Knights Of has acquired Harriet!, a book about a girl who finds out her hearing aid can help her understand aliens from across the universe, by comedian Samantha Baines.

Baines, who wears a hearing aid herself, said: “When I was younger I always wanted to be an inter-galactic adventurer, alas they didn't teach space flight at my school but now we can all live our space hero dreams through Harriet! I realised when I got my hearing aid that I had personally never read a book, or seen a film, where the lead character has hearing loss. I am delighted to be working with Knights Of, who champion diversity and have a passion for helping to tell interesting stories from different perspectives. I can't wait for everyone to meet Harriet.”

Knights Of bought world rights from Hannah Sheppard. The novel is aimed at readers aged 8+ and is scheduled for publication in hardback on 3rd October. 

“Funny, direct and honest, with her unstoppable energy there is no one better to bring hearing aid representation to kids books than Sam Baines,” said publisher David Stevens. “We are thrilled to be working with and can’t wait for the world to join us on the maddest adventure.”
​
Baines is currently playing the female lead in Magic Mike Live! and has also appeared in The Crown, Silent Witness and Call the Midwife. She is an an ambassador for Action on Hearing Loss and the British Tinnitus Association.

From The Bookseller article | Charlotte Eyre

​Sending congratulations and happy publication day wishes to Paul Hardisty for his new standalone novel, Turbulent Wake; Adam Hamdy for the paperback release of Aftershock, the third in the Pendulum series; Paul Fraser Collard for the paperback release of The Rebel Killer, the seventh in the Jack Lark series; Anna Jacobs for her new saga romance One Perfect Family, which is the last in her recent Ellindale series; and Noel O’Reilly for the paperback publication of his haunting debut Wrecker.   

King of Kings, written by Wilbur Smith and DHH client Imogen Robertson has reached No.1 in South Africa. 

​Following the success of Volumes 1 and 2, with sales in exess of 60,000 copies, the third in the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards has been bought by Blink / 535, in a deal negotiated between the aforementioned’s Joel Simons and Natalie Galustian.
 
Congratulations to Stuart Turton whose debut novel The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle has been nominated for the Fiction Debut Book of the Year at the British Book Awards (the Nibbies).

Her Closest Friend, the new psychological thriller from Clare Boyd made its way in to the Kindle 100 last week and we couldn’t be more thrilled. A clever book that’s full of twists and turns, and guaranteed to keep you reading well in to the night…
 

If you like your psychological thrillers, then Sarah Simpson’s novel Who I Am is just the ticket, and just as well because it is currently FREE on Amazon Kindle. Click here to buy.

Delighted for client Femi Kayode, and his debut novel Lightseekers, which has been bought by Bloomsbury Raven’s Alison Hennessey, in a UK & Commonwealth deal, negotiated by Harry Illingworth. Both Polish and Italian rights were pre-empted for this book during London Book Fair, within 24 hours of submission. Lightseekers follows psychologist Philip Taiwo who is commissioned to investigate the lynching of three young students in a Nigerian university town, a brutal act caught on social media. Femi won the £3,000 Little, Brown prize in October 2018 with judges paying tribute to Lightseekers, which they described as “shocking and emotional”.

The cover for Abi Elphinstone’s forthcoming book Rumblestar has been revealed! Rumblestar is the first in Abi’s new Unmapped Chronicles series with a short story, Everdark, set within the Unmapped Chronicles land, released for World Book Day at the end of last month. Follow Casper Tock as he embarks on an adventure full of cloud giants, storm ogres and drizzle hags. A magical time awaits…

​If you’re looking for a bargain on your books at the moment, Kobo is having a big Mother’s Day sale and you can get The Last Day, Puzzle Girl, What Was Lost and A Store at War all for a fraction of their usual cost! Click this link to see more.

Finally, Ben Willis of Orion has acquired World Rights in debut thriller Neon by G.S Locke. Set in Birmingham, Neon tells the story of desperate detective Matt Jackson, who teams up with hitwoman Iris to track down the serial killer responsible for murdering his wife. But the killer, dubbed “Neon” for the way he displays his victims among elaborate, snaking neon light installations, is also on the hunt - and has both Jackson and Iris in his sights. Publication has been set for spring 2020.

We are delighted that Stuart Turton has been nominated for a British Book Award in the Fiction Debut category for his novel The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle. 

The book, which was published by Bloomsbury Raven in February 2018, has already garnered high praise, received multiple nominations and won a number of awards, most notably the Costa First Novel Award 2018. 

The category winners will be decided by eight separate judging panels, with judges including acclaimed illustrator Axel Scheffler, star food critic Jay Rayner and Adam Kay, author of the multi-award winning bestseller This Is Going To Hurt. A separate panel which choose the overall Book of the Year, where the Labour MP Jess Phillips is judging alongside Sky News presenter Kay Burley. 

The British Book Awards, known as the Nibbies, honour and celebrate the commercial successes of publishers, authors and bookshops. Organised by The Bookseller, the culminate in a gala ceremony presented by Lauren Laverne at the Grosvenor House Hotel on 13th May.

#Nibbies 

Ben Willis, senior commissioning editor at Orion, has acquired World Rights in debut thriller Neon by G.S. Locke. Publication has been set for spring 2020.

Set in Birmingham, Neon tells the story of desperate detective Matt Jackson, who teams up with hitwoman Iris to track down the serial killer responsible for murdering his wife. But the killer, dubbed "Neon" for the way he displays his victims among elaborate, snaking neon light installations, is also on the hunt - and has both Jackson and Iris in his sights.

G.S. Locke said: "For some time, I've had this powerful image in my head of a desolate detective sitting alone in a cafe, picking up the phone and ordering his own murder after his wife is killed by a serial killer. With that, DCI Jackson was born, and with him, Iris, a contract killer who I hope is as fierce and unrelenting a character as Stieg Larsson's Lisbeth Salander and Killing Eve's Villanelle. What follows is a story of survival, revenge, an unorthodox investigative partnership, and a serial killer with a particular fondness for neon art."

Willis said: "Neon is everything I love about a proper serial killer thriller - but it's also so much more. It's got twists and turns aplenty but, most surprisingly, at its heart are two brilliant characters with a unique dynamic that will both thrill and surprise fans of the genre. A kind of literary mash-up of Luther, The Snowman by Jo Nesbø and No Country For Old Men, Neon is set to light up the British crime fiction scene in 2020."

G.S. Locke is a Birmingham-based British crime writer.

We are delighted that Femi Kayode's debut novel Lightseekers, plus one as-yet-untitled novel, has been sold to Alison Hennessey at Bloomsbury Raven. 

Alison acquired UK & Commonwealth rights (exc. Canada) from Harry Illingworth in a four-way auction. Josh Kendall, editorial director for Mulholland, pre-empted US rights. The novels were also pre-empted in Poland and Italy, the latter within 24 hours of submission. 

​Lightseekers follows psychologist Philip Taiwo who is commissioned to investigate the lynching of three young students in a Nigerian university town, a brutal act caught on social media.

Kayode, formerly a University of East Anglia creative writing student, won the £3,000 Little, Brown prize in October with judges paying tribute to Lightseekers, described as “shocking and emotional”. The author described it at the time as "a kind of love letter to my home country, Nigeria”.

​To read the full press release, click here. 

​Last week saw 2019’s London Book Fair and each of our agents met with publishers from around the globe in back-to-back meetings. No mean feat, but great fun!
 
The very lovely, and little bit magical, Abi Elphinstone was on CITV Scrambled’s Eggbox  Celebrity Interview last Saturday (9th March) to talk about her new book, Everdark which is out now. Abi also gave her Top Three Writing Tips:

• Carry a notepad with you everywhere: “you’re like a detective as an author; you watch the world fiercely for the things other people miss.”
• Let yourself daydream: “some of the best stories start as accidental daydreams.”
• Don’t be afraid of failure: “I had 96 rejections before I got my agent and first book deal, so never give up.”

Missed it? Fear not, you can catch up here. 

We are delighted to be sponsoring a brand new prize as part of the annual Polari Prize. The Prize, founded by DHH client Paul Burston in 2011, is awarded annually to a writer whose debut book explores the LGBTQ+ experience, whether in poetry, prose, fiction or non-fiction. DHH Literary Agency will be sponsoring The Polari Book Prize, which will be awarded to a writer at any stage of their publishing career (other than debuts). We couldn’t be prouder to be a part of something so inspiring and inclusive. For more information, click here. 

JD Fennell’s Sleeper and Sleeper: the Red Storm (The Dome Press, 2017 / 2018) and Gerard O’Donovan’s The Long Silence (Severn House, 2018) have been selected by Kobo as part of their ‘Best of Irish’ sale, from the 14th - 20th March. Both these authors hail from the Emerald Isle, and we couldn’t recommend these brilliant books more. Click here to buy yours!

R.C. Bridgestock have written a fantastic piece for The Crime Warp on their road to being published. The Dome Press acquired the rights to first three in their DI Jack Dylan books and also published a brand new title, Poetic Justice - a prequel to the bestselling series.
 
Staying with this marvellous crime-writing duo, we are thrilled that the news is out! The Dome Press have bought the rights to the Bridgestock’s new series starring DI Charley Mann, who “left her native Yorkshire for the Met and a fast-track career - but now she’s back and in charge and is the area’s first young, female DI… When a brutal murder is discovered, Charley is forced to question everything”. Dome has acquired the rights to the first in the series, Payback (due for publication in October 2019), and the as-yet-untitled second book, which will follow in 2020.

​Capping off this week’s news roundup, Luke Turner took the Guardian’s Claire Armistead for a wander through the trees and history of Epping Forest for the publication’s podcast. They discuss his debut non-fiction book Out of the Woods and how he managed to find solace in nature. A powerful listen, and you can catch up here. 

Romantic novelist Jo Thomas is moving to Transworld from Headline.

Editorial director Francesca Best bought UK and Commonwealth rights to four novels from David Headley at DHH.
​
Thomas’ first novel for Transworld, The Lavender Farm, will publish in spring 2020 in paperback. It is the story of a British woman whose move to France with her husband goes awry, and who determines to reclaim her life among the lavender fields of Provence.




(Taken from The Bookseller article | Caroline Carpenter)

The Dome Press has snapped up the rights to a new series by crime writing husband and wife team Bob and Carol Bridgestock. 

The indie acquired world English language rights to Payback, the first in the new series by the duo writing under pen name R.C.Bridgestock, plus the second as-yet-untitled novel.

Publisher Rebecca Lloyd, who acquired the novel from David Headley at the DHH Literary Agency, said: “It’s really exciting to have the chance to launch a new series from R C Bridgestock, especially one with such a feisty and original female lead. With all the authentic detail that is the hallmark of their writing, Payback is original, dark and twisty, full of classic characters – a real treat.”

Payback “follows Charley Mann, who left her native Yorkshire for the Met and a fast-track career – but now she’s back, she’s in charge and is the area’s first young, female DI.,” said the publisher. “Her hometown, the Yorkshire countryside, and her old friends all seem unchanged, but appearances can be deceptive. When a brutal murder is discovered, Charley is forced to question everything, and the interest of her ex – reporter Danny Ray – doesn’t make it easier.”
Payback is due for release in October 2019, with the second to follow in 2020.

The Dome Press acquired R C Bridgestock’s backlist, including the DI Jack Dylan series, last year. Between them, the writing duo have nearly 50 years’ service with West Yorkshire Police. They have also served as advisors to crime dramas including the BBC’s ‘Happy Valley’. 

(Taken from The Bookseller article | Katie Mansfield)

The week before LBF 2019 was never going to be a quiet one and some very exciting things have been happening in the DHH offices…
 
Stuart Turton’s mind-bending debut The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle has been sold to Brazilian publishing house, Dublinese. This brings the rights sales to over the mid-twenties…
 
Seven Deaths has also been longlisted for the Author’s Club Best First Novel Award. 

Congratulations to clients Clare Boyd (Her Closest Friend), Lulah Ellender (Elisabeth’s Lists in paperback) and Matthew Crow (Baxter’s Requiem in paperback) who all had their books published this week, respectively.

Everdark by Abi Elphinstone reached No.8 in the Children’s Chart. Abi also appeared on Thursday’s episode of Blue Peter.

Client Paul Burston has been nominated for a National Diversity Award 2019 in the ‘Positive Role Model Award’ category, and we couldn’t be more thrilled. Congratulations, Paul! Paul’s next book, The Closer I Get will be published by Orenda Books in July this year.
 
Anna Stephens, author of the bestselling Godblind series, appeared on last week’s The Bestseller Experiment podcast. You can catch up here. 

​Reviews from the blog tour for R.C. Bridgestock’s Poetic Justice have been coming in, and they’re absolutely fantastic:
 
“Gritty, atmospheric and full of drama.” (What Cathy Read Next blog)
“With such well-crafted, considerate characterisation, [and] a compelling emotional plot - I was moved to tears at times.” (Hair Past a Freckle blog)
“I absolutely loved this story from start to finish… Having read Poetic Justice, I have to say that Jack Dylan is my new hero.” (Jaffa Reads Too blog)

Finally, Amanda Jennings’ tweet from last week was picked up and made in to an article by the Daily Mail. Amanda’s initial tweet told of how she felt overwhelmed, out of her depth and unsure of how to soothe her first baby. Out of the blue, another anonymous mother, who had just given birth to her own child, comforted her and hugged her, saying ‘You are the best and only mum your baby wants.’ So moved was Amanda, that she put out a tweet thanking the unidentified lady for her random act of kindness, something she still remembers to this day. To read more, click here.

​The unnaturally balmy weather wasn’t the only sunny thing about last week. We at DHH had a pretty good one too…
 
Jennifer Lucy Allan hosted BBC Radio’s Late Night Junction on three consecutive nights last week (26th/27th/28th Feb). One of these features an interview with none other than musician / poet Laurie Anderson. Catch up here.

Congratulations to R.C. Bridgestock for the publication of their new novel, Poetic Justice, the prequel to the immensely popular DI Jack Dylan novels. Bob and Carol pre-recorded an interview on BBC Radio Bradford to talk about Poetic Justice and this will be transmitted at a later date TBC! Also this week, our esteemed police-turned-author clients appeared on BCB Radio with Shamim Akhtar. Not got your copy of Poetic Justice yet? Just click here.

The paperback cover for The Cliff House, Amanda Jennings’ fourth novel was revealed this week and it’s fair to say we’re a little bit in love. Those colours!
 

The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton has had Finnish rights to Otava.
 
Also, congratulations to Stuart, as Seven Deaths has been longlisted for the Authors’ Club Best First Novel Award. 

Thrilled for Julie Caplin, whose new book The Northern Lights Lodge was published eBook last week and reached No.1 on the Apple iBooks chart on the very day of publication. You can order your copy by clicking this link.

Happy publication week also to Abi Elphinstone for her World Book Day 2019 title, Everdark. This magical story is the beginning of Abi’s new series, The Unmapped Chronicles and is one not to be missed! Click here to buy.
 
Keris Stainton saw her new book, The One Who’s Not the One, published last week. From Bookouture, this is a laugh-out-loud romantic comedy and Keris will have you giggling on your commute in no time. Buy here.

​Finally, Kate Mallinder’s much-anticipated YA debut novel Summer of No Regrets was listed on The Reading Agency’s Top 10 Volunteer Reads, recommended for young volunteers supporting the #SummerReadingChallenge 2019.

​This time next week, we’ll be about to go head first in the London Book Fair 2019. Wish us luck - we feel it’s going to be a good one…