Coronet acquires personal guide for UK carers from Wincer

Coronet has acquired a “personal and essential” guide for the millions of carers in the UK by journalist Penny Wincer.

Publisher Hannah Black acquired UK and British Commonwealth rights from Abigail Bergstrom at Gleam Titles. Tender will be published in summer 2020.

The synopsis says: “It is estimated that there are seven million people in the UK caring for loved ones, at any one time. These are the unpaid, unsung people whose number is rising all the time and for whom there is very little written. Tender will combine the author’s own experiences as a carer along, with the experiences of others to offer real and transformative tools and insights for navigating a situation that many of us are either facing or will face at some point in our lives; whether it’s caring for a parent, child or partner.”  

Wincer has twice been a carer, first to her mother, and now as a single parent to her autistic son. She will weave her lived experience with research into resilience, perfectionism and self-compassion, combining it with stories of other carers alongside those who receive support.

She said: “After spending my teenage years supporting my mother through depression and addiction, I knew that having a disabled child would mean I was going to have to look after myself. What I realised overtime though, was that what I needed was a complete change of mindset around disability and what it means to live a good life. In Tender I hope to challenge some of the narrow and damaging narratives around caring. That we are neither superheroes or people to be pitied. We are just ordinary people, doing the best we can, supporting someone we love.”

Black added: “Penny is a wonderful force for good and for positive change, and I believe hers is one of those books that will come to represent a significant turning point in how we view our roles in society, at work, at home and in our relationships. With insight and sensitivity, Penny challenges how we think about illness, disability and ageing  – and invites a much needed and hopeful revaluation of how we take care not just of each other, but ourselves.  A long overdue book that will speak to many.”