Bluebird scoops mental-health advocate Ro Mitchell's debut in six-publisher auction

Bluebird has scooped mental health advocate and content creator Ro Mitchell’s debut in a six-publisher auction. Lizzy Gray, publisher, Bluebird and One Boat, acquired world all-language rights to How to Talk to Yourself: From Self-Doubt to Self-Confidence from Oscar Janson-Smith in a six-way auction. How to Talk to Yourself will publish in June 2025.

When Mitchell began to share her mental health and eating-disorder recovery story online, she discovered that her "vulnerability and advice resonated with her audience". She said she found it was a "huge eye-opener" to the sheer number of people battling self-esteem issues with nobody to listen, understand or help them in proactively making changes. Since then, she has grown a "positive and engaged" online community, champions mental-health awareness and co-hosts The Comfort Zone podcast.

Mitchell said: "I spent years trapped inside my own mind, feeling as if nobody would understand me. I want to be the person I needed in those times, the listening ear, the warm hug from a friend. So much of me went into this book and I hope it’ll make people struggling, just like I was, feel understood at last, and offer proactive ways to cope and change."

Cara Waudby-Tolley, assistant editor at Bluebird, said: "We are immensely proud to publish Ro Mitchell. The way that we speak to ourselves, though often overlooked, has the power to transform our entire lives. Ro weaves together her story and personal journey beautifully with practical advice, intelligent insights and empathetic writing to inspire and galvanise. This is a book to see yourself and those you love in, a book packed to the brim with care and kindness, a welcome comfort in an often harsh world."