Affirm acquires Katherine debut novel
Affirm Press has acquired world rights to Judith Katherine’s debut novel, Simply Beside Herself, described as “a warm, charming novel about reclaiming independence at every stage of life.”
“When Elizabeth finds a dead body on a park bench – her own – she knows it’s a sign that she needs to make some big changes in her life,” said the publisher. “Staff at her retirement home are too busy to listen when she tries to get their attention, but she is persuaded she must leave its suffocating routine without further delay. In opening the door and walking away, Elizabeth makes an audacious decision – something she had forgotten she could do – in search of a better future and a connection to her past.
Elizabeth’s daughter Lara, meanwhile, “experiences a stunning trifecta of tipping points following her mother’s escape. Along with her troubled teenage daughter, Evie, Lara is also forced into taking responsibility for herself and facing change. Having discovered how easy it is to get lost, all three soon realise how important it is to be found again.”
Affirm said Katherine’s writing is “laced with humour and compassion, focusing on the fragility of relationships affected by distance, adventure and neglect”.
According to the publisher, Simply Beside Herself follows in the footsteps of stories including A Man Called Ove (Fredrik Backman, Sceptre) and The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry (Rachel Joyce, Penguin), while also having some of the flavour of the Thursday Murder Club series (Richard Osman, Penguin), minus the murder.
Katherine said: “It has truly been a delight to write this book, which came about from my doing writing courses during the pandemic. It was one of those things I always meant to do but didn’t feel I had the time, suddenly it was there in spades. This is a novel about humanity and hope. I have loved writing Elizabeth, Lara and Evie into existence, how they get stuck in their stories, and how they make it through.”
Simon & Schuster Australia executive publisher Cate Blake said: “I’ve never fallen in love with a character as quickly and as effortlessly as I did with Elizabeth. Her search for independence and community is deeply relatable, and Judith portrays with vivid warmth and humour.”
Simply Beside Herself will be published by Affirm Press in May 2026.
Category: Local news Rights and acquisitions
