Statement on Black Lives Matter

We were shocked and angered by the murder of George Floyd, as with so many acts of violence inflicted on Black communities, and stand firmly with Black Lives Matter against all forms of racism, prejudice and injustice. We recognise the systemic racial injustice in our society and want to play our active part in working against this. Blake Friedmann reaffirms its continuing commitment to celebrating diversity and inclusion in our work practice, so that all voices can be heard.

We believe passionately in the power of shared experiences and stories to broaden the horizons of our humanity and wanted to share some books here that have challenged and inspired us personally, including a few from authors whose work we represent.

We look forward to discussing these books and more with colleagues in the months ahead, as we continue to commit to listening and learning and building an industry that is tolerant, inclusive and anti-racist.

Blake Friedmann regularly supports The Book Trade Charity and their work for those in need in the book trade, including new entrants to the industry. We thank The Book Trade Charity for their accommodation support for our Carole Blake Open Doors candidates, through which we seek to contribute to a more open and inclusive book trade.

We have also recently donated to the following campaigns, charities and organisations:

The 4Front Project

Inclusive Indies Crowdfunder

Refugee Action

Creative Future

Akwaaba

The Book Trade Charity

DOUBLE CRIME WRITING AWARD LONGLISTING FOR PAUL FINCH

We are delighted to announce that Blake Friedmann author Paul Finch has been longlisted for two CWA Dagger Awards. The first, the Dagger In The Library Award, is a prize for a body of work by an established crime writer that has long been popular with borrowers from libraries. It also rewards authors who have supported libraries and their users.

His short story, ‘The New Lad’ (featured in EXIT WOUNDS, an anthology published by Titan Books) has been longlisted for the Short Story Dagger.

The winners will be announced on 22nd October 2020.

Paul Finch’s next stand-alone thriller, ONE EYE OPEN will be published by Orion in August 2020.

Praise for Paul Finch

‘Wonderfully dark…Finch is a born storyteller.’ — Peter James

‘Edge-of-the-seat reading…Heck is formidable – a British Alex Cross.’ – The Sun

‘Avon’s big star…part edge-of-the-seat, part hide-behind-the-sofa! An excellent series.’ – The Bookseller

‘An explosive thriller that will leave you completely hooked on Heck.’ – We Love This Book

‘Lucy Clayburn is a brilliant new character and one that I know readers are going to love. Strangers delves into the darker side of some of the small towns surrounding Manchester and takes the reader on a fast-paced, terrifying journey. The story is wonderfully original and brilliantly written… a terrific book.’ – Rachel Abbott, author of ONLY THE INNOCENT

About Paul Finch
A former cop and journalist, Paul was a writer for British TV crime drama, ‘The Bill’. Paul’s crime debut, STALKERS, was a number one ebook best seller in 2013, followed by the sequel, SACRIFICE, in July 2013 which was the most pre-ordered book in HarperCollins history. In 2016, Paul introduced readers to DC Lucy Clayburn. STRANGERS, the first novel in the series, was an immediate success, reaching the top ten in the Sunday Times Bestseller list.

Winner of the British Fantasy Award 2002 & 2007, and the International Horror Guild Award 2007, he has also written four Doctor Who audio dramas and his Doctor Who novel, HUNTER'S MOON, was published by Woodland Books in 2011. Paul has also written scripts for several horror movies.

Follow Paul Finch on Twitter.

Visit Paul Finch’s website.

Julian Friedmann at the online London Screenwriters' Festival

On Tuesday 2nd at 5pm Julian Friedmann will be on the online London Screenwriters’ Festival Ask the Agent. Many writers see an agent as the Holy Grail. But how much can an agent help a new writer? And how does a writer secure representation? Agent Julian Friedmann is here (via Zoom) to answer your questions about before, during, and after your relationship with your agent.

The London Screenwriters’ Festival is now 365 days of the year online: for only £5 a month you have access to literally hundreds of top writers, producers and directors: there are panel discussions and talks, writers rooms and writers’ cafes; groups of writers interested in particular topics (from pitching to whatever writers want to talk about). Plus some of the best talks given by the biggest talent over the last couple of years.

For more details see https://www.londonscreenwritersfestival.com/whats-on/sessions/

JOSEPH O’CONNOR’S SHADOWPLAY SHORTLISTED FOR NOVEL OF THE YEAR AT THE DALKEY LITERARY AWARDS 2020

We’re delighted to share news of yet more award recognition for Joseph O’Connor as his novel SHADOWPLAY is shortlisted for the inaugural Dalkey Literary Awards Novel of the Year Prize. The awards, sponsored by Zurich Insurance, were to have been the centrepiece of next month’s 10th annual Dalkey Book Festival, but instead they are the only part of it to go ahead.

Joseph O’Connor’s SHADOWPLAY is shortlisted for the €20,000 Novel of the Year prize alongside authors Edna O’Brien, Christine Dwyer Hickey, Jan Carson, Kevin Barry and Mary Costello. Six writers are also shortlisted for the €10,000 Emerging Writers Prize. The winners will be revealed on June 20th when the festival was due to be taking place.

Joseph O’Connor said: ‘I grew up not far from Dalkey, a little coast-town whose celestial writers were known the whole world round. My childhood and teens were blessed by those ghosts, from Castle Street to Coliemore Harbour and the island. For everyone who loves a story, Dalkey’s a special place. To have a novel in contention for this award is a deeply moving honour.’ See more on the Dalkey Literary Awards and Festival in the Irish Times here.

SHADOWPLAY was published by Harvill Secker to rapturous reviews in the UK and Canada in June 2019, with the paperback to be published in October 2020. It was described as a ‘literary highlight of 2019’ by The Sunday Times. Europa will publish in June 2020 in the US, where the novel has received starred previews in Publishers Weekly and Library Journal, which described it as ‘an authentic and deeply moving literary experience’.

The superb audio edition, read by Barry McGovern and Anna Chancellor, is released by W.F. Howes in the UK and Dreamscape in the US. Rights have been sold in eight translation markets so far: China (Shanghai Elegant People), Croatia (Fraktura), France (Editions Rivages), Hungary (Helikon), Italy (Guanda), Serbia (Carobna Knjiga), Sweden (Natur Och Kultur) and Turkey (Sia Kitap). A film deal is under negotiation.

1878: The Lyceum Theatre, London. Three extraordinary people begin their life together, a life that will be full of drama, transformation, passionate and painful devotion to art and to one another. Henry Irving, the Chief, is the volcanic leading man and impresario; Ellen Terry is the most lauded and desired actress of her generation, outspoken and generous of heart; and ever following along behind them in the shadows is the unremarkable theatre manager, Bram Stoker. Fresh from life in Dublin as a clerk, Bram may seem the least colourful of the trio, but he is wrestling with dark demons in a new city, in a new marriage, and with his own literary aspirations. As he walks the London streets at night, streets haunted by the Ripper and the gossip which swirls around his friend Oscar Wilde, he finds new inspiration. But the Chief is determined that nothing will get in the way of his manager’s devotion to the Lyceum and to himself. And both men are enchanted by the beauty and boldness of the elusive Ellen.

SHADOWPLAY explores the complexities of love that stands dangerously outside social convention, the restlessness of creativity, and the experiences that led to Dracula, the most iconic supernatural tale of all time.

Praise for Joseph O’Connor and SHADOWPLAY:

‘There are few living writers who can take us back in time so assuredly, with such sensual density, through such gorgeous sentences. Joseph O’Connor is a wonder, and SHADOWPLAY is a triumph.’ – Peter Carey

‘As much as this is a hugely entertaining book about the grand scope of friendship and love, it is also, movingly – at times, agonisingly – a story of transience, loss and true loyalty.’ – Sadie Jones, The Guardian

‘Joseph O’Connor is a very great artist and storyteller. The quotient of enjoyment in his extraordinary new novel is stupendous.’ – Sebastian Barry

‘Wonderful. The writing is beautiful.’ – Derek Jacobi

‘A hugely entertaining and atmospheric novel, one can almost smell the greasepaint.’ – Deborah Moggach

‘Seriously fascinating’ – Colm Tóibín, The Observer

‘A virtuoso act of literary ventriloquism. SHADOWPLAY is funny, smart, tender, wise and written with inch-perfect precision.’ – Colum McCann

‘A great writer performing Olympian literary storytelling.’ — Bob Geldof

About the Author

Joseph O’Connor was born in Dublin. His books include nine novels: COWBOYS AND INDIANS (Whitbread Prize shortlist), DESPERADOES, THE SALESMAN, INISHOWEN, STAR OF THE SEA (American Library Association Award, Irish Post Award for Fiction, France’s Prix Millepages, Italy’s Premio Acerbi, Prix Madeleine Zepter for European novel of the year), REDEMPTION FALLS, GHOST LIGHT (Dublin One City One Book Novel 2011), THE THRILL OF IT ALL and SHADOWPLAY. His work has been published in forty languages. He received the 2012 Irish PEN Award for outstanding achievement in literature and in 2014 he was appointed Frank McCourt Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Limerick.

Visit Joseph O’Connor’s website.

Rights sold in captivating debut novel THE HIERARCHIES by Ros Anderson

North American rights in THE HIERARCHIES, a propulsive debut novel by author Ros Anderson have been snapped up by Lindsey Rose at Dutton from agent Samuel Hodder. THE HIERARCHIES will be a lead title for Dutton in Fall 2020.

With a unique and compelling voice, THE HIERARCHIES is the diary of Sylvi.e, a synthetic woman designed to please and serve her human ‘Husband’ from the moment she comes to life. She lives in a single room at the top of his luxurious home, her existence barely tolerated by his human wife, and concealed from their child. Deeply curious about the world beyond her room, between the Husband’s visits Sylv.ie watches the family through her window, absorbing all she can. She keeps a diary, and through this learns that she cannot rely on her memories, or on what the Husband tells her. When she is taken to the ‘Doll Hospital’ it is not for her benefit, but to be altered. Sylv.ie needs to escape, but what will the world hold for her?

THE HIERARCHIES is a literary and speculative voice-driven novel that asks what it really means to be human. Set in a recognisable near future, and laced with dark, sly humour, THE HIERARCHIES is less about the fear of new technology than humans’ age-old talent for exploitation. From its outsider’s perspective, the novel explores notions of memory, consent, artifice, and ‘femininity’. It asks what it means to be ‘natural’ and celebrates the power of female friendship. Sometimes startling, often moving, and always unforgettable, readers will be gripped by THE HIERARCHIES from its very first page.

It is perfect for fans of Never Let Me Go, I, Westworld, Ex Machina, Black Mirror and The Testaments.                                       

Ros Anderson trained as a dancer but now works as a copywriter and design journalist. She has written for publications including The Guardian, The Independent, and Elle Decoration.