Rebel with a Cupcake is the book of my heart. One year on from its UK publication, here are a few thoughts on why it matters so much to me and why it speaks to so many young people out there.
Rebel with a Cupcake deals with (please excuse the pun) weighty issues. I’m very glad that there a number of novels published which deal with society’s attitudes to weight, the pain of fat-shaming and the importance of body positivity as it’s a subject close to my heart. From childhood onwards, I’ve always been larger than average. As a teacher at form time, I would overhear so many heart-breaking conversations about fear of being fat, the unintentional fat-shaming of others, the horror that being fat has for so many girls, the complex relationship so many of them had with food. They craved food but felt that they weren’t allowed to eat.
Out of all of this, the idea for Rebel with a Cupcake was born. Jess is confident, considered attractive in many ways, but even this confidence is punctured by a combination of pressure from her model mother and teenager vulnerability. I know some readers might find Jess’ choices with regard to food as problematic. There is no doubt in my mind that all the science says that diets don’t work long term. However, diets/products are endorsed by celebrities on social media every second of the day. I wanted to write something that was honest about what it’s like to be a larger person in a society which is often fat-phobic. Body positivity is a wonderful thing. But it is, in my experience, hard won and some days you can be more confident than others. To have a character who never felt any doubt about her appearance, to me felt false. And who wants to write a novel for young people which isn’t grounded in truth? I wanted Jess to feel the doubts and insecurities so many woman and girls feel but still to progress on her journey back to confidence. With a fair few jokes along the way!
Penny Thomas, Publisher at award-winning children’s and YA publisher Firefly Press, has acquired world rights in debut MG novel The Dark and Dangerous Gifts of Delores Mackenzie from Edinburgh-based author Yvonne Banham.
The dead have swirled around Delores Mackenzie ever since she can remember, keeping her company when living children refused. Now they want more, and Delores must seek the help of the mysterious Uncles in Edinburgh’s Old Town to try to control her gifts. But when a sinister apparition threatens the life of her new friends, has Delores learnt enough to save them?
A shapeshifting, ghost-filled, paranormal whydunnit with a grumpy gargoyle and a touch of Tartan Noire!
‘I’m thrilled that Delores has found a home with Firefly Press and excited to be working with the Firefly team!’
Yvonne Banham, Author
‘Yvonne has created an enthralling middle-grade adventure set in a vivid and very spooky world. We’re sure readers will love The Dark and Dangerous Gifts of Delores Mackenzie as much as we do, and we are so delighted to be publishing it!’
Penny Thomas, Publisher
The novel is slated for publication in spring 2023.
Firefly Press is welcoming submissions from illustrators from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds.
As well as searching for new illustration talent to compliment our upcoming list, we are specifically looking for illustrators to illustrate children’s poetry, with a view to publish an anthology with the winners of the Rising Stars Wales Awards.
To be considered, we are inviting illustrators from BAME backgrounds to provide a sample of work to compliment one of the three attached poems, taken from our recent publication Daydreams and Jellybeans by Alex Wharton.
Guidelines for Illustration Submissions
Please email submissions@fireflypress.co.uk by 5pm on Thursday 1st July 2021, with the subject line ‘Illustration submission: [insert name]’.
All attached images should be 198(h)x129mm(w), saved as your name and the title of the poem you have chosen to illustrate.
Please include an illustrator bio that indicates how you meet the set criteria for consideration. This should include date of birth, and eligibility.
Terms and Conditions
Submissions will be accepted from diverse (Black, Asian, or Minority Ethnic) illustrators living in the UK.
Submissions from students welcome.
Only one entry will be accepted per person.
Closing date for entry will be 1/07/21 at 17:00. After this date no further submissions will be permitted. Only submissions to submissions@fireflypress.co.uk will be considered.
Firefly Press reserve the right to suspend publication of the Anthology if circumstances beyond their control make it necessary.
Firefly Press cannot acknowledge receipt of submissions and are not required to respond to individuals with feedback.
In addition we are also keen to receive submissions from poets from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds, to consider for the Rising Stars Anthology. The anthology is for 7-11 year olds. For poets to be considered, send three poems to submissions with the subject line ‘Poetry submission: [insert name]’… by the same closing date!
Penny Thomas has acquired world rights in LITTLE HORROR by award-winning TV writer Daniel Peak, from Abi Sparrow at SP Agency.
Rita may be a baby, but she has the mind (and attitude) of a teenager. She may be new to walking but she’s as wise-crackingly clever as anyone in Key Stage 3. She knows she is not a normal toddler but when her parents disappear and a sinister clown and an ice-cream van seem to be hunting her down, even a soft-play centre might not be safe…
It will take all Rita’s cunning and resourcefulness, as well as a cat flap, a mobility scooter and a reluctant teenage sidekick, to defeat an evil conspiracy and a crazy genius villain. Imagine The Fugitive – if Harrison Ford was two feet tall and wearing Pampers.
‘A page-turning, hilarious debut with a brilliantly bonkers, feisty heroine, Little Horrorhad me biting my nails, while laughing out loud!’
Rebecca Lloyd, Editor
A lead writer for CBBC’s Horrible Histories, and co-writer of Lee Mack’s Not Going Out, LITTLE HORROR is Daniel’s debut children’s novel. He said, ‘I’m very honoured and excited to be joining the Firefly list alongside such brilliant writers. I can’t wait to send Rita on the run into the real world.’
Little Horror will publish in paperback on 30 September 2021. Cover artwork by Seb Burnett.
This spring, we’re growing our small team with three new appointments…
Children’s book illustrator Becka Moor joined us as a designer this month. And bookseller Amy Low and YA vlogger Karen Bultiauw join our award-winning team in April to work on sales and marketing.
Becka, who has worked on a variety of young fiction, non-fiction and picture books, has illustrated for authors such as Gwyneth Rees and Pamela Buchart, as well as new editions of The Famous Five series. She joins Firefly to work on the design and branding of its quality fiction list, and is also illustrating Firefly’s forthcoming middle-grade detective novel Libby and the Parisian Puzzle by Jo Clarke.
Amy Low joins Firefly from award-winning independent bookshop Book-ish in Crickhowell, where she co-founded the Crickhowell Children’s Book Festival in 2019, and has also been studying for an MA in Children’s Publishing at Bath Spa University. And Karen Bultiauw is a book vlogger and freelance publicist who has also worked in retail and for Welsh indie Accent Press.
We’re extremely proud to welcome all three new staff members to the team. We love Becka’s illustration and design and are so excited that she is joining us in this new role. Karen and Amy will bring terrific experience and passion for children’s book publishing to the sales and marketing team, alongside our Publicity Manager Megan Farr. At the same time we are very sad to be saying goodbye to our wonderful Sales and Marketing Officer Simone Greenwood, who has done so much to grow the company over the last two years and win two NIBBIES awards in a row!’
