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Cassava Republic acquires 'electrifying' debut novel from pilot Carole Hopson
Cassava Republic has acquired the "electrifying" debut novel from pilot Carole Hopson. Assistant editor Boluwatito Sanusi acquired the UK and Commonwealth rights (excluding Canada) for A Pair of Wings from Henry Holt at Henry Holt & Company. The book, which was initially self-published in the US, is due to publish in May 2025.
The book tells the remarkable true story of pioneer aviatrix Bessie Coleman, the first Black woman to gain her pilot’s licence – before Amelia Earheart – in 1920s America. The story is told "against a backdrop of segregation and poverty". The publisher described the book as "gripping and powerful" as it "captures the excitement and dangers of early aviation after the Wright brothers’ first flight". The book is told from the "unique perspective of Carole Hopson, who is herself a Captain for United Airlines".
Hopson said: "I am delighted with the Cassava Republic Press acquisition because it means that Bessie Coleman’s epic life will be shared with a global audience. A Pair of Wings is for anyone who needs to be uplifted, inspired, who needs to believe in themselves. Coleman was a pioneer aviator who led the way for dreamers and doers a century ago and she still leads by example for a modern audience. Coleman’s tenacity, focus and drive created a path where there was none and in so doing, she conquered insurmountable odds. My wish for this season of the book is that Coleman’s story will inspire and fortify dreamers. Coleman’s instructors were dogfighters in the First World War and it is their valour that we see reflected in the turns and twists of her manoeuvres, as well as in her extraordinary accomplishments. A Pair of Wings is an ode to one woman’s determination to the one true thing that she believed in and to show the rest of us that we can believe in ourselves."
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Sanusi said: "A Pair of Wings is an electrifying celebration of ambition, grit and the boundless spirit of Bessie Coleman. Carole Hopson masterfully weaves a story that soars with loops and turns, immersing readers into the early 20th century and the life of a woman who refused to be grounded. At its core, A Pair of Wings is a call to dream bigger, and I couldn’t be more excited to introduce it to a new audience in 2025."
Carole’s agent, Jessica Friedman of Sterling Lord Literistic said: "I’m thrilled that Cassava Republic will be bringing Carole Hopson’s A Pair of Wings to a broader audience across the globe. Bessie Coleman is such an inspiring, empowering figure, and her story truly comes to life in Carole’s warm and expert prose – I can’t wait for more readers to fall in love with this novel, with Bessie, and with Carole’s writing."
