Ebury buoyed by McDonald's 'Unsinkable' memoir

Singer Jane McDonald has signed a deal with Ebury for her memoir, Unsinkable.

The deal for world rights was made between literary agent KT Forster and Virgin Books’ senior editorial director Lorna Russell. Unsinkable: My Story will be published by Virgin Books on 5th September, retailing at £20.

“Whether performing in an arena, presenting a No 1 TV show or recording a top-ten album, Jane McDonald will never forget her Northern roots,” Ebury said.

“Her Yorkshire wit, sincerity and charm are as much a part of her as her talent for singing, and she brings that same authentic voice to telling her story, in her own words: from growing up in Wakefield, always dreaming of becoming a singer, hitting the big time overnight on [BBC TV show] ‘The Cruise’ 20 years ago, surviving the dark legacy of that early success, and coming back stronger than ever.”

According to the synopsis, McDonald “is unsinkable, and as she takes us on her life’s voyage, she shows us all how we can be unsinkable too”.

McDonald’s first autobiography, Follow Your Dreams, was published by HarperCollins in 2000.

Russell said of the deal: “I am thrilled to be publishing Jane’s autobiography. She is brimming with life, and pours it all into this book.  It hasn’t always been plain sailing, but in Jane’s world tough times make the good times better, and her spirit, heart and humour sparkle from every page.”

McDonald said: “It wasn’t until I started to write this book that I realised how many wonderful things I had done. I didn’t realise my strengths, insecurities, resilience and my ability to carry on no matter what.”