It was announced last week that client Lizzie Huxley-Jones has co-written a novel with former Love Island contestant, disability activist, model, podcast host and influencer, Tasha Ghouri. 

The book, Hits Different, was acquired by Bonnier imprint Hot Key Books, in a World All Languages deal co-negotiated by Abi Fellows, while she was at The Good Literary Agency. 

Hits Different follows 20 year-old Deaf main character Cassie, who is determined to pursue her dream of becoming a dancer. The synopsis says: “So when an opportunity to dance on tour with a global superstar presents itself, Cassie decides to give it a shot. Jetting off for a hot summer in Ibiza, her dreams seem closer than ever, and so does love. Levi, the guy she keeps bumping into on set, sees and uplifts her in a way no one else ever has. If only Cassie could believe in herself like he does, she might find that life hits different when you learn to love yourself."

The book is scheduled for release in June 2024.

A very happy publication day last week to Jo Thomas, whose Countdown to Christmas was released in eBook. 

​Chloe can't wait for Christmas . . . to be over! Her son Ruben is staying with his dad this year and Chloe is planning to ignore the holidays all together. Her only nod to the season is the advent calendar Ruben left her, to help count down the days till he's home again.

But then an heir hunter gets in touch, telling her there's a plot of land in Canada she may be entitled to. Surely, it's a scam. Or could it be just the escape she needs right now? They're offering to pay for her flights . . . and Ruben's latest note in the advent calendar tells her to 'say yes!'

Suddenly, Chloe's new countdown to Christmas involves a log cabin in the middle of a snowy forest, a community that's worried for its future, a gruff lumberjack who gives her butterflies and a lot of pancakes with maple syrup . . .

This Christmas is full of surprises!

Get your copy here.

The cover for Jacquie Bloese's second gorgeous historical fiction novel, The Golden Hour (February 2024, Hodder & Stoughton), has been revealed, and it is just as beautiful as the words inside. 

The second book published last week was the paperback for Phyllida Shrimpton's The Storyteller by the Sea, a heartwarming and uplifting tale, perfect to curl up with as autumn approaches... 

​Melody spends her days scouring the Devon shore for treasures washed up by the sea or left behind in the sand by people who come to her beach. She takes them back to Spindrift, her weathered old house set in a crescent of equally weathered old houses on the edge of a little Devonshire bay. She places her treasures on her brother Milo's bed at the end of each day and weaves beautiful and fanciful stories for him about how they came to be.

Everything Melody could ever need is right where she is, cupped by the rocks that shape her bay, whispering through the salty air and chiming from the sea.

Except all is not as it seems. The house of stories is under threat from developers, looking to modernise the strip of coast on which the old house stands. With the help of her estranged cousin, can Melody save the old house and change her world for the better?

And finally, a huge congratulations to Maddie Please, who last week hit the 100,000 copies sold mark of her book, Sisters Behaving Badly!

An astonishng achievement and so very deserved.

David H Headley said: “We are delighted to welcome Abi Fellows and her clients to the DHH Literary Agency. Her outstanding reputation, dedication, and sharp instincts align perfectly with our commitment to nurturing authors and guiding them towards success."

Fellows said: “I have known and respected the dynamic team at the DHH Literary Agency for many years and long admired their commercial savvy, commitment to author care and passion for making the industry better. After four and a half fantastic years at The Good Literary Agency, I could not be more excited to be joining DHH and continuing to grow my list there.” ​

Congratulations to author Tom Hindle, who picked up the Historical Fiction Novel of the Year Award at Capital Crime's Fingerprint Awards 2023, for his debut ​A Fatal Crossing.

The reader-voted awards were presented at a ceremony last night (Thursday 31st August) at the Leonardo Royal Hotel, in the shadow of St Paul’s Cathedral. With over 2,000 votes cast, the winners saw stiff competition from authors such as Janice Hallett, M W Craven, Ruth Ware and Vaseem Khan. The shortlist was revealed back in July.

HarperCollins has acquired The Killer’s Christmas List by Chris Frost.

Daisy Watt, commissioning editor at HarperNorth, acquired world all-language rights from David Headley for publication in paperback, e-book and audio on 23rd November 2023.

​Frost is the author of 10 crime books under the name Chris McDonald, including the Erika Piper trilogy and The Stonebridge Mysteries. By day he is a scriptwriter and a regular voice on podcasts “The Blood Brothers” and “Friends of the North”.

The fifth in Stephen Moss' bird biographies series, The Owl, was acquired by current publisher Square Peg PRH. 

​Marianne Tatepo, publishing director at Square Peg, acquired world all-language rights in a two-book deal from Broo Doherty The Owl and an unnamed second project. The Owl will be published on 5th October 2023.

The publisher says: “Following his bestselling biographies of some of our favourite birds – The Robin, The Wren, The Swallow and The Swan – author and naturalist Stephen Moss now turns his attention to a group of birds we rarely see, occasionally hear, yet are always on our minds: the owls.”

Finally, we are delighted to announce that we have rebranded its logo for the first time since the company’s inception in 2008, and unveiled plans for an "extensive" website overhaul.

​MD David H Headley employed the services of Leeds-based digital agency Ascensor to help with the rebrand. The company’s David Eggington also created the logo for Headley’s Goldsboro Books.

While the new logo is now up and running as part of the agency, the website overhaul will be an “extensive” project, the agency says, scheduled to take place over the autumn and winter months later this year.

We are delighted to announce that we have rebranded its logo for the first time since the company’s inception in 2008, and unveiled plans for an "extensive" website overhaul.

MD David H Headley employed the services of Leeds-based digital agency Ascensor to help with the rebrand. The company’s David Eggington also created the logo for Headley’s Goldsboro Books.

While the new logo is now up and running as part of the agency, the website overhaul will be an “extensive” project, the agency says, scheduled to take place over the autumn and winter months later this year.

The agency says the new website aims to make authors “feel like they are talking directly to the agents”, with regularly updated wish-lists, and helpful articles surrounding directly-related issues such as the submission process, editing, the process of finding the right publishing house, and tips on tackling finances. The site will also be easier to navigate for international publishers wanting to know the rights status for specific titles.

Headley said: "In the ever-changing landscape that is publishing, we wanted the website to move with the times, in terms of making us more accessible as a team. The entire process of finding the right agent can be incredibly daunting for authors starting out, so we want to make sure the process with us is as smooth as possible.

“This also goes for international rights sales – we want information to be swiftly available at the click of a button. We’re hopeful that, as a result of this substantial investment, we will be able to continue growing the success of our agency, as we enter our 15th year.”
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The new logo will be used over the weekend at the closing party for Capital Crime (2nd September), Headley’s London-based crime festival. The party, Murder on the Dancefloor, is sponsored by us here at the Agency.

Square Peg has acquired The Owl, the fifth in Stephen Moss’ series of bird biographies.

Marianne Tatepo, publishing director at Square Peg, acquired world all-language rights in a two-book deal from Broo Doherty The Owl and an unnamed second project. The Owl will be published on 5th October 2023.

The publisher says: “Following his bestselling biographies of some of our favourite birds – The Robin, The Wren, The Swallow and The Swan – author and naturalist Stephen Moss now turns his attention to a group of birds we rarely see, occasionally hear, yet are always on our minds: the owls.”

It goes on: “With this book, Stephen Moss takes us on a journey to discover the secret lives they live between twilight and dawn, from the moment they first hatch, to their nightly hunts and how they raise the next generation, weaving together his insights as a naturalist, his experiences encountering these birds in the wild, international folklore and history, and some tips for how – with a bit of luck – you can catch a glimpse of them yourself.”

​Moss said: “As always with these bird biographies, I have really enjoyed discovering incredible facts and sharing fascinating stories about some of the world’s most distinctive and charismatic birds – the owls. I hope you enjoy the book too!”

Tatepo said: “Stephen is a stalwart of Square Peg and one of Britain’s most beloved naturalists. So it is fitting that he would turn his attention to one of our favourite and the most erudite of birds: the owl.

“With this new gifty bespoke hardback replete with full colour illustrations, we will be building on the global success of his five previous books from the ‘Bird Biography’ series – which now exceed 100,000 copies sold in the UK alone and have been translated the world over – to reveal the secret lives of the most elusive and storied bird in our collective imagination.

“Stephen’s warmth, passion and deft mix of zoological observations, cultural lore and historical facts, paired with expert tips on how to spot owls in our midst, comes through in this volume that follows the interactive approach of The Robin. We hope The Owl becomes an equally cherished volume among bird enthusiasts and nature lovers of all stripes.”

From The Bookseller article | Lauren Brown

HarperCollins has acquired The Killer’s Christmas List by Chris Frost.

Daisy Watt, commissioning editor at HarperNorth, acquired world all-language rights from David Headley for publication in paperback, e-book and audio on 23rd November 2023.

The publisher will reveal the cover on the first day of Capital Crime Festival (31st August), where the author will be appearing on the panel “Box-Breakers: the books that defy genre”.

Its synopsis reads: “When a body is discovered in the shadow of the Angel of the North, DI Tom Stonem’s hopes for a peaceful Christmas alone are shattered. In the dead man’s pocket is what appears to be a little girl’s Christmas list, with the first item crossed off.

“But as the chain of killings continues, Stonem becomes convinced that the seemingly innocent list is a murderer’s twisted code. With the body count snowballing and with only a few sleeps left until Christmas, will Stonem catch the killer before they get everyone on their list?”

Frost is the author of 10 crime books under the name Chris McDonald, including the Erika Piper trilogy and The Stonebridge Mysteries. By day he is a scriptwriter and a regular voice on podcasts “The Blood Brothers” and “Friends of the North”.

Watt said: “The Killer’s Christmas List is the perfect gift for your most savage family member. Chris is an absolute delight to work with, and we couldn’t be more thrilled that he’s joined us at team HarperNorth.”
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Frost said: “The Killer’s Christmas List was such a fun book to write, and I’m so glad it found a home at the wonderful HarperNorth. Working with Daisy and the team has been a joy, and I am so excited for the world to meet DI Tom Stonem. Roll on November!”