2021 Wainwright Prize long list announced for the best writing on UK nature
We are delighted that Kerri’s book, Thin Places, has been longlisted for the Wainwright Prize.
Now in its eighth year and recently described in the media as ‘the UK’s newest major literary prize’, The Wainwright Prize for UK Nature Writing is awarded annually to the book which most successfully inspires readers to explore the outdoors and to nurture a respect for the natural world.
Thin Places is a mix of memoir, nature writing and history: this is Kerri ní Dochartaigh's story of a wild Ireland, an invisible border, an old conflict and the healing power of the natural world.
To be published in the States by Milkweed. Translation rights with Canongate.
Magnolia, 木蘭 by Nina Mingya Powles sells to Tin House Books
We are delighted that Nina Mingya Powles's Magnolia, 木蘭, has sold to Elizabeth DeMeo at Tin House Books, with Alyssa Ogi editing, for publication in summer 2022, by Rebecca Wearmouth at PFD on behalf of Morgan Green Creatives (North American rights).
Shortlisted for the Ondaatje Prize and the Forward Prize, Nina's first full poetry collection (published in the UK by Nine Arches Press) dwells within the tender, shifting borderland between languages, and between poetic forms, to examine the shape and texture of memories, of myths, and of a mixed-race girlhood.
Translation rights are represented by PFD.
Walker signs two more books in the Eerie-on-Sea series
Walker Books has this morning announced the acquisition of a further two titles in the Eerie-on-Sea Mysteries series by Thomas Taylor, following on from the 'hugely successful' Malamander.
The fourth and fifth titles will continue to follow Herbert Lemon and Violet Parma’s adventures alongside the eccentric cast of characters living in their unusual seaside town.
Rights to the series have now sold in over 20 territories. The fourth book will publish in Autumn 2022, with the fifth title concluding the series in Autumn 2023; both will have a global release.
A very happy publication to Fern Riddell!
Fern’s brilliant book, Sex: Lessons from History is out today with Hodder & Stoughton.
These are the facts: throughout history human beings have had sex. Sexual culture did not begin in the sixties. It has always been celebrated, needed, wanted and desired part of what it means to be human.
In this wide-ranging and powerful new history of sex, Dr Fern Riddell will uncover the sexual lives of our ancestors and show that, just like us, they were as preoccupied with sexual identities, masturbation, foreplay, sex, deviance; facing it with the same confusion , joy and accidental hilarity that we do today.
Congratulations, Fern!
M.G. Leonard’s Twitch is published today
A very happy publication day to Maya with her tenth book, published today with Walker Book.
From the internationally bestselling author of Beetle Boy and the Adventures on Trains series, comes the first book in The Twitchers, a brand new mystery adventure series celebrating friendship, bravery and the incredible world of birds, starring a birdwatching detective called Twitch!
"A twist-laden, thriller-like tale of a bird-mad boy, some bullies and an escaped convict hiding in the nearby woods." Observer
“Enthralling from beginning to end, it really touched my young bird-loving heart! Just wonderful!” Dara McAnulty
Emily Itami’s debut novel, Fault Lines, is published today!
Congratulations to Emily Itami, whose book, Fault Lines, is published by Phoenix Books today.
A bittersweet Tokyo love story and bold exploration of modern relationships, Fault Lines is an evocative and sharply observed debut from an exciting new voice in fiction.
'A brilliant modern love story. I found it atmospheric and transporting but also wise, clever and universal in its exploration of love, family and identity. I loved it' Cathy Rentzenbrink
Alluring, compelling, startlingly honest and darkly funny, Fault Lines is a bittersweet love story and a daring exploration of modern relationships from a writer to watch.
Rights also sold in the States, Italy and Czechoslovakia.
A happy publication day to Haley McGee
MGC wishes Haley congratulations on her debut book, The Ex-Boyfriend Yard Sale, published by Hodder & Stoughton.
'[T]his memoir is one of the smartest, funniest books I've read about love in a long, long time' - Red Online
Haley McGee is in debt. The solution? A yard sale of the gifts from her ex-boyfriends.
Female desire, heartbreak and the chance for integrity are held up in this whip-smart, original and daringly candid memoir. As Haley McGee interrogates her romantic triumphs and failures with unflinching detail and hilarity her exquisite proses elevates this all too human conundrum: is love worth it?
Rights also sold in Canada and Taiwan. Foreign rights represented by PFD.
MGC wishes Jennifer Killick a happy publication day
Firefly Press publish the second book in the hugely successful Crater Lake series today. Expect more scary-funny midgrade adventures in this sequel.
It's five months since the nightmare Year Six school trip to Crater Lake, and something has gone very wrong in Lance's home town of Straybridge. There's been an explosion at the university, a mysterious test creature is missing and no one is allowed in or out of the town. On top of this, Lance has lost touch with his friends since starting at his new school. And now his mum has been acting strangely since they started decorating the Christmas tree.
Rights to Crater Lake have sold in France and Japan.
Congratulations, Jennfer!
The Highland Falcon Thief wins Book of the Year Children’s Fiction Prize
MGC is super proud of the wonderful authors of The Highland Falcon Thief, M.G. Leonard and Sam Sedgwick for winning Book of the Year Children’s Fiction prize at the British Book Awards yesterday evening. Presented by Lenny Henry, David Walliams has called it an ‘instant classic’. Thank you to all of the team at Macmillan Children’s Books.
Adventures on Trains is a major mystery series from the prize-winning M.G. Leonard and Sam Sedgman. The first in the series The Highland Falcon Thief, is a breathless train journey full of deceptions, puzzles and clues to solve.
Nina Mingha Powles shortlisted for the RSL Ondaatje Prize
We are thrilled that Nina is one of the six writers shortlisted for this year's £10,000 Royal Society of Literature Ondaatje Prize.
The annual prize aims to reward the author of a work of fiction, non-fiction or poetry that best evokes the spirit of a place.
Nina’s Magnolia, 木蘭 (Nine Arches Press), her first full collection of poems, examines "the shape and texture of memories" and mixed-race girlhood.
The winner will be revealed on 11 May.
Happy publication day, Suzanne O’Sullivan
In Sweden, refugee children fall asleep for months and years at a time. In upstate New York, high school students develop contagious seizures. In the US Embassy in Cuba, employees complain of headaches and memory loss after hearing strange noises in the night.
Inspired by a poignant encounter with the sleeping refugee children of Sweden, Wellcome Prize-winning neurologist Suzanne O’Sullivan travels the world to visit other communities who have also been subject to outbreaks of so-called ‘mystery’ illnesses.
Reminiscent of the work of Oliver Sacks, Stephen Grosz and Henry Marsh, The Sleeping Beauties (Macmillan) is a moving and unforgettable scientific investigation with a very human face.
Wishing Tracey Thorn a happy publication day
Published today by Canongate, My Rock n Roll Friend takes stock of thirty-seven years of friendship, teasing out the details of connection and affection between two women who seem to be either complete opposites or mirror images of each other. This important book asks what people see, who does the looking, and ultimately who writes women out of – and back into – history.
"A gorgeous, vivid account of female friendship, what it is to be a woman in a band, activism, art, motherhood, love and having men take credit for your work" -- Sinead Gleeson
"Philosophical and furious . . . Illuminates rock's double standards . . . This is a book about more than music: it recounts the intricacies of female friendship and its crush of projection, permission, allyship and trying-on-for-size" ― Observer
Happy publication day to Kathryn Williams and her book, The Ormering Tide
The Ormering Tide is a coming of age story set amidst a series of darkly foreboding events. Rozel lives with her triplet older brothers and her parents in the bay of a small island. One of her brothers goes missing and the family’s landlord, Mr Willow, is implicated as the menacing truths are discovered. The island is rich with nature; and the islanders’ lives and the steady passing of the seasons contrast sharply with the realities of violence and inevitable revelations. The Ormering Tide explores the inherent human need to keep – and bury – secrets.
Published by Wrecking Ball Press, this is a brooding and astonishing debut from the Mercury Music Prize nominated singer-songwriter.
Jennifer Killick moves to Farshore in two book deal
“When classmates (but not mate-mates) Hallie, Angelo, Gustav and Naira are forced to come to school on a SATURDAY, they think things can’t get much worse. But they’re wrong. “
Jennifer Killick is moving to Farshore, the new name for Egmont Books UK, with two middle-grade fiction titles.
Sarah Levison, senior editor at Farshore, signed world rights in all languages from Morgan Green Creatives. The first book in the deal, Dread Wood, publishes in January 2022.
BBC Sounds sign up for two more series of Bad People
BBC Sounds have commissioned two more series of the podcast Bad People. Dr Julia Shaw and comedian Sofie Hagen dissect the criminal cases that shock, intrigue and scare us the most.
MGC client, Julia Shaw is is a psychological scientist (UCL) and a science communicator. She is best known for her work in the areas of memory and criminal psychology. Her books include, False Memory and Making Evil.
Check out the weekly podcast here.
The Salmon Pink Kitchen launches a podcast
MGC client, Margaux Vialleron and Irene Olivo have launched The Salmon Pink Kitchen podcast. Irene and Margaux simmer a podcast in celebration of all things nutritious, tasty and romantic. You can expect pots banging and jolly laughters about food memories, sardines, pasta, the sisterhood, and even vinegar, like all good parties do. Bon appétit!
Listen to the first episode here.
Happy publication day to Julian Sedgwick’s Tsunami Girl
Published today by Guppy Books, Tsunami Girl is part-manga, part-prose powerful coming-of-age story about a fifteen-year-old girl caught up in the March 2011 Great Eastern Japan Earthquake and Tsunami. It is beautifully illustrated by Chie Kutsuwada.
Julian Sedgwick is the author of six books for children, and co-author of the graphic novel Dark Satanic Mills and illustrated novel Voyages in the Underworld of Orpheus Black.
Ambreen Razia to star in new BBC radio 4 show, Gossip and Goddesses
Granny Kumar is back! Meera Syal’s glorious comedy creation returns, with great granddaughter Maya (Ambreen Razia) and arch nemesis Geeta (Harvey Virdi) to chat with the sisters.
Left alone while her family are stuck in quarantine on a world cruise, Granny Kumar decides to host her own series, born out of frustration at seeing or hearing the same old parade of guests on chat shows.
Haley McGee’s podcast, The Cost of Love, is launched
The Cost of Love is equal parts brainy and cathartic, as writer, Haley McGee, strives to answer the question: is the cost of love worth it?
Each episode features Haley McGee, a self-proclaimed love idiot, talking to a different expert. The conversations dive into that strange, juicy place where love and money collide. Check out the Broken Hearts Playlist!
Haley’s book, The Ex-Boyfriend Yard Sale, will be published by Hodder & Stoughton in May.
Happy Publication day to MG Leonard and Sam Sedgman with Murder on the Safari Star
All-aboard for the third amazing journey in the bestselling Adventures on Trains series, Murder on the Safari Star.
Harrison Beck and his Uncle Nat are on the journey of a lifetime aboard the Safari Star – a luxurious steam train that will take them from Pretoria to the Victoria Falls. Close encounters with the amazing animals and landscape of Southern Africa are adventure enough, but things get mysterious when a passenger is found dead inside a locked compartment.
'A chuffing triumph' The Times on The Highland Falcon Thief