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Barrington Stoke has acquired two books by Phil Earle: Mind the Gap, a novella for teen readers; and Superdad’s Day Off, an adventure story for readers aged five to eight.
Mind the Gap, scheduled for publication in January 2017, is inspired by a true story from 2013, when an actor’s widow noticed that Embankment station had stopped using a "Mind the Gap" announcement recorded by her late husband more than 40 years before. She asked Transport of London for a recording, which they sent, but the authority was so moved it also reinstated her husband’s announcement.
Inspired by the story, Earle wrote a book about a boy called Mikey, whose father has died, and the best friend who tries to give Mikey memories of his father back.
The second book, Superdad’s Day Off, is about a normal boy whose Dad is the greatest superhero on the planet. It will published as an illustrated title in 2017, with the illustrator soon to be announced.
Barrington Stoke editor Emma Baker acquired world rights to both titles from Jodie Hodges at United Agents.
Earle said: “'Writing for for Barrington Stoke is the realisation of a huge ambition for me.I've been a fan ever since starting work as a bookseller in 2000. I don't think there is a finer list in publishing, nor a more committed bunch of publishers.”