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Picador acquires debut by award-winning screenwriter

Pan Macmillan imprint Picador has announced it has acquired local rights to a debut novel by award-winning Australian screenwriter Shirley Barrett.

Barrett’s scripts include Love Serenade and South Solitary. She has also worked as a director on television programs including ‘Offspring’ and ‘Love My Way’.

In a release, Picador said the debut Rush Oh! is set in 1908 near the township of Eden on the New South Wales coast. It is ‘a story about family, fish and animals; and about trying to come to terms with life’s disappointments. It is also a celebration of an extraordinary episode in Australian history, when a pod of Killer whales and a family of whalers formed a fond, unique allegiance’.

Picador publisher Alex Craig said it was a ‘rambunctious and delightful novel’ that ‘casts a spell from the get go, with its depiction of Eden’s whaling days as narrated by the novel’s indefatigable heroine, Mary’. ‘Shirley Barrett is a wonderful Australian voice, and I can’t wait to share this novel with readers everywhere.’

Barrett is represented by Curtis Brown and North American rights to her novel have been acquired by Little, Brown, while UK rights have been acquired by Virago.

Picador will publish Rush Oh! in the second half of 2015.

 

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Category: Local news Rights and acquisitions