Katherine Ryan memoir to Blink after 10-publisher auction

Bonnier Books UK has landed comedian Katherine Ryan’s first book, a memoir, in a 10-publisher auction, to publish in September as a "super lead" title on Blink's non-fiction list. 

UK and Commonwealth rights in Katherine Ryan: The Audacity, excluding Canada, were snapped up by Susannah Otter, editorial director of Blink, and Beth Eynon, senior commissioning editor, from Richard Abate at 3 Arts Entertainment and Kitty Laing at United Agents. It will publish 30th September 2021 in hardback, e-book and audiobook, just as Ryan sets out on a nationwide comedy tour.

Detailing Ryan’s journey from a naïve ex-Hooters waitress fresh off the boat from Canada to comedy megastar, chapters will include "How to Potty Train Your Baby at 10 Months", "How to cut off your Racist Aunties", "How to Marry your High School Boyfriend" and "How to Co-Parent when you’re a Single Mum".

Ryan said: "While I’ve been very blessed to have worked in comedy for over a decade, the book gives me the opportunity to connect with people more fully and honestly than a panel show allows. I’ve learned to be a sharpshooter on stage, but there are so many stories that I’m eager to tell in more sincere, longer form. I hope it gives people a laugh, an insight, and hopefully some encouragement on how to live their most fulfilled, authentic lives. I’m so lucky to be partnering with Bonnier, a most dedicated team of women already responsible for publishing some of my favourite titles."

Otter said: "There were few reasons to be cheerful last year, but the prospect of this brilliant book and the joy of working with Katherine and her team kept everyone at Blink going throughout. Katherine’s comedy always gets straight to the heart of the matter, whether that matter is the egregious nature of 'say no to this' in Hamilton or the importance of a decent surgeon. She not only makes us all laugh, she teaches us to watch for the pitfalls in life and scramble out of them as gracefully as we can manage. I can’t wait for the world to read The Audacity, which combines her unerring ear for the perfect line with the warmth, compassion and hard-won wisdom that makes up a life on and off stage."

A familiar face after appearing on all the UK’s major panel shows as well as in her own Netflix specials, Ryan was born and raised in Canada but has lived in the UK since 2008. She has sold out venues across the world with her stand-up shows, and her latest, "Glitter Room", had a four-week sold out run at London’s Garrick Theatre. Her upcoming 2021 and 2022 live show, "MISSUS", will tour later this year with Live Nation. She also has a successful podcast, "Telling Everybody Everything", which launched in 2020 and went straight to the top of the iTunes UK podcast chart, and is due to host a primetime BBC Two jewellery-making competition series, "All That Glitters".

Blink is promising a "major" publicity and marketing campaign.