now Finch is leading the agency’s growth in the romance and adult fantasy space, with a roster of new authors publishing in the coming months.
Writing Fantasy course launched taught by author Lucy Holland
scifinow.co.uk – Monday August 19, 2024
Calling all aspiring fantasy authors! Curtis Brown Creative (CBC) has opened its new online Writing Fantasy course for applications. Across nine weeks, fifteen students will learn from tutor Lucy Holland (pictured above) during lively Zoom teaching sessions, workshops and one-to-one tutorials.
“I’m thrilled to be working with Curtis Brown Creative to take writers deeper into the core elements of the genre,” said Lucy Holland. “We’ll be looking at worldbuilding on a character level, as well as ways in which fantasy can challenge us to write outside our direct experience. I’m also excited to cover popular subgenres like myth retellings & romantasy, and how to harness tropes to tell a compelling story.”
Students will also attend a special Zoom masterclass with Eliza Chan, author of the number one Sunday Times bestseller Fathomfolk, and her C&W literary agent Alexander Cochran.
Booker Prize-winning authors head to book festival
bbc.co.uk – Thursday August 15, 2024
Booker Prize-winning authors, local writers and international best-sellers are all on the line-up of a city's literary festival.
Durham Book Festival is set to return between 10 and 13 October with a host of famous names including Helen Fielding, Jodi Picoult and Rebecca F. Kuang, the author of Yellowface.
A series of workshops for aspiring writers will also be held across the weekend.
Elizabeth Scott, from Durham County Council, said the annual event underpinned the city's "commitment to writers, readers and audiences".
One of the festival's headline authors is Durham's own Pat Barker, who will be giving a dramatic reading of her new novel, The Voyage Home.
In 1995, Barker won the Booker Prize for her novel The Ghost Road. Her 1983 book Union Street also won the Fawcett Society's prize for fiction.
Rebecca Wilkie, Durham Book Festival director at New Writing North, said the event builds on a "remarkable legacy".
How to get published: Finding a literary agent for your novel
standard.co.uk – Thursday August 15, 2024
As an aspiring author, the journey to getting your book into print can seem like a daunting maze. But what if you had an insider's guide to navigating the publishing world and capturing the attention of a top-tier literary agent?
This unique masterclass with leading agent Juliet Mushens will demystify the process and reveal what it takes to make your submission stand out from the slush pile.
What will you learn?
In his comprehensive masterclass, you'll gain invaluable insights into how the publishing industry works and the role of a literary agent, including:
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Expert tips on editing your novel to make it submission-ready
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How to research and identify the best agents for your work
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What agents look for in submissions, from manuscripts to cover letters
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Crafting a killer pitch and blurb that hooks agents from the first line
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Practical pitching exercises, with opportunities for feedback
HarperCollins audio sales up 18%, overall sales up 6%
booksandpublishing.com.au – Tuesday August 13, 2024
HarperCollins parent company News Corp has announced its fourth quarter and annual results.
The company reported that its book publishing division saw sales rise 6% for the 2024 fiscal year to US$2.09 billion (A$3.18b), while EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation) rose 61%, to US$269 million ($A409.48m). ‘The publisher had a particular strong fourth quarter, with sales soaring 15% and earnings skyrocketing 256%, marking [its] best fourth quarter since 2018,’ reported Publishers Weekly (PW).
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