How the UK production boom is changing the way London’s literary agents are doing business
screendaily.com – Friday August 23, 2019
UK literary agents are navigating an unprecedented boom in UK production, with demand for their writing and directing clients at fever pitch.
“My clients are so busy at the moment,” said one literary agent at a major London agency. “Everyone is scrambling around to hire [the best talent], it’s very difficult for producers to get to them.”
The majority of the growth is in the high-end TV sector, the production of which tends to tie up clients for much longer than film. (The inward investment feature boom is doing a good job on its own of employing UK actors and crew). Netflix alone said it has has shot some 40 productions in the UK this year, while the major broadcasters are responding to the competition from the US streamers by making increasingly larger-scope series.
New Publisher Listing
firstwriter.com – Thursday August 22, 2019
Publishes: Fiction;
Areas include: Mystery; Romance; Suspense; Thrillers; Women's Interests;
Markets: Adult
Send query by email with synopsis as attachment. See website for full list of editors' emails and interests and approach one editor only.
Why Beatrix Potter Ended Up Self-Publishing The Tale of Peter Rabbit
mentalfloss.com – Friday August 16, 2019
The Tale of Peter Rabbit was Beatrix Potter’s first book—and is still her best known. But had the beloved author not had the confidence to publish the book on her own terms, we might not have ever known her name (or Peter Rabbit's) today.
The origin of Peter Rabbit dates back in 1893, when Potter wrote the beginnings of what would become her iconic children’s book in a letter she sent to Noel Moore, the ailing five-year-old son of Annie Carter Moore, Potter's friend and former governess. “I don't know what to write to you, so I shall tell you a story about four little rabbits whose names were—Flopsy, Mopsy, Cottontail and Peter,” the story began.
Capital Crime launches New Voices Award
thebookseller.com – Friday August 16, 2019
Capital Crime festival will host the inaugural New Voices Awards to champion the next generation of talent in the crime and thriller community next month.
In association with D H H Literary Agency, the awards will give entrants the chance to have three opening chapters of their debut novel read by agents, publishers and readers, who will then vote for their favourites.
Capital Crime co-founder and D H H founder David Headley, said: "At D H H we’re always on the lookout for talented new authors. The New Voices Award is an exciting competition that gives readers the power to help identify new talent. It promises to be a brilliant platform for aspiring writers."
Cheating on my crime series to write a romcom on the side
irishtimes.com – Tuesday August 13, 2019
About five years ago, I found myself with a dark secret. Instead of writing about the murders, lies and traumas I was contracted for, with my Paula Maguire crime series, I was sneaking off behind that book’s back. I was writing about love, flirtation, a turning-30 life crisis. I was making jokes about Beyoncé and online dating. I was writing….a romcom.
Chick lit. Rom com. Commercial women’s fiction. We don’t have a good way to describe this kind of book. When I say I write crime fiction, people get it right away. But when I say I also write another kind of book, under the name Eva Woods, I start to stumble. “It’s like romance,” I might say. “But it deals with serious issues.” Or: “It’s called uplit now.” Turns out no one outside publishing has heard this term, coined to describe a kind of sad-but-happy book in the vein of Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, or my own How To Be Happy. My agent describes the tone as “laughter through tears”, and the books often cover death, abuse, serious illness, suffering. Despite this they are extremely likely to be given a pastel-coloured cover.
New Magazine Listing
firstwriter.com – Tuesday August 13, 2019
Publishes: Fiction;
Areas include: Adventure; Crime; Fantasy; Horror; Mystery; Sci-Fi; Short Stories; Suspense; Thrillers;
Markets: Adult;
Preferred styles: Experimental; Literary
Semi-annual online journal with an annual print issue. Publishes genre fiction with strong literary elements. Welcomes the bizarre and experimental. Not interested in zombies, vampires, werewolves, fairies, shapeshifters or fan-fic. Submit up to three stories at a time via online submission system.
DHH agents to hit Liverpool for author pitch event
thebookseller.com – Saturday August 10, 2019
DHH Literary Agency will host an event in Liverpool allowing aspiring authors to pitch their work direct to its team.
From 10am on 26th August, until 6pm on 4th October, writers are invited to apply by email for a chance to pitch to one of the agents on 7th December in Liverpool.
New Publisher Listing
firstwriter.com – Friday August 9, 2019
Publishes: Fiction; Nonfiction;
Areas include: Translations;
Markets: Adult; Children's
Publisher of new and emerging writers from around the world, translated into English. Accepts submissions in any genre. Send query by email with synopsis, three sample chapters, and a brief outline of your background and what qualifies you to write your book.
CWA creates new Dagger for crime publishers
thebookseller.com – Wednesday August 7, 2019
The Crime Writers’ Association (CWA) has created a new category for its Dagger awards, Best Crime and Mystery Publisher of the Year.
Maxim Jakubowski, honorary vice-chair of the CWA, said: “As part of the ongoing process of keeping the CWA in the forefront when it comes to crime writing and crime publishing, we felt this was an overdue category in our Daggers, and it becomes the first new Dagger to be created in well over a decade. Publishing houses and imprints are very important to the genre and are instrumental in keeping crime, mystery and thriller writing at the forefront of the reading public's consciousness, and fully deserve the recognition.”
New Magazine Listing
firstwriter.com – Tuesday August 6, 2019
Publishes: Poetry;
Markets: Adult;
Preferred styles: Literary
Magazine publishing Haiku. Submit via online submission system available on website.
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