Cave moves to Orion Fiction in two-book deal

Orion Fiction has signed two new novels by actor and comedian Jessie Cave, whose debut adult novel Sunset was published by Welbeck in 2021. 

Charlotte Mursell, editorial director, acquired UK and Commonwealth rights to Broken Half and another novel from Stephanie Thwaites and Debi Allen at Curtis Brown. Orion will launch the first novel in spring 2024 in hardback, e-book and audio.

Broken Half is described by the publisher as a "razor-sharp and utterly relatable story about motherhood, heartbreak and messy, imperfect love". Recently single mum-of-two, Mae, is still in love with her ex (who has already moved on) and struggling to come to terms with being on her own again. Wildly hormonal, sleep deprived and breastfeeding, she feels as if she is living a life of two halves. Somehow, she knows she needs to piece her broken life back together – and this time, she’s determined to do it her way.  

Cave is an actor, comedian, author and cartoonist, known for her role as Lavender Brown in the Harry Potter film series and for her shows in London and at the Edinburgh Fringe. Most recently, she starred in the ITV2 series ”Buffering” and she shares a podcast with her sister Bebe Cave called ”We Can’t Talk About That Right Now”.

Mursell said: “I have been a huge fan of Jessie’s for a very long time so I am incredibly excited to be bringing her future publishing to Orion Fiction. Quirky, hopeful, sometimes devastating, and always unflinchingly honest, it’s impossible not to fall for Jessie’s writing with your whole heart. Her brilliant new novel, Broken Half, will make your toes curl and pierce your soul in the very best way – I can’t wait for readers to meet Mae.” 

Cave said: “I’m delighted to work with Orion on my second novel. I am desperate to write honestly about motherhood and unconventional relationships and am incredibly excited to share Mae’s story, maintaining the  close link between my own life and fiction that I have in my previous work.”