Journalist and editor Ailbhe Malone has gathered some of Ireland’s finest contemporary female voices for BANSHEE, a spellbinding anthology of original short stories which breathes new life into ancient Irish myths. Christina Demosthenous, former Publisher at Renegade Books, won UK and Commonwealth rights at auction from Juliet Pickering, with editor Abigail Scruby overseeing publication following Christina’s departure. With a bespoke, striking cover designed by artist Aoife Cawley, BANSHEE will be published in hardback, eBook and audio on 26 February 2026.

BANSHEE seeks to reclaim the stories of women who have too long stood in the shadows of warriors and kings. Transporting you to treacherous landscapes and salt-crashing seas, generational curses and mystical islands, in BANSHEE you'll find unruly mothers, rule-breaking queens, defiant mermaids and women outrunning their destiny – stories pulsing with desire, danger and defiance.

With contributions from every corner of Irish literature, BANSHEE features luminous retellings by Jane Casey, Naoise Dolan, Salma El-Wardany, Wendy Erskine, Nikita Gill, Anne Griffin, Sarah Maria Griffin, Jess Kidd, Megan Nolan and Sheila O'Flanagan.

‘An anthology felt like the only way to do this project justice,’ said Ailbhe Malone. ‘I was blown away by the response from authors who wanted to participate, and the end result is thrilling, fresh, and compulsively readable. I'm beyond thrilled to be working with JMP, and February 2026 cannot come soon enough.’

‘From the early days of the seanchaí to today, myth and legend has been an inseparable part of Irish culture,’ added Abigail Scruby. ‘The stories in BANSHEE, by some of our finest contemporary writers, are witty, dark and exhilarating, revealing the richness of Irish mythology, while also giving the heroines their long-awaited dues.’

Juliet Pickering said: ‘It was clear that the omission of Irish stories was a huge gap in our mythology publishing, and when Ailbhe suggested the idea for this anthology it was irresistible. We have an incredible line up of authors and their retellings are wonderfully surprising, compelling and long overdue. We're proud to bring these women back into the limelight and celebrate their legacies.’

About Ailbhe Malone

Ailbhe Malone is Senior Editor at the Strategist (New York Magazine). She has also worked for the Guardian, Irish Times, Wired and Nylon (US). Educated at Trinity College Dublin, Ailbhe spent summers in the west of Ireland, surrounded by the foundations of legends featured in this collection. From learning about the salmon of knowledge from a seanchaí to reading Sinéad de Valera's Irish Fairy Tales under the covers at night, she gobbled up every variant of folktale she could find.

Ailbhe is also the author of two self-care books: 101 TINY CHANGES TO BRIGHTEN YOUR DAY (Icon Books, 2018), and 101 TINY CHANGES TO BRIGHTEN YOUR WORLD (Icon Books, 2019).

Praise for BANSHEE

‘I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed it. I was immersed in it. A mystical, magical, empowering modern re-imagining of the Irish Goddesses. A unique and compelling read, I LOVED these superb stories.’ – Patricia Scanlan

‘Sharply-written and urgent, BANSHEE conjures a dazzlingly modern mythology of our oldest stories, richly imagined by the very best of Irish writers. I loved every page.’ – Doireann Ní Ghríofa

SAFE, a comprehensive anthology of writing by and for Black British men edited by Derek Owusu, co-host of the successful literature podcast Mostly Lit, has been bought by Trapeze. Commissioning Editor Emma Smith acquired UK & Commonwealth rights from Juliet Pickering for SAFE: On Black British Men Reclaiming Space. The anthology will be published in hardback, ebook and audio in March 2019.

What is the experience of black men in Britain? With continued conversation around British identity, racism and diversity, there is no better time to explore this question and give black British men a platform to answer it. SAFE: On Black British Men Reclaiming Space, is that platform. Including essays from top poets, writers, musicians, actors and journalists, this timely and accessible book brings together a selection of powerful reflections exploring the black British male experience and what it really means to reclaim and hold space in the landscape of our society. Where do black men belong in school, in the media, in their own families, in the conversation about mental health, in the LGBT community, in grime music – and how can these voices inspire, educate and add to the dialogue of diversity already taking place? Following on from discussions raised by THE GOOD IMMIGRANT and WHY I’M NO LONGER TALKING TO WHITE PEOPLE ABOUT RACE, this collection takes readers on a rich and varied path to confront and question the position of black men in Britain today, and shines a light on the way forward.

Emma Smith said: “This book was impossible not to publish. It’s necessary, authentic and high-calibre writing by an impressive roster of contributors who collectively hold the power to shape attitudes and shift discourse. SAFE will amplify black British male voices, open minds and forge a conversation about cultural identity. I am so proud to be working with Derek on this agenda-setting book that will resonate for generations to come.”

Derek Owusu said: “This is a book about mental health, about violence, about racism, about homophobia, about colourism, but it’s also a book about love, about learning, about compassion and about community. I’m so grateful to have been given the chance to work on this book with so many amazing writers, people as passionate as I am about adding to the current discourse.”

Derek Owusu is a writer, host of hit podcast Mostly Lit, and mentor to young people at Urban Synergy. He discovered his passion for literature aged 23 – before then, he had never read a book cover-to-cover. It was a revelation that came too late for his university path, so instead of switching course, he snuck into English literature lectures at The University of Manchester.

SUBMISSIONS OPEN

Amongst contributors such as poet Suli Breaks, award-winning author Alex Wheatle, Channel 4 news reporter Symeon Brown, writer and Musician Musa Okwonga and Guardian editor Joseph Harker, a competition is now open for essay submissions – the winner of which will feature as the final contributor to SAFE. For more information and terms, please see https://www.mostly-lit.com/safe-competition

Follow Mostly Lit on Twitter or listen to their podcasts