Happy 2016... with client news

Samantha Verant's internationally successful debut memoir SEVEN LETTERS FROM PARIS has been optioned by a film studio. Her next book, HOW TO MAKE A FRENCH FAMILY, about her first few years of life as an instant stepmother and wife in the south of France - filled with food and faux pas - has been sold to US publisher Sourcebooks for spring 2017 publication. UK rights to both books are available.

Sarah Outen is busy writing her new book, DARE TO DO. Nicholas Brealey acquired world rights and the book is due for publication in June.

Brad Smith's new novel, ROUGH JUSTICE, has been published by Severn House and received this review from Booklist:

The quintessential Brad Smith hero is an ex-con attempting to live a quiet life who finds himself drawn back into the world of violence, usually to help out someone he loves. Following in the tradition of Ray Dokes (All Hat, 2003) and series hero Virgil Cain (Red Means Run, 2012), Carl Burns lands in prison after taking a quixotic stand against corruption and absorbing the unintended consequences. Now out of prison, he has returned to his small Ontario hometown to support his estranged daughter, Kate, who is one of three witnesses in the rape trial of the town’s mayor. The trial goes bad, and Kate slips slowly into addiction and depression. Burns watches helplessly, biding his time and helping the sister of his ex-wife attempt to battle a ruthless land-grabber. Typically, Smith combines elements of the comic caper novel with hard-edged thriller fare, but this time the comedy and the banter take a backseat to real-world realism. Even in a hard world, however, there’s always room for fighting back, and nobody does stand-up guys better than Smith.

Diane Esguerra's memoir JUNKIE BUDDHA has continued to gather fine reviews also - Therapy Today called it uplifting, commenting on 'eloquent writing and self-deprecating humour' (http://www.therapytoday.net/article/show/5136/shelf-life-junkie-buddha/). Diane also appeared on Salford City Radio (https://soundcloud.com/david-southam/smiley-queen-salford-city-radio-interview). Links to all the reviews and interviews can now be found here: http://junkiebuddha.com/endorsements/.

'The Inca witch told me that Machu Picchu was the right resting place for Sacha... Yes, my son was a junkie. But he was also a Buddha.'  

Translation rights are available in Brad Smith's novel and Diane Esguerra's memoir.

An interview just came out with Ian Moore about being a father, comedian and author: http://www.dadofdivas.com/dads-in-the-limelight/ian-moore

As editor of John Searancke's book PRUNES FOR BREAKFAST: ONE MAN'S WAR, I'm pleased to see the book selling well on Kindle and getting great reviews on Amazon.

More updates are to be found on the AGENCY CLIENTS page. Thanks to all authors, publishers and co-agents for your support in 2015. Very best wishes for 2016 from me and the 'office assistant' in Megalo Horio, Tilos!

Back in the office, with lots of news!

It's been another exciting month for the agency, not least because I am settled again in my office in Megalo Horio, Tilos, after spending so much time travelling in the last year. It's very peaceful working here in the mornings, with the sound of birdsong and sheeps' bells. But the agency has been buzzing, and it's not just the bees...

As a result of discussions at London Book Fair, a deal has just been signed for Canadian author Brad Smith's new novel, tentatively entitled ROUGH JUSTICE, with Severn House. We're excited as it's the first time he's been published in the UK. We're also on the brink of signing a three-book deal for digital editions of his previous novels with another publisher. Stay tuned.

http://www.bradsmithbooks.com/

Steven Gauge appeared on Sky Sports with two members of his rugby team who feature in his book, and announced that tickets have gone on sale for the stage version of MY LIFE AS A HOOKER in September.

http://stevengauge.blogspot.gr/

Ian Moore, after the success of A LA MOD and C'EST MODNIFIQUE, has been asked to speak at the France Show (held at London Olympia) next January. He is currently working on a debut crime novel set in France. I love his new website, too...

http://ianmoore.info/

Samantha Verant's SEVEN LETTERS FROM PARIS has been sold in three new territories, Latvia, Hungary and Poland, thanks to her US publisher Sourcebooks. Now returned to France from a very successful book signing at Barnes and Noble in Santa Monica, she has reached the exciting stage of being almost ready with a new book proposal, in spite of having broken a finger...

http://www.samanthaverant.com/

Bradt Travel Guides have launched a new anthology, TO OLDLY GO, with stories from adventurous travellers aged 60-plus, and the competition for entries is open until mid-June. I'll be editing it as well as selling the rights - though I don't get to judge the entries! The book will be launched in September.

http://www.bradtguides.com/articles/cat/news-competitions/post/to-oldly-go-competition

Jane Curry Publishing have announced they are re-branding to Ventura Press as they join forces with Simon & Schuster Australia to take the book sales to the next level.

http://www.janecurrypublishing.com.au/jcp-joins-forces-simon-schuster-australia-rebrand-ventura-press/

And we have started working with co-agents Prava i Prevodi to promote the agency's books across Eastern Europe. 

Thanks, folks: authors, publishers, freelancers and readers! The office assistant isn't much help with checking contracts or reading manuscripts but she ensures I get out for a break regularly...

A great start to 2015 for the agency

Exciting things have been happening - it's been a great start to 2015 for the agency!


Firstly, we have not one, not two, but three international deals for Jane Curry Publishing titles. MIDLIFE MANIFESTO: A Toolkit to Plan the Rest of Your Life by Jane Mathews has sold in the US and Korea, and parenting book TALK LESS, LISTEN MORE by Michael Hawton has sold in China.


Next up, we have found a very enthusiastic North American publisher for Ants Bolingbroke-Kent's book A SHORT RIDE IN THE JUNGLE, which this week reached the number one spot in Asia and motorcycles on Amazon in the UK.


And in the UK, Eye Books are preparing for publication of JUNKIE BUDDHA by Diane Esguerra, about the death of her son from a heroin overdose and her journey to scatter his ashes at Machu Picchu. Sandie Shaw, the singer, psychotherapist and Buddhist says it is 'an inspiring and uplifting book about finding infinite value in profound loss'. The book is due to be out in late summer.

What else? Samantha Verant's book SEVEN LETTERS FROM PARIS has now been sold by her US publisher Sourcebooks into Italy and Greece to add to the growing list of countries captivated by the love story, which has just been launched in Bulgarian with this beautiful cover...

Ian 'Mod' Moore will be performing at the Bradford Literature Festival. Author Tony Parsons says his latest book C'EST MODNIFIQUE is 'easily the best Englishman abroad memoir since Gerald Durrell was in short trousers'.

Finally, we've started working with a new co-agent in Spain, to add to our co-agents in Germany, Korea, Italy and China.

More information on all the above to be found here:

http://www.midlifemanifesto.com.au/
http://www.samanthaverant.com/
http://www.janecurrypublishing.com.au/
http://michaelhawton.com/
http://www.theitinerant.co.uk/
http://theforgivenessproject.com/visitor/diane-esguerras-experience-of-losing-her-only-child/

Now We Are One...

JenBarclayBooks is now one year old! 

It's time to shout about some agency client news...

Brad Smith's fabulous first noir novel, ONE-EYED JACKS, was relaunched in a sparky new digital edition by 280 Steps. 
http://www.bradsmithbooks.com/
http://www.280steps.com/


Thom Wheeler's new travel book, THE WAY A RIVER WENT: A JOURNEY THROUGH THE HEART OF RUSSIA, has been sold to Summersdale for publication in summer 2015. Thom's first book was ONE STEPPE BEYOND. http://www.thomwheeler.net/


Steven Gauge, author of MY LIFE AS A HOOKER: WHEN A MIDDLE-AGED BLOKE DISCOVERED RUGBY (shortlisted for the 2013 British Sports Book Awards), and more recently THE BLUFFER'S GUIDE TO RUGBY and THE JOY OF RUGBY, gave a witty, engaging talk at the Felixstowe Book Festival.


We're excited about the imminent launch of Samantha Verant's memoir SEVEN LETTERS FROM PARIS, which has gathered exceptional advance praise. Peter Mayle, bestselling author of A YEAR IN PROVENCE, calls it 'a charming story, and a delightful tribute to the power of a good old-fashioned love letter'. 
http://www.samanthaverant.com/


Comedian, mod and chutney maker Ian Moore's new book C'EST MODNIFIQUE, follow-up to A LA MOD, is off to a great start and among other ringing endorsements Danny Wallace calls Moore 'sharp, funny, warm and witty'. http://ianmoore.info/


And finally, publisher client Bradt (www.bradtguides.com)  is celebrating its 40th anniversary with 40 tales of scrapes and narrow escapes collected as THE IRRESPONSIBLE TRAVELLER, starring Michael Palin, Tim Cahill, Simon Calder and Ben Fogle among others. I represent Bradt internationally, managed and co-edited the project, and was invited to contribute one of my own stories. The book will be launched at the Royal Geographical Society on 1 October.

Thank you so much to authors and publishers 

for your interest and support this year

JenBarclayBooks is more than a literary agency. Working with freelance associates who are also writers and editors, we offer services that include literary consultancy, editing and proofreading, ghostwriting, researching and writing books.

Ian Moore at Comedy Book Festival

Now THIS looks like my kind of festival:
http://www.comedybookfest.com/

Johnny Vegas, Viv Groskop and Al Murray are among the big names taking part in the first Chortle Comedy Book Festival from November 22 to 29 in venues around Ealing. But most exciting of all: Ian Moore - comedian, writer, chutney-maker and mod. See Ian's show on 28 November:
http://www.comedybookfest.com/#!ian-moore/c22eq



Ian's book A LA MOD, or 'My So-Called Tranquil Family Life in Rural France', was published by Summersdale this May (I was lucky to work with him on it in the early stages) and not only has over 50 5-star reviews on Amazon, but has been called 'a brilliant read' by my idol Sarah Millican. Fans will be pleased to hear he's working on a follow-up.

Meanwhile, catch him on Radio 5Live this Saturday morning (2 November) doing their panel show 'Fighting Talk'.

http://www.ianmoore.info/