THE HIDDEN STAR BY K. SELLO DUIKER AVAILABLE ACROSS THE US!

THE HIDDEN STAR, K. Sello Duiker’s magical story of one girl’s quest to change things for the better, is now available in the US from Cassava Republic. A captivating tale for young readers, THE HIDDEN STAR, has previously been brought to audiences in Nigeria, West Africa and the UK by Cassava Republic, and was first published by Penguin Random House South Africa’s imprint Umuzi.

Eleven-year-old Nolitye lives in a shack with her mother Thembi in Phola, a dusty township on the edge of Johannesburg. She loves maths and collecting stones, which she keeps in a bucket under her bed. She also has magical powers: she can communicate with dogs.

Nolitye’s granny used to say: ‘If you mess with a woman, you mess with a stone,’ and when Nolitye finds a magical stone on the dusty streets of Phola, her granny's words take on a new meaning. Along with her two friends — pampered Bheki, and Four Eyes, a reformed member of the Spoilers gang led by Rotten Nellie — Nolitye puts the powers of the stone to good use. For the first time the threesome can stand up to the Spoilers, Nolitye can save the life of Rex, the leader of a pack of talking township mutts, and dare to look scary MaMtonga — with her living brown-and-green snake necklace — in the eye.

But soon Nolitye finds out that the purplish-blue magic stone is one of five needed to put right things that started to go wrong the day her father died in a mining accident when she was five years old. Or so she was told by her mother... Merging a cast of characters from African myth and folklore with everyday township life, K. Sello Duiker created a magical world and a truly wondrous quest that will appeal to an ageless audience.

By his untimely death, K. Sello Duiker had published various short stories and two novels. THIRTEEN CENTS was awarded the Commonwealth Prize for a first novel, while THE QUIET VIOLENCE OF DREAMS was translated into four languages, and won the Herman Charles Bosman Prize for English Literature. THE HIDDEN STAR was published posthumously.

Praise for THE HIDDEN STAR:

‘An absorbing story about friendship and courage’ – BookTrust

‘Magic and mythology mingle with everyday life in this engaging tale about a girl who discovers a powerful magic stone...a pleasurable fantasy story with a strong nod to mythology. Readers will warm to Nolitye and her relatable run-ins with the school bully and will delight at the quirky details of Duiker's magic in an otherwise realistic setting… A satisfying fantasy story in a place not often represented in the genre. Recommended for most middle grade collections where fantasy is popular.’ – School Library Journal

‘Entertaining and pacy, but it succeeds in evoking the innocence and curiosity of a child, while communicating larger truths about the vulnerability of human beings…I got goose-bumps reading it.’ – Fred Khumalo, The Sunday Times Lifestyle

‘A fantastic journey from inside the cardboard-covered, corrugated iron walls of her shack into a world of African myth and folklore…This will enchant all young readers.’ – Kate Turkington, joburg.co.za

‘Duiker has taken South African fiction to another level with this convincing mix of the experiences of a child growing up in a modern township …It’s a truly wonderful novel whose words flow like poetry, taking you into another world.’ – Angelique Serrao, The Saturday Star

AN ANTHOLOGY OF WRITING FOR BLACK BRITISH MEN: SAFE EDITED BY DEREK OWUSU ACQUIRED BY TRAPEZE

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

THE HIDEAWAY HITS NUMBER 1 – AND WHAT HAPPENED THAT NIGHT AT NUMBER 10 ON IRISH BESTSELLER LISTS!

Sheila O’Flanagan’s summer sensation THE HIDEAWAY leapt to Number 4 on the Irish Times hardback list in its first week on sale and hit the top spot on the Irish bestseller lists in its second. THE HIDEAWAY, a story of shocking truths, grief and hope set against the backdrop of the idyllic Spanish countryside, was published on 17 May. A Bookends Book of the Month for May, THE HIDEAWAY is the ideal read this summer, whether you’re sitting in the garden or by the poolside – or tucked up inside out of the summer rain!

WHAT HAPPENED THAT NIGHT, Sheila’s novel following a mother and daughter, Lola and Bey, as they make decisions that have a lasting impact on their lives, is still holding strong at Number 10 in the Irish paperback bestseller lists, after months on the list and is currently at Number 16 on the Kindle store. WHAT HAPPENED THAT NIGHT reached Number 2 in Ireland and Number 9 in the UK in its first week of sales in February this year.

What would you do if you discovered you were living a lie?

When a shocking news report shatters Juno Ryan's world, she suddenly finds herself without the man she loves – and with no way of getting the answers she so desperately needs.

A distraught Juno flees to the enchanting Villa Naranja in Spain. The blue skies and bountiful orange groves – along with Pep, the winemaker's handsome son – begin to soothe her broken heart, but only Juno herself can mend it.

Just when she begins to feel whole again another bombshell falls. Can Juno put the past behind her? And will she ever learn to trust herself again?

Internationally, new translating publishers have recently acquired Sheila’s titles, with new publications and deals in markets including Croatia, Estonia, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Russia, the Czech Republic and Italy. Sheila has also just returned from an author tour in Sweden. Fans can expect two more captivating reads from Sheila in 2019 and 2020, after Sheila signed a two-book deal with Headline in February.

Sheila O’Flanagan is the author of twenty-five thought-provoking, gripping and unforgettable Sunday Times and ebook bestsellers, including THE MISSING WIFE which was published in the US in February by Grand Central following its UK success. It became a Sunday Times and Irish Times paperback bestseller in 2017, as well as becoming a No.1 ebook bestseller, and one of Amazon’s Top Ten Bestselling ebooks of the year. Her interlinked short story collection CHRISTMAS WITH YOU reached No. 2 in the Irish bestseller lists in the run up to Christmas, and there are more short fiction treats ahead for her fans – watch this space! Headline has sold over 7 million copies of Sheila’s books.

Visit Sheila’s website, where you can also join her mailing list.

Follow her on Twitter

Watch Sheila discuss THE HIDEAWAY on Ireland AM here.

Praise for THE HIDEAWAY:

‘A hugely enjoyable romance, written with pace and heart. It will make you long to jump on a plane yourself’ — Sunday Mirror

‘There's no greater pleasure this time of the year than a frothy beach read and Sheila O'Flanagan's THE HIDEAWAY is one of the best for summer 2018… There are twists - and then some. There are larger-than-life characters. O'Flanagan's stylishness as a writer never tips over into shtickiness or stifles her warmth though - it only makes the flowering of genuine emotion more powerful. O'Flanagan has always been a true and honest writer, which is why she is one of the fairly few who really matter.’ — Lorraine Courtney, The Independent

‘Pure escapism – perfect for fans of Catherine Alliott and Marian Keyes.’ — Candis

‘A great read. After devastating news, the author took us on a journey from soul-destroying distress to acceptance and new beginnings. All the while the backdrop of sultry Spain with its orange groves, vineyards, and handsome men held the reader entranced…Beautiful.’ — Jan Bowles in Review

SILENCE IS MY MOTHER TONGUE BY SULAIMAN ADDONIA ACQUIRED BY THE INDIGO PRESS

Sulaiman Addonia’s searing novel of immigration and the powerful bonds forged in the harsh crucible of refugee camp life has been acquired by The Indigo Press, a publishing arm of the MILD group. Publishing Director Ellah Wakatama Allfrey bought World English rights to Sulaiman’s captivating second book from Isobel Dixon.

Sulaiman’s first novel THE CONSEQUENCES OF LOVE was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize and translated into more than 20 languages. SILENCE IS MY MOTHER TONGUE will be published on 4th October 2018.

Saba, the novel’s heroine, arrives in an East African refugee camp as a young girl. In this crowded and often hostile place, she has to carve out her new existence. As she struggles to maintain her sense of self, Saba remains fiercely protective of her mute brother Hagos – each sibling resisting the role gender and society assigns. SILENCE IS MY MOTHER TONGUE is an extraordinary portrait of a woman of courage and intelligence and a compelling story of exile, survival, and love. Sulaiman S.M.Y. Addonia questions what it means to be a man, to be a woman, to be an individual when circumstance has forced the loss of all that makes a home and the possibility of a future. This is a book about love in a time of conflict, incisively dissecting society’s ability to wage war on its own women and exploring the stories we must tell and absorb to survive, cementing Addonia as a gifted literary talent whose stories reach across enforced borders towards the universal conflicts of the human heart.

Speaking of the acquisition of Sulaiman’s SILENCE IS MY MOTHER TONGUE and WONDER VALLEY by Ivy Pochoda, Ellah Wakatama Allfrey said: “Although very different in approach and location, these two novels exemplify our ambitions for the fiction list at The Indigo Press. In each case the author is concerned with the possibilities of the novel and has moulded the form into a distinct work that interrogates universal themes. Pochoda explores California’s underclass – the different voices and locations (from the desert to the sea) exploring the inequalities of contemporary American society and the desire each of her characters has to change their lives – even if that means running away. Addonia’s concerns are no less urgent as he writes of challenges faced by his young heroine as she finds her life dramatically altered. This is writing that looks inward at a particular community with characters whose stories illuminate the world.”

Sulaiman S.M.Y. Addonia is a novelist who fled Eritrea as a refugee in childhood. He spent his early life in a refugee camp in Sudan following the Om Hajar massacre in 1976, and in his early teens he lived and studied in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. He arrived in London as an underage unaccompanied refugee without a word of English and went on to earn an MA in Development Studies from SOAS and a BSc in Economics from UCL. THE CONSEQUENCES OF LOVE was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize and was translated into more than 20 languages. Sulaiman S.M.Y.

SHELTER BY SARAH FRANKLIN OUT IN PAPERBACK TODAY!

Sarah Franklin’s debut novel SHELTER is out in paperback today from Bonnier Zaffre. Since its initial hardback publication in July 2017 the powerful romance, set in the heart of World War II, has garnered much praise. Writing for Red Online, Sara Manning called it ‘a wonderful, affecting debut novel about the redemptive power of nature.’

Early spring 1944. Connie Granger has escaped her bombed-out city home, finding refuge in the Women's Timber Corps. For her, this remote community must now serve a secret purpose. Seppe, an Italian prisoner of war, is haunted by his memories. In the forest camp, he finds a strange kind of freedom. Their meeting signals new beginnings. But as they are drawn together, the world outside their forest haven is being torn apart. Old certainties are crumbling, and both must now make a life-defining choice. What price will they pay for freedom? What will they fight to protect?

Sarah Franklin grew up in rural Gloucestershire and now lives with her family between Oxford and London. She has written for the Guardian, Psychologies magazine, The Pool, the Sunday Express and the Seattle Times. Her creative non-fiction has been published in anthologies in the USA and appeared on radio affiliates there.

Follow Sarah on Twitter.

Praise for SHELTER:

‘An absorbing debut novel’ — The People’s Friend, 5* review

‘SHELTER is an atmospheric debut and a fascinating glimpse into a forgotten aspect of WWII’ — Good Housekeeping

‘Life affirming and compelling; SHELTER is a must-read, and Sarah Franklin a breath of fresh air’ — Clare Mackintosh, author of I LET YOU GO

‘Beautiful’ — Adele Parks

‘Its characters pulse with life and energy — Connie’s snippy, contrary longings and Seppe’s difficult journey to inner peace are vividly rendered, as is the evocation of the forest and its healing qualities.’ — Elizabeth Buchan, The Daily Mail