Photo Copyright: Roderick Fields
Six of Beryl Matthews' romantic sagas are to be republished by Allison & Busby. World English rights to DIAMONDS IN THE DUST, HOLD ON TO YOUR DREAMS, ON A FLIGHT OF GOLDEN WINGS, UNCERTAIN YEARS, BATTLES LOST AND WON and THE FORGOTTEN FAMILY were sold by Carole Blake to Susie Dunlop for paperback and eBook publication in 2015. All six books were originally published by Severn House.
The books will be published in the Spring and Autumn of 2015, starting with DIAMONDS IN THE DUST, HOLD ON TO YOUR DREAMS and ON A FLIGHT OF GOLDEN WINGS. Matthews’ sagas, set in late 19th and early 20th Century London, explore classic themes such as love, romance and death against backdrops of war and social change.
Audio rights to DIAMONDS IN THE DUST, ON A FLIGHT OF GOLDEN WINGS and THE FORGOTTEN FAMILY have also recently been relicensed to Isis.
Beryl Matthews says: I am delighted that Allison & Busby are going to republish six of my books. It will be wonderful to see them in print again, and I hope new readers will enjoy them as much as I enjoyed writing them.
Susie Dunlop says: “This just goes to show the classic publisher/agent lunch is as useful as ever! I was thrilled to discover during my chat with Carole that Beryl’s backlist might be available and we warmly welcome this excellent storyteller to our women’s fiction list”
Carole Blake says: “It was a fortuitous conversation between Susie and me when we were on a long train journey to Exeter to meet Julian Stockwin (Allison & Busby have just published his novel THE SILK TREE) that led to us talking about sagas and A+B’s success with them. I’m delighted that Beryl’s timeless backlist will be republished.”
Praise for Beryl Matthews:
‘Heart-warming and uplifting’ – Sunday Express
‘Catherine Cookson fans will love this’ – Women’s Own
‘Matthews’ … has all the hallmarks of the perfect family saga: birth, death, sorrow, happiness, love, luck, and laughter’ – Booklist (USA
For more information please contact:
Susie Dunlop, Publishing Director, Allison & Busby
Carole Blake, Blake Friedmann Literary Agency
For rights inquiries please contact:
Louise Brice, Head of Rights, Blake Friedmann Literary Agency