Faber nabs Sara Pascoe’s debut novel

Faber has acquired Weirdo, the debut novel from comedian, writer and actor Sara Pascoe, which will be published on 14th September 2023. Associate publishers Louisa Joyner and Laura Hassan bought world language rights plus audio from Dawn Sedgwick at Dawn Sedgwick Management.

The book is based in Essex and follows Sophie, who “had a feeling something was going to happen and then, it did”. The synopsis from the publisher said: “Sophie has a chance at creating a new ending and paying off her emotional debts (if not her financial ones). All she has to do is act exactly like a normal, well-adjusted person and not say any of her inner monologue out loud. If she can suppress her light paranoia, pornographic visualisations and pathological lying, maybe she’ll even end up getting the guy she wants.”

Joyner and Hassan commented: “Sara’s work has been at the heart of Faber’s non-fiction publishing for years. We’re super excited about this new foray into fiction – it’s every bit as brilliant and has Sara’s signature wit, channelling the weirdo in us all.”

In addition to filming her BBC stand-up special, "LadsLadsLads", Pascoe wrote and starred in her own sitcom "Out of Her Mind" (BBC2). She is the host of shows such as "The Great British Sewing Bee" (BBC2) and "Last Woman On Earth" (BBC2), and has written and starred in the BBC2 short "Sara Pascoe vs Monogamy", which was inspired by her first book, Animal. Her second book, Sex Power Money, was accompanied by a podcast. 

She added: ‘It’s been such a joy to be telling someone else’s secrets instead of my own, and even better, a fictional person who can’t get annoyed with me.”