UCLan Publishing lands first northern debut through deal with Liverpool Literary Agency

Aug 9

UCLan Publishing has continued its expansion into adult fiction by securing its first northern debut author. Commissioning Editor Hazel Holmes acquired UK and Commonwealth rights from Clare Coombes at The Liverpool Literary Agency for Garden of Her Heart.
The novel is described as an uplit contemporary story of healing and recovery. It is based at a fictional retreat in Pinewoods on the Merseyside coast in Formby. Author Zoe Richards, who was born and still lives in Merseyside, was inspired to write Garden of Her Heart by being a suicide survivor from which she learned the healing that worked best for her.
Zoe previously worked for the NHS as an improvement programme manager, reforming how children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities are supported in healthcare. She is now a Mindset Coach and still works as a consultant in health and care transformation. Her twice-weekly podcast Write, Damn It! launched in early 2023 and has already attracted a range of well-known authors.
Zoe Richards said: “I am thrilled to be working with UCLan Publishing and to have the opportunity to work with students on the MA in Publishing as we collaborate on my novel as a live project. It’s a privilege to be working with the next generation of publishing talent. Being a northern writer, it’s important to me that I have both a northern agent and a northern publisher.”
Hazel Holmes commented: “I had a deep connection to this book as soon as I started reading. We all need the Pinewoods retreat in our lives and I can't wait to bring this to readers. This is really exciting acquisition for us!”
Clare Coombes added: “UCLan Publishing is the perfect fit for this debut as they have a brilliant focus on northern debut talent. Garden of Her Heart is an uplifting story of self-love, friendship, and community and 'a hopeful hug' of a book.”
UCLan Publishing is now a member of the Northern Fiction Alliance.
The book will be published in spring 2025.
Photo: Zoe Richards

The Bookseller coverage - https://www.thebookseller.com/rights/uclan-scoops-uplifting-debut-novel-from-richards