Big deals signed for study of a 19th-century family of killers, Hell’s Half-Acre, and Murder Isn’t Easy, a mortician’s take on Agatha Christie’s forensics The spectre of true crime was stalking the aisles at this year’s London book fair, with publishers snapping up investigations into past evils in the wake of successes in podcasting and television such as Dirty John, Serial and The Teacher’s Pet.Offers were flying in for former Waterstones bookseller Susan Jonusas’s first book Hell’s Half-Acre, a study of the the Bender family of serial killers in Kansas in 1873. Jonusas, 24, left Waterstones in December to write full-time. “Buried on a homestead seven miles south of the town were 11 bodies in varying states of decay. Further investigation revealed a well containing remains of even more victims. The number of people murdered was estimated at 20,” said Jonusas’s literary agency. “The idea that a family of seemingly respectable homesteaders were capable of operating ‘a human slaughter pen’ appalled and fascinated the nation. But who the Benders really were, why they committed such a vicious killing spree and what became of them when they fled from the law is a mystery that has remained unsolved to this day.” UK rights are still being finalised, with Viking snapping it up for a six-figure deal in the US. Agent Georgina Capel, who was fielding offers for the book, said: “I suspect the true-crime podcast thing is driving the current interest.” Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'
[ The Guardian | 2019-03-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
HarperVoyager has snared YA writer Juno Dawson's first three adult novels, a trilogy set around a government agency for witches, at auction in a six-figure deal. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2021-01-27 18:39:44 UTC ]
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Australian novelist Janet Woods has died at the age of 81, the Kate Nash Literary Agency has confirmed. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2021-01-17 12:41:28 UTC ]
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Cultural communications agency Midas has acquired literary agency The bks Agency. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2021-01-12 23:35:15 UTC ]
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Sphere has won British journalist Celia Walden's "fiercely intelligent" thriller Payday at auction, in a "competitive" six-figure deal. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2020-12-01 22:05:28 UTC ]
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Hachette Children’s Group has pre-empted a "magical" middle-grade fantasy series from debut author Andy Sagar in a six-figure deal. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2020-11-10 18:53:49 UTC ]
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The newly launched Liverpool Literary Agency has signed its first deal, signing Jack Byrne with Northodox Press, a publisher "catering to readers of crime fiction with the authentic voice of northern England". Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2020-11-10 13:52:09 UTC ]
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My mother, Janet Freer, who has died aged 89, was a literary agent for science-fiction writers in the 1960s and 70s. She helped launch the careers of several young SF writers.Janet began work as a commercial artist before starting her publishing career in London around 1962. She spent several... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2020-10-11 15:38:47 UTC ]
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Walker Books has acquired Justyn Edwards’ debut middle-grade series in a three-book, six-figure deal. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2020-10-08 20:32:38 UTC ]
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Harvill Secker has pre-empted a “clever, sharp and hugely entertaining” debut psychological thriller from Vera Kurian in a six-figure deal. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2020-10-06 23:24:54 UTC ]
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Bonnier imprint Zaffre Books has signed a two-book, six-figure deal with Robert Peston, ITV's political editor. His first novel, The Whistleblower, will be published in September 2021. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2020-10-02 01:25:36 UTC ]
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The Good Literary Agency (TGLA) has hired Kemi Ogunsanwo as an agent, tasked with building a list across fiction and non-fiction. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2020-10-01 03:35:01 UTC ]
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Michael Joseph has won a multi-publisher auction for Charmaine Wilkerson's “dazzling” debut novel Black Cake in a six-figure deal. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2020-09-30 13:42:20 UTC ]
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Foundry Literary + Media co-founder Peter McGuigan has provided more details on his new literary agency Ultra Literary, which we announced last week. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-09-24 04:00:00 UTC ]
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We talk with Serendipity Literary Agency founder Regina Brooks, who has built a roster of award-winning authors and illustrators while remaining committed to making the publishing industry more diverse. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-08-21 04:00:00 UTC ]
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The Borough Press editor and Rising Star 2020 Ore Agbaje-Williams – who spearheaded her company's BAME open submissions period with The Good Literary Agency – shares her top tips for pitching and launching a new work project. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2020-08-20 02:15:30 UTC ]
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Greystone Books is to partner with William Collins on two forthcoming non-fiction titles by Peter Wohllebe, author of The Hidden Life of Trees, with William Collins buying paperback rights in a six-figure deal. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2020-08-17 19:07:12 UTC ]
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The world health crisis has had tangible impact on a new literary agency in Tehran, one of its core staffers contracting the virus during reopenings. The post Coronavirus Worklife: Iran’s Blue Circle Literary Agency appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2020-07-24 15:31:03 UTC ]
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The Borough Press has pre-empted “multigenerational epic” One Blood from author—and Simon & Schuster US editor—Denene Millner, in a six-figure deal. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2020-07-24 10:16:26 UTC ]
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Historian David Starkey, who has caused outrage by his comments on slavery, has been dropped by his literary agency Rogers, Coleridge & White (RCW). Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2020-07-06 21:50:34 UTC ]
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Michael Joseph has acquired The Downfall and a second novel, Eden Lost, by debut author Laure Van Rensburg in a six-figure deal after a six-way auction. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2020-06-21 20:13:47 UTC ]
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