HQ acquires Markham Heid's 'profoundly relatable' The Habit Trap

HQ, an imprint of HarperCollins, has acquired The Habit Trap: How a Break from Routines Can Rebalance Your Life by journalist Markham Heid.

Managing director and publisher Lisa Milton won a nine-publisher auction and acquired UK and Commonwealth (excluding Canada) rights in a six-figure deal from Lorella Belli of the Lorella Belli Literary Agency, on behalf of Folio Literary Management. HQ will simultaneously publish in winter 2027 in hardback, e-book and audio, alongside Karen Rinaldi, SVP and executive editor at HarperCollins US. Rights have also been sold to Montena in Spain, in a pre-empt, to Campus Verlag in Germany), to Ambo Anthos in The Netherlands, to Publica in Romania and to Heliopolis Culture in Taiwan, also in a pre-empt.

"The Habit Trap is a groundbreaking exploration of our modern fixation on habits and routines, dissecting the cultural narrative that promotes optimisation as the ultimate path to success and fulfilment," the synopsis said. "Markham Heid challenges the pervasive belief that more structure, better habits and stricter routines will solve life’s problems, instead highlighting how this obsession can backfire. Heid argues that the very habits meant to improve our lives can, over time, become traps that suffocate creativity, limit growth and jeopardise our mental health."

Milton said: "Markham Heid’s voice is exactly what the world needs right now. It’s insightful, witty, and profoundly relatable – a manifesto for rediscovering joy and spontaneity in life. We at HQ are honoured to bring Markham’s work to readers across the UK and beyond."

Heid added: "I’m so pleased to be working with Lisa Milton and her team at HQ. From the start, I felt like we connected on this project, and I feel very fortunate to have their help and support."