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Unbound has announced an audio partnership with W F Howes, which will publish Unbound Firsts titles in audio.
An annual publishing initiative for debut writers of colour, Unbound Firsts first launched in 2022 with the aim of discovering fresh voices to turn into published books. W F Howes, which distributes its content through all leading consumer and library vendors, has committed to publish audio versions of titles such as Solange Burrell’s novel Yeseni and the Daughter of Peace (Unbound) and Iqbal Hussain’s Northern Boy (Unbound).
Head of rights at Unbound, Ilona Chavasse, who negotiated the deal, said: "Over the years, W F Howes have published a number of our titles in audio and always to the highest standard. I can’t think of a better milestone, or safer hands for this list. This partnership affirms our own commitment to the Unbound First authors to make their work as accessible and widely available as possible."
Senior acquisitions editor at W F Howes, Georgia Holmes, added: "Having worked with the Unbound team for many years, it’s exciting to see the work they’re doing to discover new writing talent and, with over 25 years’ experience in the audio market, W F Howes is uniquely positioned to bring their stories to listeners around the globe. We’re committed to working closely with these incredible authors to cast diverse and authentic voices that will align with their vision and bring these books to life."
Publisher and co-founder of Unbound John Mitchinson commented: "We love working with W F Howes and this agreement is an important milestone for Unbound Firsts. It offers writers of colour and their agents reassurance that their work will reach the growing number of readers who listen as well as look."
Submissions for Unbound Firsts 2025 titles will reopen on 2nd October and close on 30th November 2023.