Muswell Press acquires 'poignant, hopeful' Joella debut

Muswell Press has bagged  A Little Hope, the "warm immersive" debut of English and psychology teacher Ethan Joella.

The indie press acquired UK and Commonwealth rights from Madeleine Milburn at the Madeleine Milburn Literary, TV & Film Agency, with publication slated for April 2022. Just published by Scribner in the US, the "deeply moving, life-affirming" novel about love and redemption, focuses on the residents of a small East Coast town as they face everyday fears and desires, including a lost love, a stalled career, a drug habit and an unwelcome diagnosis.

Sarah and Kate Beal, publishers at Muswell Press, said they were "completely smitten with Ethan Joella’s vivid, compelling writing". 

They said: "He creates something extraordinary from the ordinary. A warm, immersive and poignant book. We are delighted to welcome him to the Muswell list. A compelling start to what promises to be a stellar writing career."

Milburn added: "A Little Hope taught me how to remain hopeful in spite of all the pains that make us human. Fans of Elizabeth Strout, Mary Beth Keane and authors with a similar sensibility will love this very special novel."

Joella teaches at the University of Delaware and leads community writing workshops. His work has appeared in River Teeth, the International Fiction Review, the MacGuffin, Delaware Beach Life, and Third Wednesday.

He said: "I am delighted that A Little Hope has found a home with Muswell Press. I admire their extraordinary catalogue and authors, their stunning covers, their philosophy of publishing, and their strong relationships with booksellers. I cannot wait for A Little Hope to be released across the pond."