Blog

Welcome Jenni Keer

We’re delighted to announce that Avon Books has signed a two-book, World All Language rights deal with women’s fiction writer Jenni Keer. The deal was struck from Louise Buckley at Zeno Agency, who said ‘I am thrilled that Jenni’s wonderful novel will be published with Avon. Jenni writes with such… Read More

How To Create a Meaningful Wedding Bouquet

Floriography was at its most popular during the Victorian Era, when flowers were used to communicate and express feelings. With each flower holding a special meaning, the receiver could decode secret messages. These days, the Victorian Language of Flowers might be largely forgotten, but there’s something romantic and nostalgic about… Read More

The Joy of Cornwall

Writing about why Cornwall is the perfect setting for joyful fiction has left me a little stumped. Not because I don’t have anything to say about this most inspiring of counties, but because I have too much. Cornwall has inspired eight of my novels now, including the Cornish Café and… Read More

Recipes with a Deadly Twist

‘Don’t talk with your mouth full.’ Sound advice from Mum and Dad. Nobody likes watching someone speaking and eating at the same time, for obvious reasons. It’s gross to look at. But on the printed page you can get away with it. No messy crumbs, no unpleasant noises, no unwelcome… Read More

Unleash Your Dark Side

From the age of 14 I was obsessed with women’s fiction. I dreamed of writing books like my heroes – Maeve Binchy, Patricia Scanlan, Sheila O’Flanagan and then, as I grew a bit older, Marian Keyes. I wanted to tell stories… Read More

Bella’s Favourite Gin Cocktails

My name is Bella and I like gin. So it was no real surprise to those that know me to see gin featuring in my latest novel Coming Home to Ottercombe Bay. That said, I still felt that if I was to do a proper job then some serious gin… Read More

New York Times Bestselling Author Lori Nelson Spielman joins the Avon family

Here at Avon Books we are thrilled to announce we have signed a deal for a ‘beautiful, escapist’ women’s fiction title with Lori Nelson Spielman. Phoebe Morgan acquired UK & Commonwealth rights to this book from Sarah Manning on behalf of Jenny Bent at The Bent Agency. North American rights were… Read More

Avon Welcomes New Crime Author, G.D Sanders

We’re thrilled to announce that Avon Books has signed a two-book deal with debut crime writer G.D. Sanders. Phoebe Morgan acquired World All Language rights to two novels from Jo Bell at Bell Lomax Moreton. Sanders’ first release with Avon, The Taken Girls, is about a series of young women who… Read More

Sophie Jenkins’ Little Guide to Happiness

Happiness is… something that happens to us when our lives become perfect, like for instance when we’ve fallen in love with the perfect man (and he’s fallen in love right back), and we’ve also got the perfect job – writing, of course – and we live somewhere lovely right in… Read More

Avon goes ‘Cuckoo’ for Sophie Draper

We’re thrilled to announce that Avon Books have signed a two-book deal with Bath Novel Award 2017 winner Sophie Draper. Rachel Faulkner-Willcocks acquired World English Language rights to Cuckoo and one further book from Laura Williams at Peter, Fraser and Dunlop Literary Agents. Sophie’s Derbyshire-set debut is a chilling exploration… Read More

What I Love About Italy

Aside from a long-ago holiday in Sorrento in the south, I knew little of Italy when I began visiting Umbria in 2013. At the time, I’d answered a plea from an author buddy, Gilli, to help her friend Sara expand her residential courses to include writing. Hand-on-heart, Gilli did type… Read More

Barnaby Walter joins the Avon Books family

Here at Avon Books, we’re thrilled to have signed a two-book deal with Waterstones’ social media coordinator Barnaby Walter. Phoebe Morgan acquired World English Language rights to A Version of the Truth and one other book from Joanna Swainson at Hardman & Swainson. Barnaby’s debut, about a woman who finds horrifying… Read More

The Happily Married Divorce Lawyer

Like a beautifully fitting glove, My Husband’s Lies slips snugly into the ‘domestic noir’ genre. What are the ingredients of such stories? Well, they are generally set in homes or work places and there’s often a dark narrative and a sense of claustrophobic danger or unease between husband and wife… Read More

My Own Summer Theatre

My love of theatre started when I was aged ten and my parents took me to see a local amateur pantomime. I was mesmerised by the cheeky Dame, the slapstick comedy duo, and the heroic principle boy – even if I was confused as to why the male parts were… Read More

Writing Her Hidden Life

As I point out in my Author’s Note for the book, the idea for Her Hidden Life came from an Associated Press article published in April 2013. The true story of a woman, Margot Woelk, who tasted Adolf Hitler’s food to protect him from poisoning captured my imagination and spurred… Read More

Researching an Orphan’s War

When Avon suggested I write a series of novels set in Liverpool in a Dr Barnardo’s orphanage in the Second World War I was filled with trepidation. The last bit was fine – I’ve always been very interested in that period, and had done loads of research for one of… Read More