Honours and bestsellers

Mishal Husain with her HarperCollins team at the launch of Broken Threads.

What a couple of weeks here at HHB HQ.  We have been doffing our caps to not one but two of our authors, recognised in the 2024 King’s Birthday Honours.  Rory Cellan-Jones, author, journalist, Mover & Shaker and the trusty side-kick of Sophie From Romania was awarded an OBE for his services to journalism.  The food writer and educator, Charlotte Pike, was awarded an MBE.  We are very proud to represent such distinguished talents.

We are also bursting with delight that BROKEN THREADS the family memoir by the BBC newsreader and journalist, Mishal Husain, has flown into the Sunday Times bestseller list.  Having launched the book in style with a party at St Martin’s in the Fields, Mishal has been squeezing in book events alongside hosting the debates and hustings in the lead up to the General Election.  She is truly a powerhouse and it’s particularly gratifying to see a book move up the charts in the third week of publication.  There is a lot of emphasis on the importance of pre-orders but it’s still possible to grow sales with glowing reviews and well-attended events.

In other pleasing news, Hay House have been sending through details of the nine Foreign Language deals (so far) they have struck for Dr Lalitaa’s book HIGH FUNCTIONING ANXIETY and it’s been great to see the appetite for the book spans the globe.

The sun is finally out and the publishing party season is well and truly underway.  DK hosted a fantastic gathering at BAFTA to celebrate their 50th anniversary and launch a new imprint DK RED.  We have had the AAA’s AGM and summer party at Stationers’ Hall, roof terrace celebrations to launch Headline Press and it’s HarperCollins’s big bash at the V&A tonight.