HarperCollins pre-empts 'extraordinary' memoir by ex-Good Housekeeping editor Nicholson

HarperCollins has pre-empted an “extraordinary memoir and manifesto” by ex-Good Housekeeping editor Lindsay Nicholson MBE.

Sarah Emsley, m.d. and publisher at HarperNonFiction, acquired UK and Commonwealth rights to Perfect Bound in a 24-hour pre-empt from Rory Scarfe at The Blair Partnership. It will publish under the Mudlark imprint in hardback, e-book and audiobook on 18th July 2024.

“Nicholson was the most successful lifestyle magazine editor in Britain. But when a would-be suicide ran in front of her car, the pages of her picture-perfect life fell apart,” the publisher said.

“In just one year, Lindsay lost her marriage, job and home, and was even arrested. Suicidal and suffering from profound PTSD, she tried medication, therapy and New Age courses – until she found the answers she was looking for in the pages of her former magazine. Following the wisdom they dispensed, Lindsay came to realise that life isn’t about being perfect. It’s the mess of friendship, laughter and the little things that truly matter.”

The publisher describes Perfect Bound as “an unforgettable story about resilience, recovery and remembering what really makes life worth living”.

Emsley said: “I fell in love with this memoir from the very first page. Beautifully written, it tells the story of an immensely strong, inspiring and successful careerwoman and mother who endures more than anyone should ever have to, yet manages to rebuild her life from the ground up by holding on to her faith in the powers of family, friendship, home and hope. I couldn’t be more delighted to be working with Lindsay and to be publishing Perfect Bound on the Mudlark list.”

Nicholson added: “This is the book I wish I could have read when I was at my lowest ebb. I have written it for every woman who has ever wondered how she was going to pick herself up… and start all over again.”