Rock the Boat snaps up 'phenomenal' YA standalone from Kathleen Glasgow
Rock the Boat has snapped up The Glass Girl, the first YA standalone novel from Kathleen Glasgow in three years.
UK and Commonwealth rights, excluding ANZ, were acquired by editorial director Shadi Doostdar from Rachel Clements at Abner Stein, on behalf of Julie Stevenson at Massie & McQuilkin. The novel will be published as a superlead autumn title on 1st October 2024. The first print run will be a special, limited edition featuring a colourful, shattered glass sprayed edge and inside printing.
The Glass Girl "is the story of a teenage girl on the brink, finding solace in alcohol and the bumpy road to recovery", says Rock the Boat. Speaking on the book’s meaning, Glasgow said: "As a person who has struggled with addiction, there’s a lot of soul-searching in the recovery process: why, how, when? In The Glass Girl, Bella is trying to drown out so many things: her overwhelming anxiety, her parents’ bitter divorce, a bad breakup, grief over her beloved grandmother’s death. For Bella, drinking begins at age 11. It spirals out of control when she’s 15 and sent to rehab, where she’s forced, for the first time, to really see herself, her fears, her trauma, and to figure out her own why, how, when. I hope this book helps readers who might be struggling with similar issues. I hope it helps them reach out. I hope it helps them figure out their own why, how, when."
Doostdar added: "We could not be prouder to be publishing this phenomenal book. Kathleen is the dreamiest of dreamy authors. Not only is her writing beautifully lyrical, but her heart bursts with so much compassion and empathy for her readers, both on and off the page. I have seen firsthand how intimately readers connect with her books, and I believe The Glass Girl will also resonate with so many, both young and old. It is an incredibly complex yet important and fascinating issue to explore, and one that affects us all to a greater or lesser degree."
