Blake Friedmann Authors in Best of 2018 Lists

With 2018 drawing to a close, everyone is sharing their favourite books of the year. At Blake Friedmann, we are so proud that our authors have been featured in so many of these selections. In celebration of these amazing achievements, we have compiled this summary of the lists in which our authors were included, along with the praise that accompanied their selection.

SILENCE IS MY MOTHER TONGUE by Sulaiman Addonia

Brittle Paper, African Books of 2018

'Mesmerizing story…  It's impossible not to fall in love with Saba. She brings a ton of emotional texture to the story.'

SLAY IN YOUR LANE by Yomi Adegoke and Elizabeth Uviebinene

Grazia, The 12 Books We Couldn’t Stop Talking About This Year

‘Guide to be­ing a black girl in mod­ern ur­ban Britain which is es­sen­tial read­ing for both the women it de­scribes and any­one who could do with a crash course in un­der­stand­ing their lives. Un­miss­able.’

The Guardian, Favourite Books of 2018

‘Never would I have thought a modern take on the British black female experience would be covered so wonderfully and with such excitement by two British black females. The range of topics were discussion worthy, and filled me for weeks with talking points … BUY A COPY FOR THE NEW YEAR AND BE SURPRISED AND EXCITED.’

Kimberley Sheehan, The Reading Agency, Books of the Year 2018

‘This book is a brilliant starting point to understand what it's like to be woman, black and a Londoner in 2018. It ultimately left me feeling hopeful about the future for women and empowered -- which has been a nice change compared to the rest of the year!’

Forbes, The Most Empowering Books by Female Authors of 2018

‘In this highly anticipated work from award-winning journalist Yomi Adegoke and her best friend, marketer Elizabeth Uviebinene SLAY IN YOUR LANE celebrates the gains that black women have already made in Britain whilst also highlighting the work that still needs to be done. It’s an encouraging and honest account of their own lives and a celebration of the achievements of some of Britain’s most successful black women that’ll leave you feeling fired up and hopeful for the future. For black women it serves as an inspiration and for other women and men a guide on how we can better support women of colour.’

CITY WITHOUT STARS by Tim Baker

Jake Kerridge, Crime Time,  Best of the Year 2018

Raven Crime Reads, Top 10 Crime Reads of the Year 2018

 ‘CITY WITHOUT STARS is an intense, emotive and completely absorbing read, suffused with a violent energy, and with an unrelenting pace to its narrative. It heightens the reader’s senses and imagination throughout, completely enveloping the reader in this corrupt and violent society, with instances of intense human frailty and moments of strength, underpinned by precise description, and flurries of dark humour. I thought it was absolutely marvellous.’

The Telegraph, 50 Best Books of 2018

‘A grim but unputdownable thriller set in Mexico, where the homicide rate is so high that a prolific serial killer goes nearly unnoticed.’

UNCOVERED by Ian Birch

Steve Smith, Folio Magazine, The Best Books for Print Lovers 2018

‘This is the book true magazine geeks will appreciate most this holiday… a deft and deep compendium of provocations from titles large and small.’

LITTLE by Edward Carey

The Times, Books of the Year (Historical Fiction)

'Told with extraordinary panache, and illustrated by Edward Carey, this tale of the founder of Madame Tussauds is a macabre joy.'

Sunday Times Culture Magazine, Books of the Year

'Edward Carey's LITTLE is weird, wonderful and unlike any other historical novel this year. Enriched by the author's own illustrations, this retelling of the early life of Marie Grosholtz (aka Madame Tussaud) is both macabre and moving.'

Kirkus, Best Historical Fiction

Amal El-Mohtar, NPR, Best Books of 2018

'Picking up on the same themes of bodies and objects as his Iremonger trilogy, Edward Carey's LITTLE is a tenderly macabre fictional memoir written in the voice of Anne Marie Grosholtz, the woman who would become Madame Tussaud… her life is full of deep sadness mixed with fabulous incident, and compassionate insight punctuated by the author's whimsical illustrations.'

William Ryan, Irish Independent, Authors Top Books of 2018

'A gripping novel of shy wit and darkly humorous occurrences and is mesmerising in its virtuosity. On top of which the author's own illustrations are wonderfully bizarre, as indeed is the story he tells.'

GOOD SAMARITANS by Will Carver

Jon Coates, Crime Time,  Best of the Year 2018

Jake Kerridge, Crime Time, Best of the Year 2018

HOLD/HOUSEGIRL by Michael Donkor

Melissa Gray, NPR, Best Books of 2018

‘I hate novels. This is a strong statement, I know – here’s why I make it before telling you about HOUSEGIRL: I hate novels because too often, I know exactly where the story is heading, where the characters are heading. I loved HOUSEGIRL because Michael Donkor's storytelling and character building were so exquisite… Two days after I finished the book, I found myself actually missing the characters. This is a rare accomplishment for a first-time author, which is why I recommend HOUSEGIRL – even though it's a novel.'

The Observer, Best Books of 2018

‘Exquisite debut’

Brittle Paper, African Books of 2018

'A unique take on the classic "housegirl" narrative.'

PRETEND YOU DON’T KNOW ME by Finuala Dowling

Jackie Kay, The Guardian, Best Books of 2018

‘A witty and wise collection. Her sequence about her mother’s dementia is very touching. Elsewhere, these vital works will have you crying with laughter.’

 

TODAY SOUTH LONDON, TOMORROW SOUTH LONDON by Andrew Grumbridge and Vincent Raison

 Evening Standard, Best Comedy Books and DVDs of 2018

 

THE CHILDREN’S HOME by Charles Lambert

New York Times, Before Watching ‘The Haunting of Hill House,’ Read These 13 Haunted Books

‘”Abandoned children of varying ages begin showing up at the sprawling estate of a disfigured recluse, Morgan Fletcher,” Carmela Ciuraru wrote, calling it “one of the year’s most bizarre stories.” “Lambert’s subtle prose enhances the novel’s creepiness, as does his refusal to fully resolve or explain its many mysteries.”’

BOOKWORM by Lucy Mangan

Den of Geeks, Top Books of 2018

‘I’d like to report a robbery. Under cover of darkness, writer and Guardian TV critic Lucy Mangan crept into my soul, pocketed my memories and wrote them up beautifully in the guise of her “memoir of childhood reading.”… Lucy Mangan’s funny, warm BOOKWORM is personal and universal in the way that the very best books are… [It] rekindles old obsessions and sends you in search of any stories you may have missed at the time. I loved this book so much, I ate it.’

THE WOMAN IN THE BLUE CLOAK by Deon Meyer

The Times, Books of the Year 2018

'Are novellas making a comeback? If they can match the elegance of [THE WOMAN IN THE BLUE CLOAK], let's hope so. THE WOMAN IN THE BLUE CLOAK is a delicate story of a Dutch paining and the death of a naked woman in Cape Town. As usual, DI Benny Griessel inquires.'

WHAT HAPPENED THAT NIGHT by Sheila O’Flanagan

One of Ireland’s best-selling books of 2018

THE CATALOGUE OF SHIPWRECKED BOOKS by Edward Wilson Lee

The Spectator, Books of the Year  

‘the fascinating history of Christopher Columbus’s illegitimate son Hernando, guardian of his father’s flame, courtier, bibliophile and cataloguer supreme, whose travels took him to the heart of 16th-century Europe.’

ABSOLUTE PROOF and SLAY IN YOUR LANE Shortlisted for the National Book Awards

We are delighted to announce that ABSOLUTE PROOF by Peter James has been shortlisted in the Audiobook of the Year category of the Specsavers National Book Awards, with SLAY IN YOUR LANE by Yomi Adegoke and Elizabeth Uviebinene shortlisted in the Popular Non Fiction category.

The National Book Awards celebrate the best and most popular books of the year and the winners will be announced on 20th November at an awards ceremony presented by Zoe Ball.

ABSOLUTE PROOF is an international thriller which asks some of lifes biggest questions: what would it take to prove the existence of God? And what would be the consequences? The false faith of a billionaire evangelist, the life’s work of a famous atheist, and the credibility of each of the world’s major religions are all under threat in this gripping tale.

From education to work to dating, SLAY IN YOUR LANE recognises and celebrates the strides black women have already made, while providing practical advice for those who want to do the same and forge a better, visible future. Illustrated with stories from best friends Elizabeth Uviebinené and Yomi Adegoke’s own lives, and using interviews with dozens of the most successful black women in Britain, SLAY IN YOUR LANE is essential reading for a generation of black women inspired to find success in every area of their lives.

Praise for ABSOLUTE PROOF:

'With ABSOLUTE PROOF, the King of Crime is now a miracle worker.' - Jon Coates, Sunday Express

‘We are in Dan Brown blockbuster territory, but both atheists and believers will find food for thought in this globe-trotting epic.' – Barry Forshaw, Guardian

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Praise for SLAY IN YOUR LANE:

‘A comprehensive, inspirational tool book that gives voice, to the next generation of young black British women navigating life in Britain today… It is a book that is bound to resonate with many black British women straddling the heritage of their parents with their sense of place in British society.‘ — Funmi Fetto, Vogue

 ‘A tribute to the strides made by black women and a guide to achieving more.’ — Stylist

Follow Yomi on Twitter.

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SLAY IN YOUR LANE: THE BLACK GIRL BIBLE, BY YOMI ADEGOKE AND ELIZABETH UVIEBINENÉ, IS OUT NOW!

The wait is finally over as Yomi Adegoke and Elizabeth Uviebinené’s highly anticipated inspirational guide to life for young black women, SLAY IN YOUR LANE, is out today in hardback from Fourth Estate. Celebrating the achievements of black British women, SLAY IN YOUR LANE encourages readers to make lemonade out of lemons and find success in their careers, relationships, and in their lives.

In the run-up to publication, SLAY IN YOUR LANE, has been included in multiple best of lists, including The Observer’s ‘18 for 2018’, Elle’s ‘12 addictive books you have to read to get through in 2018’, Metro’s ‘best new books  in 2018’ and the BBC’s ‘hotly anticipated debut authors for 2018’. Mostly Lit’s Clarissa Pabi called it ‘a book I can genuinely say I've been waiting for’, and The Bookseller praise it as ‘a valuable framework to help navigate the murky world of working – and existing – while black and female’.

“Black women today are well past making waves we’re currently creating something of a tsunami. Women who look like us, grew up in similar places to us, talk like us, are shaping almost every sector of society.” 

From education to work to dating, this inspirational, honest and provocative book recognises and celebrates the strides black women have already made, while providing practical advice for those who want to do the same and forge a better, visible future.

Illustrated with stories from best friends Elizabeth Uviebinené and Yomi Adegoke’s own lives, and using interviews with dozens of the most successful black women in Britain including BAFTA Award-winning director Amma Asante, British Vogue publisher Vanessa Kingori and Olympic gold medallist Denise Lewis, SLAY IN YOUR LANE is essential reading for a generation of black women inspired to find success in every area of their lives.

SLAY IN YOUR LANE will be Book of the Week next week (starting 9th July), on BBC Radio 4. You can read an interview with Yomi and Elizabeth and an extract from the book in The Times, here, and in The Observer, here.

Yomi Adegoke is an award-winning journalist and senior writer at The Pool. She writes about race, feminism, popular culture and how they intersect, as well as class and politics. In 2013 she founded Birthday Magazine, a publication aimed at black teenage girls, and this year was listed as one of the 200 Women Redefining the Creative Industry by The Dots. She was also named as a 'frontline pioneer' bringing the fight to 'a new generation', by the Evening Standard.

Elizabeth Uviebinené is a Brand Marketer from London; upon graduating from Warwick University with a Politics degree she has gone on to work for some of the biggest global brands in Finance, and was promoted to a Marketing Manager.

Visit the SLAY IN YOUR LANE Twitter page

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Praise for SLAY IN YOUR LANE:

‘Hotly-anticipated… Best friends Yomi and Elizabeth decided to write the book because they realised there was a huge gap in the market - these were the stories they wanted to read about, so they decided to write it themselves. They also scatter in anecdotes from their own lives in their bid to tackle the challenges facing black women today, and plenty of advice.’ — Lauren Turner, BBC, Books look ahead 2018

‘In SLAY IN YOUR LANE, Adegoke and Uviebinene have created a valuable framework to help navigate the murky world of working – and existing – while black and female. It puts into words the amorphous, intangible feelings we walk around with and counters them with inspirational stories from industry leaders.’ — The Bookseller

‘What better choice for a summer read than this inspirational guide to life for the modern British black woman, promising to help you “make lemonade out of lemons, and find success in every area of your life”.’ — Elle, 12 Addictive Books You Have To Read To Get Through 2018

‘Quite literally a bible, this is the quintessential black woman’s guide to life for a generation of British women ‘inspired to make Lemonade out of lemons.’ Read Adegoke’s wisdom-filled essays on work, dating, beauty, representation, money, education and health and how being black and female affects each of these.’ — Melan Mag, Best titles by BME authors 2018

 ‘An inspiring read’ — Phoebe Hurst, The Pool

‘We could not put it down after reading the first page… a true insight into being a black woman in today’s Britain’ — BLACK BEAUTY MAGAZINE

‘As a young black British woman and an avid reader of books on personal development and success, this is a book I can genuinely say I've been waiting for, from at least when I discovered the genre a decade ago. I suspect many others have been waiting even longer, too…representative, thought-provoking, honest, humorous and inspirational. It recognises the waves and tsunamis black British women have already made, whilst providing practical advice and inspiration for slaying and succeeding even further, in your own way.’ — Clarissa Pabi, Waterstones Blog, Mostly Lit’s Must Reads

‘SLAY IN YOUR LANE is the black girl bible — an indispensable guide to living today…it’s provocative, uplifting, timely and important.’ — Netgalley, Top 10 Pick for July 

4th Estate acquire SLAY IN YOUR LANE: THE Black Girl Bible in 9-way auction

Helen Garnons-Williams, Publishing Director at 4th Estate, has bought SLAY IN YOUR LANE: The Black Girl Bible by Yomi Adegoke and Elizabeth Uviebinene, in a hotly-contested auction involving nine publishers, from Juliet Pickering at Blake Friedmann Agency. Rights secured are British Commonwealth excl. Canada. Publication is scheduled for Spring, 2018.

SLAY IN YOUR LANE is a guide to life for a generation of black British women inspired to make Lemonade out of lemons, à la Beyonce. Filling a keenly-felt void in books focused on their experiences, SLAY IN YOUR LANE touches on work, dating, representation, education and health, and takes a look at how being black and female affects each of these areas - as told by a bevy of successful black women. It’s about recognising and celebrating the strides black British women have already made, whilst inspiring those who want to do the same and challenging complacency and status quo to forge a better, visible future.

Infectiously smart, funny and furious, Yomi and Elizabeth are part of an ongoing conversation online about the recent crop of inspirational books, and the women that write them. For them, the question is: where is our voice? Between Sandberg's Lean In and Amoruso's #GirlBoss, what is out there for black British women trying to navigate their formative years in a world in which they're largely sidelined?

SLAY IN YOUR LANE is the answer. Yomi and Elizabeth jump into the conversation on behalf of their friends and themselves, tackling issues unique to being young, female and black. From 25 year-old beauty entrepreneur Florence Adepoju to BAFTA award-winning director Amma Asante, they have tracked down successful black British women across a variety of industries, and have interviewed them throughout the book, pulling them into the spotlight alongside their own experiences. Yomi and Elizabeth hope to highlight the stories of some of the country’s most accomplished and yet simultaneously underrepresented women. 

The idea is to build a bright and brilliant campaign around SLAY IN YOUR LANE, utilising regular media, social media platforms (#SIYL), and spreading the word via the women involved. A call to action for black British women, the book not only aims to motivate and galvanise them but to inspire and enlighten all to the reality of their experiences. 

Yomi and Elizabeth are well aware that black women may have been confined to a proverbial lane. But that doesn’t mean they won’t slay in and outside of it.

www.slayinyourlane.co.uk

Twitter: @slayinyourlane