By Georgie Cutler, Eva Lee, Niamh Parr and Emily Retford
Acquisition News
Zaher’s Debut Novel Acquired by Footnote Press
The debut novel by Palestinian writer and journalist Yasmin Zaher is set to be published by Footnote, a publishing press launched in partnership with Bonnier Books UK and dedicated to uplifting marginalised voices and stories. UK & Commonwealth rights to Zaher’s The Coin were acquired by Fritha Saunders, Editorial Director at Footnote, from Claire Roberts at Claire Roberts Global Literary Management on behalf of Monika Woods at Triangle Literary. The Coin follows a Palestinian woman living in New York who appears to have it all; material wealth, an enviable lifestyle and a rewarding job teaching at a school for underprivileged boys. And yet, she’s desperately unsatisfied, disconnected from her past and unhealthily obsessed with her swindling side-hustle of reselling Birkin bags. Seeking some form of control, she becomes preoccupied with cleanliness and purity, but it serves only as a force of self-destruction. The narrator’s attempts to perfect her life and ignore her past cause her to unravel in a dazzling fashion, plagued by the loneliness of contemporary America and the knowledge of endless horrors occurring around the world. Zaher’s debut has been praised by fellow authors including Elif Batuman, who called the novel “bonkers” and “glamourous” (Footnote Press). The Coin will be published July 2024 in hardback edition.
Joel Lane’s Horror Collection Clinched by Influx Press
The Lost District, the out-of-print horror story collection by Joel Lane, has been acquired by Influx Press. The upcoming title is one of numerous works that Influx has published written by the award-winning late novelist and poet, including Where Furnaces Burn, The Witnesses are Gone and The Blue Mask. The Lost District is set in a post-industrialist world of the near future, an exploration of the hidden and secret human encounters with the taboo, including madness and lucidity, sexual awakenings, substance abuse and experiences post-death. Through stories that traverse urban settings, erotic exploits and heart-breaking loss, Lane projects modern landscapes that connect with all of us. Publisher Gary Budden acquired World rights to the title from Nicholas Royle, representative of the author’s estate. Speaking about The Lost District on Book Brunch, Budden said the upcoming work only adds to “the legacy created by the previous Influx editions of Joel’s work.” The Lost District is set to publish in May, signalling the first UK release.
From Book to Screen
What to Watch?
Turtles All The Way Down on HBO Max
John Green’s bestselling novel Turtles All The Way Down is getting its own film adaptation with rights acquired by New Line Cinema and Temple Hill Entertainment for production. The YA novel revolves around Aza Holmes, a sixteen-year-old girl suffering from anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). One day, she and her best friend Daisy end up on pursuit to track down a missing billionaire, Russell Picket, which leads to Aza’s romantic relationship with his son, Davis Pickett. Core themes like friendships, mental illness and romance is explored through Aza’s journey. Isabela Merced will play Aza along with Cree Cicchino as Daisy and Felix Mallard as Davis. The adaptation is set to be released on 2 May 2024 on HBO Max. In the meantime, check out the trailer to get a sneak peek of the storyline.
In the Works
Two More Series Ordered For The Night Manager
BBC and Amazon have partnered up to commission two more series of the award-winning thriller series The Night Manager. Based on the novel of the same name by John le Carré, the two new series will go beyond the book’s original material previously adapted in the first series. The novel follows Jonathan Pine, a former British soldier and the current night manager for a luxury hotel in Cairo, as he is recruited by a Foreign Office task force to get close to Richard Roper, an illegal arms dealer staying at the hotel. The first series saw Tom Hiddleston and Hugh Laurie starring as Pine and Roper, respectively. The second series will see Hiddleston reprise the role of Pine eight years after the end of season one. It is yet to be seen whether Hugh Laurie will return as Roper, but he is confirmed to be an executive producer on the project. The Night Manager’s second series will begin filming later this year and will be available for streaming on BBC iPlayer and Amazon Prime Video.