Gemma Cairney pens ‘guide to life’

Radio One presenter Gemma Cairney is writing a guide to life for young adults, which will be published by Macmillan Children’s Books in March next year.

Open: A Toolkit for How Magic and Messed Up Life Can Be (h/b, £12.99), illustrated by Maria-Ines Gul, will give Cairney’s advice on everything from mental health and body image to families and first love.

Rachel Petty, 6+ editorial director at Macmillan Children’s Books, secured world rights at auction from Becky Thomas of Johnson & Alcock.

“We are so pleased to be working with Gemma,” said Petty. “She is absolutely the right person to speak out on tricky issues that most people wouldn’t dare to address. Gemma’s warmth, passion and energy all shine through in her book – it will be a shoulder to lean on, a listening ear and an inspiration in times of worry for young people everywhere.”

Macmillan will support publication with a marketing campaign, including a double-decker bus tour where Cairney will offer advice to young people in schools, universities, housing estates and festivals, and a video trailer.

The author will also appear at the Young Adult Literature Convention (YALC) this Sunday (31st July) where she will chair a panel with Holly Bourne, Juno Dawson, Rosalind Jana and TV’s Dr Christian.