HarperCollins acquires two new historical novels from Barbara Erskine

Photo credit: Chris Norton

HarperFiction has acquired two new sweeping historical novels from multi-million copy bestseller Barbara Erskine. Kimberley Young, formerly Managing Director at HarperFiction, bought World English Language rights from Isobel Dixon at Blake Friedmann Literary Agency. Editorial Director, Belinda Toor, has taken on publishing Erskine following Young’s departure last year.

 Erskine has been mesmerising readers for decades, combining her historical expertise with a hint of the supernatural to create dual timeline mysteries that stay with readers long after the final page. She is the bestselling author of sixteen previous novels, eight of which have reached the Sunday Times Top Ten, and three short story collections. Her first book, LADY OF HAY, is an enduring classic and has sold over three million copies worldwide. It has never been out of print since it was first published almost forty years ago.

The first book in the new deal, THE STORY SPINNER – Barbara’s twentieth book – will be published in hardback, eBook and audio in August 2024. A time-slip set in the heart of the Welsh countryside; the reader meets novelist Cadi Jones as she is researching her latest project – the tale of a Welsh queen, lost to the pages of history. As Cadi writes, she stumbles across an undiscovered story, one that takes the reader to Roman Britain, Arthur’s Legend and even the Holy Grail.

 The second novel in the contract, THE VALLEY OF RAVENS, will be released in hardback, eBook and audio in 2026.

Belinda Toor said: ‘Barbara is a masterful storyteller, and her novels are timeless. She has been delighting readers for decades and THE STORY SPINNER promises to deliver all that readers love from her previous work and more. It’s brimming with rich historical detail and flavour, characters you champion from the first page, and a ghostly connection to the past that has become Barbara’s trademark. I couldn’t be more thrilled to work with such a master of the craft!’

 Barbara Erskine said, ‘I’m so pleased to be heading off once more into the past with the wonderful HarperCollins team. THE STORY SPINNER  has been enormously exciting to write and I hope my readers find it as compelling and intriguing as I did. I can’t wait to see it out there.’

Isobel Dixon said, ‘Barbara Erskine herself is a story spinner par excellence, and we all loved this story, right from Barbara’s first mention. The arrival of the manuscript was a moment of great excitement and the vivid characters and dual past-and-present worlds soon cast their totally absorbing spell. We can’t wait for legions of readers around the world to experience that Erskine magic again too.’

 You can pre-order THE STORY SPINNER here.

About Barbara Erskine

Historian and novelist Barbara Erskine was the first writer to become a major bestseller with dual-time-period novels. Her debut, LADY OF HAY, catapulted her to international success and has been constantly in print for nearly forty years. Barbara’s work is published all around the world in English and in 26 other languages. Her books are regular Sunday Times bestsellers in both hardback and paperback, with millions of copies sold. Her nineteenth book, THE DREAM WEAVERS, was published by HarperCollins in April 2021 and flew straight into the Top 5 on the Sunday Times hardback bestseller chart. The paperback hit the Top 20 in its first week of sale.

 She lives in an old police station in Hay-on-Wye, the setting of LADY OF HAY and SLEEPER’S CASTLE and near Offa’s Dyke, a key location in THE DREAM WEAVERS.

Praise for Barbara Erskine

‘Fascinating, absorbing, original. But perhaps the most suitable word is hypnotic.’ – SHE

‘Erskine never disappoints.’ – Historical Novel Society

‘Will thrill, enchant and intrigue those who love history and the supernatural. Barbara Erskine’s grasp of time, place and atmosphere is second to none, the storytelling a masterpiece.’ – Alison Weir

‘The acknowledged queen of the historical time-slip novel.’ – Daily Mail

 Visit Barbara’s website.

Follow Barbara on X (previously Twitter) and Facebook.

HARPERCOLLINS WINS AUCTION FOR MY FIRST MEALS COOKBOOK FROM INSTAGRAMMER GRACE MORTIMER

We are delighted to announce that HarperCollins will publish MY FIRST MEALS: Fast, fun recipes for children with just five ingredients, the first cookbook from Instagram sensation Grace Mortimer. Louise McKeever, Editorial Director at HQ, acquired World All Language rights, at auction, from Juliet Pickering at Blake Friedmann Literary Agency.

Grace has amassed an impressive following of over 130,000 on Instagram since starting @_myfirstmeals during the first lockdown of 2020. She uses the platform to share her ingeniously quick, simple, and affordable five-ingredient recipe ideas for kids. In MY FIRST MEALS, Grace creates easy, delicious, and healthy recipes that take minimal effort to prepare and cook. With every dish requiring just five ingredients (or less), she makes quick and tasty lunches, snacks and dinners, that young children (and adults!) will love.

Grace Mortimer said: ‘I am beyond excited to be working with HQ on my first book. I wanted to create a book where the recipes were so easy to follow that anyone could confidently undertake them, whatever their level of experience in the kitchen, and without having to give their full concentration to cooking. I’m so pleased that HQ saw what I wanted to do with MY FIRST MEALS and gave me the opportunity to create this book for time-poor, usually exhausted, cooks!’

Louise McKeever said: ‘As soon as we met Grace and discovered the magic she could create with just a couple of ingredients in hand, we knew we had to publish her first cookbook. These are fast, fabulous and fun recipes that you can easily make and that your kids will absolutely adore.’

Juliet Pickering said: ‘From the minute Grace’s first email landed, I knew she had the most brilliant idea for a book – not least because I have a 3-year-old to feed at home myself! Grace is a joy to work with, and I have loved cooking her simple and delicious dishes - and there’s no harsher critic than a toddler, who’s loved them too. I’m so pleased to bring this book to more parents and carers, who want an easier mealtime and happy, well-fed children! I can’t wait to share copies of MY FIRST MEALS with friends and family.’

HQ will publish My First Meals in the UK in August 2022 in hardback and eBook: https://amzn.to/3KKDFkn

About Grace:

Grace Mortimer is the 29-year-old mother to Harry. She lives in Gloucestershire with her long-term partner, Tom. She studied law at university and worked in sales for years but decided to start working part-time when Harry turned one. Grace is originally from Essex and grew up with extremely foodie parents but didn’t develop her passion for cooking until her third year of university.

Follow Grace on Instagram

BARBARA ERSKINE’S THE DREAM WEAVERS SHOOTS STRAIGHT INTO THE TOP 5 IN THE SUNDAY TIMES HARDBACK BESTSELLER CHART

Barbara Erskine’s sweeping new historical novel, THE DREAM WEAVERS (HarperCollins), has flown straight to the Number 4 spot in the Sunday Times hardback bestseller chart after just three days on sale, while the audiobook sailed into the Audible Top 10 bestsellers at Number 7. THE DREAM WEAVERS has also been included in Waterstones’ Best Books to Look Out For in April and was a LoveReading Exciting New Books on the Horizon pick.

Mercia, 788 AD. In the grand Saxon halls of Mercia, King Offa rules with cold ambition. His youngest daughter Eadburh is destined for an arranged marriage, but with reckless spirit her heart is taken by a Welsh prince, a man she can never be matched with and who is quickly and cruelly taken from her.

Eadburh inherited her father’s ruthless ways but it’s the gifts passed down from her mother that are far more dangerous. She is determined to carve her own place in the world, yet her path could cause war.

Offa’s Dyke, 2021. In a cottage hidden amongst the misty Welsh hills of Offa’s Dyke, Bea Dalloway is called to help Simon Armstrong, who is searching for peace. Instead he finds himself disturbed by unsettling noises and visions.

It isn’t long before Bea is also swept up by haunting dreams. The past is whispering to them, calling out for the truth to be told at last.  And as dreams and reality weave closer together, Bea and Simon must be strong to resist the pull of the past – and its desire for revenge…

You can read more about Offa’s Dyke in Barbara’s article for The Telegraph.

THE DREAM WEAVERS also garnered wonderful early praise from authors:

‘If you like brilliantly written history tinged with magic and ghosts, you'll love this’ – Peter James

‘As if by magic, THE DREAM WEAVERS transported me to another time and place. Mysterious and haunting - a richly woven tapestry of history and intrigue.’ – Fiona Valpy

‘Time-slip novels are rarely as compelling as this one, and Barbara Erskine is the supreme mistress of the genre. THE DREAM WEAVERS is a dazzling roller-coaster of a book that will thrill, enchant and intrigue those who love history and the supernatural. Erskine’s grasp of time, place and atmosphere is second to none, the storytelling a masterpiece, the ending one of the most moving I have ever read. If you read one book this year, read this one!’ – Alison Weir

‘So atmospheric and suspenseful, full of myth and magic and hauntings’ – Rachel Hore

‘Warmth, depth, mystery, magic and the supernatural … such a beautiful book!’ –  Santa Montefiore

‘Barbara Erskine has done it yet again. From the very first pages of THE DREAM WEAVERS, you are drawn into the lives of modern-day characters who will, inexorably, slip the bonds of time into the mysterious and magical world of the early Saxons, and find yourself turning the pages with increasing urgency to follow this terrific, epic tale of secrets and betrayals.’ – Liz Trenow

Translation rights in THE DREAM WEAVERS have already been sold in the Czech Republic and Russia. New audio editions of her classic novels LADY OF HAY, WHISPERS IN THE SAND and KINGDOM OF SHADOWS will also be released throughout 2021, with introductions written and read by Barbara herself.

About the Author:

Historian and novelist, Barbara Erskine was the first writer to become a major bestseller with dual time period novels. Her first novel, LADY OF HAY, catapulted her to international success and has been constantly in print for 35 years. Often imitated, never equalled, Barbara’s work is published all around the world in English and in 26 other languages. Her books are regular Sunday Times bestsellers in both hardback and paperback, with millions of copies sold.

Barbara Erskine has 16 novels and 3 original short story collections to her name. Euromedia published ‘The Best of Barbara Erskine’ short story collection in the Czech Republic in October 2020.

She lives in an old police station in Hay-on-Wye, the setting of LADY OF HAY and SLEEPER’S CASTLE, and near Offa’s Dyke, a key location in THE DREAM WEAVERS.

 Praise for Barbara Erskine
‘Fascinating, absorbing, original. But perhaps the most suitable word is hypnotic.’ – SHE

‘Erskine never disappoints.’ — Historical Novel Society

'My perfect storm of escapist bliss.' – Saga

‘The acknowledged queen of the historical time-slip novel.’ – Daily Mail

‘Whether you class her as historical or supernatural, she is certainly a first-rate storyteller.’ – The Bookseller

Visit Barbara’s website.

Follow Barbara on Twitter.

Follow Barbara on Facebook.

THE GHOST TREE by Barbara Erskine is number 2 in the Sunday Times Bestseller list in its first week.

Barbara Erskine’s gripping ghost story THE GHOST TREE has leapt to Number 2 on the Sunday Times Bestseller list in its first week on sale. Published in hardback by HarperCollins on the 23rd of August, the inspiration for THE GHOST TREE lies in Barbara Erskine’s own personal history branching back to the days of Thomas Erskine, her great grandfather, five times removed. Once again, the Sunday Times bestselling author brings the past to life in vivid, spellbinding colour.

Ruth has returned to Edinburgh after many years of exile, left rootless by the end of her marriage, career and now the death of her father, from whom she had long been estranged. She is faced with the daunting task of clearing his house, believing he had removed all traces of her mother. Yet hidden away in a barely used top-floor room, she finds he had secretly kept a cupboard full of her possessions. Sifting through the ancient papers, Ruth discovers the diary and letters written by her ancestor from the eighteenth century, Thomas Erskine.

As the youngest son of a noble family now living in genteel poverty, Thomas always knew he would have to make his own way in the world. Unable to follow his brothers to university, instead he joins first the navy and then the army, rising through the ranks, travelling the world. When he is finally able to study law, his extraordinary experiences and abilities propel him to the very top and he becomes Lord Chancellor. Yet he has made a powerful enemy on his voyages, who will hound him and his family to the death – and beyond.

Ruth becomes ever more aware of Thomas as she is gripped by his story, and slowly senses that not only is his presence with her, but so is his enemy’s. Ruth will have to draw upon new friends and old in what becomes a battle for her very survival – and discover an inner power beyond anything she has imagined

About Barbara Erskine

An historian by training, Barbara Erskine is the author of 14 bestselling novels, beginning with the much-loved classic, LADY OF HAY, which has sold over 3 million copies. She has also published three highly successful volumes of short stories. Her books, which have appeared in 24 languages, demonstrate her masterful storytelling abilities and her fascination with history and the supernatural. She lives with her family in an old police station in Hay-on-Wye.

Visit Barbara Erskine’s website

Follow Barbara on Twitter

Praise for Barbara Erskine:

 'Barbara Erskine's storytelling talent is undeniable.' - The Times

'The Queen of time slip epics.' - The Bookseller

'Stephen King meets Ruth Rendell.' – Frank Delaney

‘Her forte is mood, atmosphere and toe-curling frisson.’ – Elizabeth Buchan, Sunday Times

HARPERCOLLINS SET TO LAUNCH NEW IMPRINT WITH WENDY ALEC'S CHRONICLES OF BROTHERS

Wendy Alec’s compelling fantasy novels are set to be launch titles for HarperCollins’ new Christian imprint. Harper Inspire will launch in spring 2018, and publish commercial fiction and non-fiction.

The originally self-published series, which has sold nearly three-quarters of a million copies, follows the story of a dark angel’s fall and his efforts to corrupt humanity.. The first four titles in the series – THE FALL OF LUCIFER, MESSIAH: THE FIRST JUDGEMENT, SON OF PERDITION and A PALE HORSE – will be simultaneously released on June 28. The fifth novel END OF DAYS is set to follow in autumn 2018. Fans of the series can anticipate future instalments as Wendy plans to continue the epic fantasy series. Before writing the CHRONICLES OF BROTHERS, Wendy worked in advertising and television production, including launching God TV, a Christian media network, in 1995.

Rose Sandy, affiliate publisher at Harper Inspire, said: “Although we know the Christian market is a huge one, I believe we have the potential to reach an even wider audience.

“Harper Inspire will be a place to find stimulating, motivating reads on contemporary topics for the curious mind. I am thrilled to launch with Wendy’s cinematic and epic CHRONICLES OF BROTHERS SAGA, and can’t wait to see where the road takes us next."