HQ nets debut novel from beauty editor and writer Denton-Hurst

HQ has netted the debut novel from beauty editor and writer Tembe Denton-Hurst.  

Publisher Manpreet Grewal acquired UK and Commonwealth rights, excluding Canada, to Homebodies from Rachel Clements at Abner Stein on behalf of Danielle Bukowski at Sterling Lord Literistic. Emma Kupor at Harper acquired US rights directly from Danielle Bukowski. Homebodies will publish in summer 2023.  

Denton-Hurst currently works as a staff writer at New York Magazine’s The Strategist where she covers beauty, lifestyle and books. 

Homebodies is described by the publisher as “a disarmingly honest and relatable coming-of-age novel of one woman’s quest to find the strength to speak up and make her voice heard, while trying to figure out the person she wants to be”. The publisher added: “It follows the story of Mickey, a young Black writer whose world is turned upside down when she loses her coveted job in media, and her post calling out racism in the industry goes viral. To escape from it all, she heads back to her hometown – but is hiding away from the world really the answer to Mickey’s problems?” 

Denton-Hurst said: “I write about Black women who believe themselves to be extraordinary but are probably more regular, fragile, and messy than they care to admit. Manpreet, Melanie and the entire HQ team gets that, which is why I’m so excited to be publishing my debut novel with HQ.” 

Grewal added: “Tembe is a gifted storyteller, and I loved every page of Homebodies. It’s a brilliant, razor-sharp novel about navigating all the painful and messy specifics of twenty-something life, and Mickey is a protagonist I know readers everywhere will be cheering on. We couldn’t be more excited at HQ to press this timely and nuanced novel into the hands of everyone we know.”