EDWARD CAREY’S TRANSATLANTIC IREMONGERS

Edward Carey’s FOULSHAM, the second book in his popular Iremonger Trilogy, was published in paperback yesterday in the UK by Hot Key Books and will be published for the first time in the US next Tuesday, 7 July, by Overlook Press.

Overlook published Clod’s previous adventure, HEAP HOUSE, in July 2014, and the book was a roaring success stateside, with The New York Times pronouncing it Notable Book of 2014 and Book Review Editor’s choice, calling it ‘spectacularly weird’. HEAP HOUSE was selected in Publisher’s Weekly Best Books of 2014 and chosen by Kirkus as one of the Best Teen Books of 2014. Kirkus Reviews called it ‘a gothic tale in turns witty, sweet, thoughtful and thrilling — but always off-kilter — and penned with gorgeous, loopy prose.’

In the UK, HEAP HOUSE was recommended on the Book Trust Christmas Gifts for Children List 2013 and described as ‘astonishing and inventive’ by The Sunday Times who also listed it as one of the Best Children’s Books of 2013. Edward’s FOULSHAM continues to uphold the Iremonger’s darkly thrilling reputation, with Kirkus calling it ‘a story wondrous fine, full of terrors and marvels.’

Foulsham, London's great filth repository, is bursting at the seams. In the Iremonger family offices, Grandfather Umbitt Iremonger broods: in his misery and fury at the people of London, he has found a way of making everyday objects assume human shape, and turning real people into objects. Abandoned in the depths of the Heaps, Lucy Pennant has been rescued by a terrifying creature more animal than human, Binadit Iremonger. Lucy is desperate and determined to find Clod. But unbeknownst to her, Clod has become a golden sovereign and is 'lost’. He is being passed as currency from hand to hand all around Foulsham, and yet everywhere people are searching for him, desperate to get hold of this dangerous Iremonger, who, it is believed, has the power to bring the mighty Umbitt down.

The dramatic final instalment of the trilogy, LUNGDON, will be simultaneously published by Overlook in the US, Hot Key in the UK and HarperCollins Canada in November 2015. The Iremongers have already made their appearance in France, Italy, China, Russia and Brazilian, Bulgarian, Czech and Japanese rights are also sold.

Edward Carey is a novelist, visual artist and playwright. His debut novel OBSERVATORY MANSIONS is sold in 14 countries and was described by John Fowles as 'proving the potential brilliance of the novel form'. Artwork by this prodigiously talented author features in all his books. See more on his website here. 

Praise for Edward Carey

‘Edward Carey is a writer whose books confound and amaze me. …He’s brilliant and precocious and spectacularly imaginative.’ – Katharine Weber, The Readerville Journal

‘The inventions of Edward Carey are constantly astonishing…’ – Livres Hebdo

‘There’s no denying Carey’s ingenuity. His is a voice both fresh and familiar: a writer who will continue to impress himself on our landscape.’ – Review of Contemporary Fiction

Edward Carey’s FOULSHAM out today from Hot Key

The wait is over. FOULSHAM, the second book in Edward Carey’s much-praised IREMONGER trilogy, is out from Hot Key today in the UK. It is published in a beautiful hardback complete with illustrations by Edward himself.

Foulsham, London's great filth repository, is bursting at the seams. In the Iremonger family offices, Grandfather Umbitt Iremonger broods: in his misery and fury at the people of London, he has found a way of making everyday objects assume human shape, and turning real people into objects. Abandoned in the depths of the Heaps, Lucy Pennant has been rescued by a terrifying creature, Binadit Iremonger – more animal than human. She is desperate and determined to find Clod. But unbeknownst to her, Clod has become a golden sovereign, being passed as currency from hand to hand all around Foulsham. Everywhere people are searching for him, desperate to get hold of this dangerous Iremonger, who, it is believed, has the power to bring the mighty Umbitt down. But all around the city, things, everyday things, are twitching into life...

The Iremongers are taking over the Hot Key tumblr this week in celebration – visit to see illustrations by Edward Carey and more!

Be sure to visit Waterstones’ flagship store in Piccadilly for an exclusive chance to see Edward Carey’s illustrations on the chalk board and their brand new illustrators’ gallery.

There will also be two chances for fans to catch Edward Carey at Edinburgh Book Festival this year. He will be talking about creating characters with Nathan Filer and Matthew Quick, and will also be doing a children’s event to tell young readers all about Clod.

Clod last appeared in HEAP HOUSE, published by Hot Key last summer. It was recommended on the Booktrust Christmas Gifts for Children List 2013 and listed by The Sunday Times as one of the Top Children’s Books of 2013. Booker Prize winner Eleanor Catton called it ‘delightful, eccentric, heartfelt, surprising, philosophical’ and her ‘favourite novel for children published this year’. The paperback is currently available.

Rights to HEAP HOUSE have been sold in 9 territories. It was published by Harper Collins in Canada in March and recently selected by the Toronto Star in their round-up of summer reads for kids:

'For Gothic unease, try Edward Carey's IREMONGER Book 1: HEAP HOUSE a story of mildew and mould that despite its rubbish heap setting, sparkles with ghoulish interest and Gorey-esque drawings.' - Deidre Baker, The Toronto Star.

Overlook publish HEAP HOUSE in the US in October.

Novelist, visual artist and playwright Edward Carey is the author of two acclaimed novels, published in many countries around the world. OBSERVATORY MANSIONS was shortlisted for the Borders Discover New Writers Award and ALVA AND IRVA was longlisted for the 2005 IMPAC Literary Award. Both were accompanied by artworks by the author.

Follow Edward on Twitter

Visit the Iremongers on Edward’s website

Praise for HEAP HOUSE:

‘Edward Carey's HEAP HOUSE-- delightful, eccentric, heartfelt, surprising, philosophical, everything that a novel for children should be.’ – Eleanor Catton, author of THE LUMINARIES

‘IREMONGER torques and tempers our memories of Dickensian London into a singularly jaunty and creepy tale of agreeable misfits. Read it by gas lamp, with a glass of absinthe at your wrist and a fireplace poker by your knee. ’    -- Gregory Maguire, author of WICKED

'I cannot recommend HEAP HOUSE by Edward Carey enough. The best book of its kind since GORMENGHAST (& more exciting)' – Gregory Norminton

‘Fabulously strange and in the tradition of Mervyn Peake... Astonishing and inventive, it calls out to be read.' – Sunday Times Best Children’s Books of 2013 

Catch BFLA Authors at the Edinburgh Festivals

Tickets are now on sale for Edinburgh International Book Festival and you can see several Blake Friedmann authors there this August.

Edward Carey will be appearing at the festival twice. On 9 August he will be talking with Nathan Filer and Matthew Quick about creating characters in fiction. On 10 August he will be talking to children about his IREMONGER trilogy. The second in the trilogy, FOULSHAM, is published on 7 August. Explore Foulsham on Edward’s website.

On 15 August, Monique Roffey will be talking with Neel Mukherjee. Their conversation will explore the different ways their books address idealistic young men railing against their societies. Monique’s latest novel, HOUSE OF ASHES, is published on 24 July. See more on Monique’s website.

Rohan Gavin is running a reading workshop on THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES, Sherlock Holmes’s most famous case, on 19 August. The second novel in his KNIGHTLEY AND SON series, KNIGHTLEY AND SON: K-9, published on 14 August, also features a hound or two… See more on knightleyandson.com.

Zakes Mda is appearing on 19 August as part of the Voices from South Africa series to talk about his novels, including his most recent book THE SCULPTORS OF MAPUNGUBWE.

Margie Orford talks with Parker Bilal about African crime fiction and her novel WATER MUSIC, the fifth featuring detective Clare Hart, on 20 August. See more on Margie’s website.

On 25 August, Kerry Hudson talks with Simon Van Booy about her new novel THIRST and love stories. Find out more on Kerry’s Website.

Many of our writers also have shows as part of the Edinburgh fringe festival.

Andrew Doyle is performing his stand up show Zero Tolerance at the Stand this year from 30 July – 24 August. He will also be performing in a play called Outings at the Gilded Balloon, which explores many true life stories of people coming out, and runs from 30 July – 25 August.

Anna Emerson and Lizzie Bates of the Boom Jennies both have shows at the Fringe. Anna Emerson presents “An Evening With Patti DuPont” from 1-24 August. Lizzie Bates’ comedy show Reprobates runs from 30 July – 25 August. You can read more about the shows here.

The Edinburgh Festival is one of the largest Arts events in the world and takes place for three weeks every August in Scotland’s capital city.

A US home for Edward Carey’s IREMONGERS

Tracy Carns of Overlook has acquired US rights to Edward Carey’s acclaimed IREMONGER TRILOGY. Chosen as a Book of the Year by Booker 2013 winner, Eleanor Catton, the first title in the trilogy, HEAP HOUSE, will be published by Overlook in the US in October 2014 and will include cover images, endpapers and character portraits by its multi-talented author.

Tracy Carns says: “I’m absolutely delighted to be the US publisher of The IREMONGER TRILOGY and among the team of publishers around the world that Isobel is putting together for the darkly brilliant, stunningly talented writer/illustrator Edward Carey. As the publisher of Mervyn Peake, Overlook feels like a particularly apt fit for Clod Iremonger and the rest of Edward’s eccentric and extraordinary Heap House world.”

Edward Carey says: “I am so thrilled to be published by Overlook, the American home of Mervyn Peake and of Walter Moers, two genius writer-illustrators who've inspired me for years. (Overlook's edition of the final part of the Titus books, is so beautiful, they designed it so extraordinarily it looked as if Peake himself had done the cover.) I'm enormously happy that Overlook is taking on the Iremongers, I know they're going to love their new home.”

Isobel Dixon says: “Edward has created an exceptional world and characters readers completely fall in love with. Tracy knows just how to publish this special series and bring it to an eager American readership – I can’t wait for its autumn publication!”

Edward Carey lives in Austin, Texas, with his wife and two children.

Visit Edward Carey's website.

Follow him on twitter.

Praise for HEAP HOUSE:

‘Edward Carey's HEAP HOUSE-- delightful, eccentric, heartfelt, surprising, philosophical, everything that a novel for children should be.’ – Eleanor Catton, author of THE LUMINARIES

‘IREMONGER torques and tempers our memories of Dickensian London into a singularly jaunty and creepy tale of agreeable misfits. Read it by gas lamp, with a glass of absinthe at your wrist and a fireplace poker by your knee. ’    -- Gregory Maguire, author of WICKED

'I cannot recommend HEAP HOUSE by Edward Carey enough. The best book of its kind since GORMENGHAST (& more exciting)' – Gregory Norminton

‘Fabulously strange and in the tradition of Mervyn Peake... Astonishing and inventive, it calls out to be read.' – Sunday Times Best Children’s Books of 2013