Canongate bags Acevedo’s ‘extraordinary’ first novel 

Canongate has scooped Family Lore, a tale following a multi-generational family, by author and poet Elizabeth Acevedo, after triumphing at auction.

Associate publisher and commercial director Jenny Fry bought UK and Commonwealth rights (excluding Canada) following an auction from Felicity Blunt from Curtis Brown, on behalf of Alexandra Machinist at Creative Artists Agency (CAA). Other auctions running in advance of Frankfurt Book Fair have concluded with Frassinelli buying Italian rights and Urano buying Spanish rights. Helen Atsma from Ecco, Harper Collins will publish in the US on 29th August 2023, followed by Canongate on 7th September 2023.

Family Lore follows the intertwining lives of the Matre women. “Each has their own secrets and distinct gifts but it is Flor who can predict when someone will pass away,” the synopsis reads. “When she decides to throw herself a living wake – a party to bring her family and community together to celebrate the long life she’s led – her sisters wonder what exactly she may have foreseen. As they prepare for the gathering, this new focus begins to shift and change all their lives forever.”

Acevedo won both the National Book Award and the Carnegie Medal for her New York Times bestselling young adult novel, The Poet X (HarperCollins), which was also shortlisted for the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize. Acevedo is also a National Poetry Slam Champion and the author of two other young adult novels.

“I’m very excited to work with the thoughtful and taste-making team at Canongate,” she said. “Their plans for this book leave me with no doubt of how special it will be to publish with them. UK readers have always been so welcoming of my young adult work, and I look forward to bringing Family Lore to audiences old and new.”

Fry said: “It quickly became apparent that everyone in the company felt we had to publish Family Lore. It’s a novel of huge heart, dealing effortlessly with the many complexities of multi-generational family life. There’s a warmth here that leaves you with a real sense of renewed love, not just for the wonderful women on these wonderful pages, but also for those in one’s own life.”

Blunt added: “I am absolutely delighted to have placed this extraordinary book with Jenny and the wider team at Canongate. From the very start Jenny’s response to Family Lore and her ambition for publishing it made it clear that she would be the perfect partner.”

Machinist said: “I’ve been thrilled with the passionate approach Jenny and Canongate have taken to acquiring this novel that is so near and dear to my heart. I know they’ll see it through to publication and beyond with that same passion.”