You are viewing your 1 free article this month. Login to read more articles.
HarperCollins has pre-empted two novels by Sunday Times columnist, author and podcaster Emma Gannon.
Publisher Kimberley Young acquired UK and Commonwealth rights to Olive and one other title in a deal struck with Abigail Bergstrom of Gleam Titles. The first book is scheduled to publish in hardback in summer 2020.
Olive is a "generation-defining novel about the obstacle course of adulthood, milestone decisions and the ‘taboo’ about choosing not to have children," says HarperCollins. "Told with great warmth and nostalgia, the story introduces us to Olive at one of life’s crossroads moments. Having just ended her decade-long relationship she is swimming against the tide, and finds that her friendship group is no longer the life raft it once was. Moving and memorable, Olive’s story is a modern tale about the relationships that define us and women finding their own paths."
Gannon is the bestselling author of memoir Ctrl Alt Delete (Ebury) and The Multi-Hyphen Method (Hodder & Stoughton), which published in May 2018 and became an immediate number one Amazon and Sunday Times bestseller. She is also the host of hit podcast series ‘Ctrl Alt Delete’, which has reached over 5 million downloads.
She said: "I am absolutely over the moon to have my first novel published by HarperCollins, the No.1 dream home for my fiction. I have followed Kimberley Young's work for a long time (in a non-creepy way) so I am totally thrilled to be working together on a book that I hope sparks many conversations in the office and in the pub. The HarperCollins team are the best of the best, and I cannot wait to share Olive's story with the world."
Bergstrom said: "Emma is a talented writer and it’s been so exciting to see her turn her hand to fiction for the first time. This book grapples with motherhood and its role, not just in society, but in our individual lives as women in such a refreshing and inventive way. Terse, smart, unapologetic and hilarious – I can’t wait for the world to meet Olive, they’re going to love her."
Young said: "I was so excited when Emma’s debut novel landed in my inbox. I have long-admired her writing and talent for rooting out the stories that people want to hear in her podcast series, and I know that her unforgettable protagonist, Olive, will speak to readers on many levels. This is a special, important book that gives a voice to the unspoken fears and difficult choices that confront every woman – especially when it comes to the milestone of motherhood. It highlights that no choice is black and white, and Emma explores the messy grey areas of her characters’ lives with such skill and poignancy. Olive’s story is a story for every woman."