Avon Books has acquired two novels from Emma Cowell, including her heart-warming debut, ONE LAST LETTER FROM GREECE. Editor Lucy Frederick won world English language rights from Kate Burke of Blake Friedmann at auction. ONE LAST LETTER FROM GREECE is to be published in May 2022.
ONE LAST LETTER FROM GREECE follows the story of Sophie who, devasted by the death of her beloved mother, longs to get away from the echoing, empty rooms of her once happy home. So, when a chance discovery reveals something unexpected about her mother’s past, she is more than ready to hop on a plane and escape to the magical, idyllic town of Methoni to find out more. Once there, however, Sophie discovers more than she could ever have foreseen… about her mother, yes, but also about herself…
Lucy Frederick says: ‘Never have I longed for a holiday more than when I first dove into Emma’s opening pages. ONE LAST LETTER FROM GREECE is romantic, life-affirming and wonderfully escapist. But beyond the beautiful Greek backdrop, Emma’s story is touching and emotive, introducing an enduring mother-daughter bond and a love that stretches across all time and distance. I know I speak on behalf of the whole Avon team when I say we are over the moon to welcome Emma to the list as an incredibly exciting new voice and we can’t wait for the world to fall in love with Sophie’s journey with us.’
Emma Cowell says: ‘I am thrilled to have the perfect home for my debut novel. Writing this story has been such an emotional experience, exploring the highs and lows of love and grief, touching on some of the universal issues that affect women today. I am so grateful to Kate Burke at Blake Friedmann and the amazing team at Avon for believing in me with such passion and enthusiasm.’
Kate Burke says: ‘I’m delighted to have this deal in place for Emma – both she and the dynamic Avon team are a perfect pairing! Emma’s writing is absorbing and gripping, and her setting is just magical.’
Praise for Emma Cowell:
‘A compelling and tender story, beautifully told by an exciting new voice.’ – Santa Montefiore
‘Emma Cowell tells an emotional, gripping tale about family secrets, love and loss in her debut novel. I am reminded of page turners like EAT, PRAY, LOVE and UNDER THE TUSCAN SUN when I read these delicious pages.’ – Adriana Trigiani
About the author:
Emma lives in Cornwall with her husband, Tony, and their fur baby, a Russian Blue called Papoushka Gerald Cowell. A former actress and BBC presenter Emma has worked in the fundraising division of children’s palliative care for the last decade and is currently Head of Philanthropy for national charity Together for Short Lives. Segueing from being paid to talk for a living into writing was a natural progression, since story telling has been at the heart of her career to date. Outside of work, Emma is a keen angler and held a Cornish record for over 10 years until her crown was toppled. She is yet to get over it but tries to keep calm by practising yoga. Also, a keen linguist, Emma is attempting to learn Greek to maintain her love affair with the country where she has set her debut novel. She is yet to achieve a level of proficiency outside of tavernas and bakeries.