Rugby Players to Tread the Boards

A Surrey rugby club, Warlingham RFC, will swap the training pitch for the London theatre stage this September. Players from Warlingham and neighbouring clubs will stage an adaptation of Steven Gauge’s book My Life as a Hooker at the Museum of Comedy in Bloomsbury from 21 September as England hosts the Rugby World Cup finals. Warlingham RFC is the club where England Rugby captain Chris Robshaw played his rugby as a young boy.

The play tells Steven Gauge’s story of taking up rugby at the age of 35 as part of a mild mid-life crisis. He discovers a weird, wonderful and welcoming selection of players and wins himself a place in the front row of the Warlingham scrum. He is taught the laws of the game, in some cases rather painfully by opposition players, but he eventually rises to become captain of the Warlingham 4^th XV.

Warlingham 4^th XV turns out to be the third worst side in Surrey yet under Gauge’s leadership rises to be only the 4^th worst. Audiences will be treated to the delights of a club tour to Bognor and share the camaraderie, comedy and sheer joy of grown men of all shapes and sizes chasing an oval ball around a muddy pitch.

The book My Life as a Hooker was shortlisted in the British Sports Book awards in 2013 and is published by Summersdale. Journalist and broadcaster Samira Ahmed said of the book, “Steven Gauge writes with charm, wit, intelligence and real insight.” Luke Benedict, rugby writer for the Daily Mail said, “If this is what a midlife crisis does for you, I want one.”

The book has been adapted for the stage by Steven Gauge who will play himself in the production, supported by a cast drawn from fellow rugby players from Warlingham and other local clubs. The play will run from Monday 21 September to Saturday 26 from 7pm. Tickets are on sale now from the Museum of Comedy website: www.museumofcomedy.com. The play is part of the Festival of Rugby 2015 and coincides with the opening week of the Rugby World Cup.

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...

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.

Beer and Rugby (and Books)

I spent far too much of my time at university in a certain pub called The Bear in Oxford. As did Steven Gauge, which is where our paths crossed, in a wavy sort of way, over pints of beer. When we met up again a few years ago at a pub in Soho, we picked up where we left off. But one thing led to another and, as often happens when you get a writer and an editor together, some books were made.

It turns out that Steven had recently averted a mid-life crisis by discovering rugby, and was now proud captain of the third-worst side in Surrey. The process of being mangled in the mud every Saturday had somehow alleviated the stresses of work, and this, he decided, was worth writing about. And so Summersdale published My Life as a Hooker in February 2012, which as I write is still selling well on Amazon, perhaps thanks to the start of the Rugby League World Cup. 

The book was also shortlisted for the British Sports Book Awards, which isn't half bad. Luke Benedict, rugby writer for the Daily Mail, said 'this story will appeal to anyone who's ever tried their hand at something they weren't terribly good at but still enjoyed every step of the way... If this is what a midlife crisis does for you, I want one.'

    

As well as this, Steven managed to write the humour and gift books You Know You're a Rugby Fanatic When... and The Rugby Lover's Companion, and compile the collections Rugby Wit and Political Wit. All in the space of a few years. And he's recently completed a new Bluffer's Guide to Rugby, for publication in March 2014. Here's a snippet on their website: http://bluffers.com/bluffers-guide-rugby-union-rugby-league/


He's just been commissioned this week to compiled a new book on rugby, and since media training for politicians is part of his day job, it's just a matter of time before he's on the telly or doing a stand-up show, we think. Just goes to show, there is much to be said for drinking beer. Which leads me nicely to a plug for another book. 

I have heard it said - though I cannot confirm - that those who like rugby are partial to the right combination of hops and malt.

Jane Peyton, head of the School of Booze (http://www.school-of-booze.com/), has two new books out, which would make great gifts. One of them I edited, so I know whereof I speak. Beer O'Clock is about what to drink, how to brew, beer and food matching, and trivia about the world's favourite drink. School of Booze is 'everything you need to know about life's second greatest pleasure' (I assume the first must be rugby?), with trivia about alcohol history and culture. Signed copies available through the website.



Listen to Steven Gauge reading from My Life as a Hooker here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaYjrWV0ElQ