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HQ has signed an “inspirational” story of triumph over adversity from rugby union star and sports presenter Ed Jackson.
Deputy publishing director Kate Fox acquired world all language rights from Bev James at Bev James Management and Literary Agency. HQ will publish Lucky in hardback, audio and e-book in August 2021.
The publisher explained: “After diving into the shallow end of a pool, Ed broke his neck and crushed his spinal cord. He had to be resuscitated three times and, for the first week, couldn’t move a muscle in his body. His stellar career as a Number 8, for teams including London Welsh, Wasps and Newport Gwent Dragons, was cut short. But Ed focused on regaining millimetres of movement in his toe. When he achieved that, he knew more was possible. Lucky is the story of Ed’s commitment to positive thinking and self-belief, as he set himself the task of summiting Mount Snowdon. Defying medical opinion, Ed achieved his goal, and set out to fund a spinal unit in Kathmandu by climbing one of the tallest mountains in Nepal.”
Jackson said: “Writing became a solace for me following my accident, it helped me unravel my thoughts and work my way through a seemingly impossible time in my life. The last four years haven’t just taught me how to survive, they’ve taught me how to thrive and the things I’ve learnt now benefit me on a daily basis. I wanted to share my story as a way of spreading hope. Hope that no matter what happens to us we can always find a way, we just need to know how and where to look.”
Fox added: “Ed is living proof that life is absolutely what you make of it. His commitment to the power of positive mental attitude, of self-belief, and of kindness to both yourself and others is one that can’t fail to resonate with readers everywhere. I can’t wait to share his story with the world.”