News Archives | Page 17 of 22

Firefly signs haunting collection from Catherine Fisher

by Firefly Admin | Mar 17, 2021 | News

Penny Thomas has acquired world rights in The Red Gloves and Other Stories by Catherine Fisher from Lesley Pollinger at Paper Lion.

The Red Gloves and Other Stories contains nine haunting tales of enchantment, ghosts and danger. All are original stories, some are contemporary, some inspired by ancient myths, including the Mabinogion, Arthurian Legend, Old English tales and the story of Taliesin.

We are so delighted to be publishing The Red Gloves this autumn. Catherine is an expert storyteller and in this collection she casts nine chilling spells, with wit, heart and magic.’
Janet Thomas, Editor

‘It’s a great honour that these stories are being published by Firefly in such a delicious new edition!’
Catherine Fisher

The Red Gloves and Other Stories will publish as a hardback gift edition in September 2021.

The acquisition follows the success of Catherine Fisher’s The Clockwork Crow trilogy for Firefly which was shortlisted for the Blue Peter Book Awards and won the Tir na n’Og Children’s Book Award, and has sold into territories around the world including the US, China and Russia.

‘Full of deep fairytale resonance, Fisher’s writing stands out in the mind’s eye like blood drops on snow,’ Imogen Russell Williams, The Guardian

Royal Mail honour Children’s Laureate Wales, Eloise Williams

by Firefly Admin | Mar 4, 2021 | News

Eloise Williams with her Gaslight postbox. Photo credit: SWNS for Royal Mail

To mark World Book Day 2021 (Thursday 4 March), Royal Mail has unveiled five special postboxes across the UK, honouring authors and illustrators who have been doing amazing things to help children during lockdown – one of which is Children’s Laureate Wales, and Firefly author, Eloise Williams.

Eloise’s postbox is situated in Cardiff, the setting of her middle-grade Victorian novel Gaslight, and where she spent a lot of her childhood. Painted with the gold stars and deep blue of the much-loved novel, the newly decorated post box has appeared on The Hayes in the heart of the Welsh capital and will remain for one month.

Eloise has been working tirelessly throughout the pandemic, encouraging children with her writing challenges, videos, and resources for schools across Wales and the UK. We couldn’t be prouder of what she has achieved, and are delighted to see her honoured in this way.

‘It is without a shadow of a doubt that the UK is home to some of the world’s best children’s authors, and it is heart-warming to see how so many have been focused on keeping the magic of literature alive for children during lockdown. As one of the guardians of the written word, Royal Mail relishes the opportunity to celebrate some of Britain’s most treasured writers during these unprecedented times, so it seems only fitting that their amazing work is honoured on some of our iconic postboxes.
Mark Street, Head of Campaigns at Royal Mail

Eloise said, ‘I am absolutely delighted to have this very special postbox unveiled in Cardiff on World Book Day. The author community in Wales has really risen to the challenge of supporting young people during the past year and I am proud to have played a small part in that. To see how children have engaged with the Children’s Laureate Wales’ writing activities has been wonderful.

Creativity has never been so important. It has a proven positive impact on well-being and mental health and gives young people a voice and a way to express themselves. I hope the Children’s Laureate Wales’ activities have enabled young people to be playful, creative and imaginative.’

Eloise is also launching a new Children’s Laureate Wales initiative today, with Literature Wales, called Letters of Kindness. Find out more here.

Immortalise your dog with Shoo Rayner’s Dog Drawing Marathon

by Firefly Admin | Mar 1, 2021 | News

Shoo Rayner’s new book, Walker and the Mystery of the Missing Millions is out on 25th March.

To celebrate, Shoo is doing a Dog Drawing Marathon on his YouTube channel from 1st-25th March. In the planned book three of the series, there is a scene with a dog show called Dogs of Influence and your dog could be there, in the book, as a character!

To enter, you need to visit Shoo’s website to find out all the instructions.

We can’t wait to see the wonderful dog drawing’s Shoo creates.

Firefly signs sequel to WWII middle-grade Flight by Vanessa Harbour

by Firefly Admin | Feb 23, 2021 | News

Firefly publisher, Penny Thomas, has acquired world rights in Safe from author Vanessa Harbour, a sequel to Branford Boase Award longlisted Flight, and slated for publication in autumn 2022.

In the chaotic last days of World War II, Jacob and Kizzy are tricked into a journey that goes very wrong. They escape, but must hide in an extraordinary empty mansion which shelters not only forty abandoned horses but a small band of lost children, displaced by the war. Kizzy and Jacob face a terrifying task – can they get them all home?

Flight was selected for Empathy Lab’s Read for Empathy Collection 2020, shortlisted for the Sheffield Children’s Book Awards 2019, and longlisted for the Branford Boase Award 2019. It has just been published in hardback in the US by Feiwel & Friends Books.

‘Vanessa has created a brilliant, huge-hearted adventure, set in the anarchy at the end of a war. It’s frightening and yet so hopeful, driven by the preciousness of every life. Most of all, it is the story of a friendship. This time Kizzy and Jacob don’t have Heinz to guide them – they have to rely completely on each other.’
Janet Thomas, Editor

‘I have loved taking Kizzy and Jakob on an adventure again. The strength of their two characters ensures they can face all the difficult and dangerous challenges as one.’
Vanessa Harbour, Author

We’re hiring! Sales and Marketing Officer post, deadline 1st March

by Firefly Admin | Feb 18, 2021 | News

Sales and Marketing Officer – Flexible part time (from three days per week) or full time

Working from the Firefly office or from home as required.

An exciting opportunity for a commercially-minded, ambitious and talented sales and marketing professional to lead sales and marketing operations for Firefly’s growing, award-winning children’s list. The successful candidate will join our small team, working remotely as well as in our Cardiff office.

The role of Sales and Marketing Officer is to assist the publisher in managing and growing sales of the Firefly list through direct sales and the trade, working with our UK sales teams, and assisting our international rights agent.

The Sales and Marketing Officer reports to the Publisher and will have a vital role to play in continuing to establish sales and marketing strategy for Firefly.

For details of salary and full job description please contact penny.thomas@fireflypress.co.uk

To apply, send your covering letter and CV to penny.thomas@fireflypress.co.uk

Deadline for applications – 1 March 2021

Firefly Press is an equal opportunity employer, committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

Firefly signs debut children’s novel by Rebecca F. John

by Firefly Admin | Feb 16, 2021 | News

‘I am over the moon to finally be working with Firefly – a publisher I have admired from afar for the longest time. I can’t wait to share the world of this novel with readers young and old, and must thank Penny Thomas and Jenny Savill for engaging so enthusiastically with my imaginings.’
Rebecca F. John

Penny Thomas, publisher at award-winning children’s and YA publisher Firefly Press has acquired world rights in a debut MG novel by Rebecca F. John, from Jenny Savill at Andrew Nurnberg Associates.

Set in an alternative Britain, where shadows have stopped showing people’s shapes, but instead reveal their true selves, the novel is a richly imagined fantasy with strong environmental and political themes, that will have YA and crossover appeal.

Rebecca is the author of the short story collection Clown’s Shoes (Parthian 2015) and her first novel, The Haunting of Henry Twist (Serpent’s Tail 2017) was shortlisted for the 2017 Costa First Novel Award. Her short stories have been broadcast on BBC Radio 4 and BBC Radio 4Extra. In 2015, her short story ‘The Glove Maker’s Numbers’ was shortlisted for the Sunday Times EFG Short Story Award. She is the winner of the PEN International New Voices Award 2015, and the British participant of the 2016 Scritture Giovani project. In 2017, she was named on Hay Festival’s ‘The Hay 30’ list.

The novel is slated for publication in autumn 2022.

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