Faber - Zeno Agency Ltd.

Alexia Casale’s SING IF YOU CAN’T DANCE is out tomorrow!

Posted on Wednesday, July 5th, 2023

Alexia Casale‘s new novel, SING IF YOU CAN’T DANCE is out tomorrow in the UK! Published by Faber, here’s the synopsis…

An entirely original and much needed authentic perspective from a teenager coming to terms with her disability as she’s coming of age.

Ven has her future all planned out. Her dance group is going places and so is she… Then she collapses. On stage.

In hospital, Ven discovers that she has a medical condition – one that threatens to ruin everything. No more dancing… walking is challenging enough. But she doesn’t want your pity. Ven is determined to have a big, exciting life. Sure, her future might be different, but it’s not over… Because if you can’t dance, you can always sing!

Refreshing, uplifting and original, Sing if you Can’t Dance is the unforgettable story of a teenager living life on her own terms.

Here are just a few of the great reviews the novel has received so far…

‘Without minimising her pain and limitations, Casale has written a flawed and fascinating heroine who is far more than her disability.’ — Financial Times

‘I’ve never read a book like this before. I’m obsessed with Ven and you will be too.’ — Holly Bourne

‘Soars with hope and heart.’ — Louisa Reid

BOYS DON’T CRY Out Now in Paperback

Posted on Friday, February 4th, 2022

BOYS DON’T CRY, Fíona Scarlett‘s acclaimed, award-nominated debut novel, is now available in paperback! Published by Faber, here’s the synopsis…

They say boys don’t cry.

But Finn’s seen his Da do it when he thinks no one’s looking, so that’s not true.

And isn’t it OK to be sad, when bad things happen?

They say boys don’t cry, but you might…

Here are just a few of the great reviews the novel has received so far…

‘I can’t remember ever reading anything so moving… It’s so beautiful.’ — Marian Keyes

‘A magnetic book, the characters and their stories drawing you right into their lives so it feels like you’re among them, listening to them and rooting for them to be okay. Tough and true and sad and hopeful, it really is an unforgettable read.’ — Donal Ryan

‘A beautifully rendered story, a thriller, a heartbreaker, with the voice of real people, authentic to the bone, characters that will live on long after you’ve turned the last page. I loved it.’ — Kit de Waal

‘BOYS DON’T CRY is such a beautiful book. Told with compassion and empathy, it will break your heart in a million different ways. Utterly unforgettable.’ — Louise O’Neill

‘[T]otally absorbing. It is a real skill to write about the death of a child without being over-sentimental or mawkish and Fíona nailed it. It’s a bittersweet tale — powerful and poignant, and laced with dark humour. I loved it.’ — Ruth Hogan

‘Hilarious and heartbreaking.’ — Louise Nealon

‘A lyrical, beautifully written story that explores toxic masculinity through the eyes of children. I couldn’t put it down.’ — Christie Watson

Fíona Scarlett’s BOYS DON’T CRY is Out Now in the UK!

Posted on Thursday, April 22nd, 2021

Fíona Scarlett‘s brilliant debut novel, BOYS DON’T CRY is out today in the UK! The moving and brilliant novel is published by Faber. Here’s the synopsis…

Joe is 17, a gifted artist and a brilliant older brother to 12-year-old Finn. They live with their Ma and Da in a Dublin tower block called Bojaxhiu or ‘the Jax’. It’s not an easy place to be a kid, especially when your father, Frank, is the muscle for the notorious gang leader Dessie ‘The Badger’ Murphy. But whether it’s daytrips to the beach or drawing secret sketches, Joe works hard to show Finn life beyond the battered concrete yard below their flat.

Joe is determined not to become like his Da. But when Finn falls ill, Joe finds his convictions harder to cling to. With his father now in prison, his mother submerged in her grief, and his relationships with friends and classmates crumbling, Joe has to figure out how to survive without becoming what the world around him expects him to be.

Here are just a few of the early reviews the novel has received…

‘BOYS DON’T CRY is such a special book. Told with compassion and empathy, it will break your heart in a million different ways. Utterly unforgettable.’ — Louise O’Neill

‘Hilarious and heartbreaking. A warm, witty story that captures the intimacy of Dublin. Finn, Joe and Sabine are not leaving my mind any time soon. Fans of Louise O’Neill and Roddy Doyle, make space on your shelf for your next favourite writer.’ — Louise Nealon

‘Set in the soul of inner city Dublin, a family struggles with the lot of their circumstances and the wolf of criminal menace at their door. At the core are two brothers, one fading, the other lusting for an alternative life that they both deserve. Gritty. Devastating. This story will linger.’ — The Librarian’s Cellar

Next Year: Fíona Scarlett’s BOYS DON’T CRY

Posted on Tuesday, December 22nd, 2020

Announced back in July, we’re happy to share with you today the eye-catching cover for Fíona Scarlett‘s upcoming debut novel, BOYS DON’T CRY! Due to be published next year in the UK by Faber, it’s a moving and brilliant debut. Here’s the synopsis…

Joe is 17, a gifted artist and a brilliant older brother to 12-year-old Finn. They live with their Ma and Da in a Dublin tower block called Bojaxhiu or ‘the Jax’. It’s not an easy place to be a kid, especially when your father, Frank, is the muscle for the notorious gang leader Dessie ‘The Badger’ Murphy. But whether it’s daytrips to the beach or drawing secret sketches, Joe works hard to show Finn life beyond the battered concrete yard below their flat.

Joe is determined not to become like his Da. But when Finn falls ill, Joe finds his convictions harder to cling to. With his father now in prison, his mother submerged in her grief, and his relationships with friends and classmates crumbling, Joe has to figure out how to survive without becoming what the world around him expects him to be.

The novel, which will be available on April 22nd, has already picked up a few great advance reviews, too…

‘BOYS DON’T CRY is such a special book. Told with compassion and empathy, it will break your heart in a million different ways. Utterly unforgettable.’ — Louise O’Neill

‘Hilarious and heartbreaking. A warm, witty story that captures the intimacy of Dublin. Finn, Joe and Sabine are not leaving my mind any time soon. Fans of Louise O’Neill and Roddy Doyle, make space on your shelf for your next favourite writer.’ — Louise Nealon

‘Set in the soul of inner city Dublin, a family struggles with the lot of their circumstances and the wolf of criminal menace at their door. At the core are two brothers, one fading, the other lusting for an alternative life that they both deserve. Gritty. Devastating. This story will linger.’ — The Librarian’s Cellar

Deal Alert: Faber acquires Fíona Scarlett’s BOYS DON’T CRY!

Posted on Monday, July 27th, 2020

We are very happy to report that Faber Books has acquired World English rights for Fíona Scarlett‘s debut novel, BOYS DON’T CRY!

First reported by BookBrunch, here is a synopsis for the novel…

Joe is seventeen, a gifted artist and a brilliant older brother to twelve-year-old Finn. They live with their ma and da in a Dublin tower block called The Jax. It’s not an easy place to be a kid, especially when your father, Frank, is the muscle for the notorious gang leader Dessie “The Badger” Murphy. But whether it’s day trips to the beach or drawing secret sketches, Joe works hard to show Finn life beyond the battered concrete yard below their flat.

Joe is determined not to become like his da. But when Finn falls ill, Joe finds his convictions harder to cling to. With his father now in prison, his mother submerged in her grief and his relationships with friends and classmates crumbling, Joe has to figure out how to survive without becoming what the world around him expects him to be.’

‘I am absolutely over the moon that BOYS DON’T CRY has found such a wonderful home at Faber with the fabulous Louisa Joyner,’ says Scarlett. ‘To work with Faber is a dream come true and I’m beyond excited for the road ahead.’

Editor Louisa Joyner acquired the rights from Zeno’s Louise Buckley, and had the following to say about the novel…

‘Fíona Scarlett’s novel pretty much did it for me. It’s a great big beating heart of a novel, from an incredibly talented young author; the tale of two brothers and the stories they can’t escape. Boys don’t cry? Well, we shall see – this editor cried buckets.’

We will, of course, share more news (e.g., cover art) as soon as we have it.

The book is due to be published in May 2021. We are sure a lot of people are going to love this novel as much as we do.

Congratulations, Fíona!

Happy Publication Day, Iain Sinclair!

Posted on Thursday, November 7th, 2013

Today, Iain Sinclair‘s much-anticipated new book, AMERICAN SMOKE hits shelves in the UK! Published by Hamish Hamilton, the book is a little different to his previous works. Before, he took us around the London Orbital, reported on Hackney, and also delved into the impact of the London Olympics – among many others. This time, the author looks to the open road and the American beat generation…

Iain Sinclair breaks for the border with AMERICAN SMOKE, his first full engagement with the memory-filled landscapes of the American Beats and their fellow travellers.

In a book filled with bad journeys and fated decisions, this is a a delirious expedition in the footsteps of Malcolm Lowry, Charles Olson, Jack Kerouac, William Burroughs, Gary Snyder and more, heated by obsession (the Old West, volcanoes, Mexico) and enlivened by false memories, broken reports and strange adventures.

With American Smoke Sinclair confirms his place as the most innovative of our chroniclers of the contemporary.

AMERICAN SMOKE is due to be published in the US by Faber, in April 2014 (we’ll post a reminder closer to the date, too).

Iain Sinclair’s AMERICAN SMOKE Tour – Updates & Extra Details

Posted on Wednesday, November 6th, 2013

We announced some early details regarding Iain Sinclair‘s upcoming book tour, but there have since been some additional dates and events added to the schedule. Celebrating the release of Iain’s much-anticipated new book, AMERICAN SMOKE, there are plenty of opportunities to learn more about the book and also hear the author speak on the topic. AMERICAN SMOKE is due to be published in the UK in November 2013 (Hamish Hamilton) and in the US in April 2014 (Farrar Strauss).

First up, we want to draw your attention to some recent coverage. The mainstream British has been filled with praise for AMERICAN SMOKE. The Saturday Telegraph magazine featured an interview with the author, ‘Iain Sinclair on walking, markets and his impossible challenge’. Also on Saturday, reviews of AMERICAN SMOKE appeared in the Financial Times – ‘In AMERICAN SMOKE his voice is still urgent; it still has things to tell us. If we know what’s good for us, we’ll listen.’ – and also in The Times (sadly, behind the pay-wall). We understand that there are many more reviews on the way, from across the media. The Telegraph also ran a review, in which AMERICAN SMOKE is described as a ‘wonderful’ book, one the reviewer ‘loved’. A review in The Guardian states that, while reading the book, ‘the US wafts away, as grippingly haunted as Sinclair’s prose.’

And there’s still more to come: Esquire will run a piece by Iain in their December issue, about Kill Your Darlings film. Dazed and Confused‘s December will feature an interview with Iain, as will the Big Issue and The Hackney Citizen.

The London Review Bookshop is offering three wonderful special editions of AMERICAN SMOKE (one of which is pictured, below) – any one of these is a must for Sinclair and Beat Generation aficionados everywhere. Although, be quick – stock is selling out fast.

And finally, to re-cap, here are the rest of the dates for Sinclair’s tour:

Wednesday November 6th (today!) — Royal Society of Literature

Thursday November 7th — Iain Sinclair and Gary Walkow present Beat at the Whitechapel Gallery

Friday November 8th — LAUNCH of American Smoke at the Sea Cadets Building in Stoke Newington

Wednesday November 20th — ICA

Thursday November 21st — LRB Bookshop

Thursday November 28th — Topping and Company Bath

Wednesday December 4th — Broadway Bookshop event

Wednesday January 8th — Central St Martins