Coronet signs wild swimmer and podcaster Bromley’s memoir on grief and nature 

Coronet has signed The Tidal Year, “a story about the healing power of wild swimming and the space it creates for reflection, rewilding, and hope” by wild swimmer and podcast host Freya Bromley.

Joelle Owusu-Sekyere, commissioning editor, acquired UK and Commonwealth rights, excluding Canada, from Jo Bell at Bell Lomax Moreton, for publication in hardback, e-book, and audio on 4th May 2023.

The synopsis reads: “Freya is still searching. For four years, she’s been looking for a way to fill the empty space her brother’s death left behind. Ready for another distraction, Freya decides to swim every tidal pool in Britain in a year with her friend Miri. The adventure takes them from a pool hidden in the cliffs of fishing village Polperro to the quarry lagoon of Abereiddi via Trinkie Wick where locals meet each year to give the pool wall a fresh lick of paint.

“As Freya travels further from London, she finds herself closer to memories of her brother. With every swim, and every stranger they meet in the water, the challenge becomes more than just a way to explore the coast, but a journey of self-discovery.

“The Tidal Year is a story about the healing power of wild swimming and the space it creates for reflection, rewilding, and hope. An exploration of grief in the modern age, it’s also a tale of female rage, sisterhood loss and love in the modern age.”

Owusu-Sekyere said: “I am delighted to be publishing Freya’s stunning debut book next spring. Her story is both moving and inspiring, so it is a real pleasure working with Freya to bring this deeply tender book into the world."

Bromley, who is currently studying on the Creative Writing Master of Studies course at Cambridge University, commented: “I’m thrilled that The Tidal Year has found a home with the talented team at Coronet. I didn’t expect my first book to be a memoir and I certainly didn’t think I’d be writing about something as personal as my brother’s death.

“I see this book deal as the fulfilment of a personal promise that I’d process my grief. Who knows if I’ll ever truly get there, but in viewing myself as a ‘character’ in my own story I’ve been able to offer myself a new level of compassion. I hope it’s an offering that will resonate with others too.”