London Book Fair


News


11th March 2025


Day Planner


Amanda Harris unveils her new agency at London Book Fair 2025


TOM TIVNAN Managing editor


15.00


AI and Copyright: Policy Developments in


the UK and US Main Stage Artificial Intelligence is the single biggest issue facing the trade, and a rapidly evolving one: a multi-front battle is being contested in parliaments, boardrooms, the courts and the court of public opinion. The Anglophone books world seems at the sharpest edge, publishers’ and creators’ deep concerns no doubt exacerbated by both the US and the UK governments refusing to sign the interna- tional AI declaration at February’s Paris summit. This session will parse out where we are, and where we might be heading, with UK Publishers Association CEO Dan Conway (above) and his American counterpart, Maria Pallante.


F


ormer YMU books divi- sion managing director Amanda Harris ( 1) is launching her new “fresh take” on representation,


Maven Literary Management, at today’s London Book Fair. Harris had previously announced


her departure from YMU, which she joined in 2019, in July of last of year. She will bring over a host of


existing and new clients to Maven. In non-fiction that includes Professor Noel “the Supervet” Fitzpatrick, pop singer and MILF author Paloma Faith, food writer Kathryn Bruton, cookery book star/ influencer Christina Kynigos and King’s College London nutritional science professor Sarah Berry. The fiction list features roman-


tasy author Megan Scott, journalist turned 2025 debut historical novel- ist Emma Cowing, and Blindboy Boatclub, AKA David Chambers, the Limerick-born satirist, podcaster and presenter whose critically lauded debut collection


of short stories, Topographia Hibernica, hit the bestseller lists on both sides of the Irish Sea. Harris said: “It’s a privilege to


launch Maven with such a strong and bestselling client list. The golden thread running through our roster is that our authors are experts in their chosen fields, whether they write spellbinding fiction, thought- leading non-fiction or delicious recipe collections.” Harris said the London-based


agency will form links with talent agencies and media partners including Arlington Talent, Castle Place and Warner Bros TV. She added that bringing other agents


It is a privilege to launch Maven with such a strong client list. The golden thread running through our roster is that our authors are experts in their chosen fields


Amanda Harris


HarperVoyager clinches new fantasy series from Jay Kristoff


H


arperVoyager has signed fantasy star Jay Kristoff ( 2) for a new “Suicide


Squad meets Game of Thrones” trilogy, along with one “ageless” standalone novel. Publisher Natasha Bardon


acquired UK and Commonwealth rights, excluding Canada, from Caroline Walsh at David Higham Associates on behalf of Josh Adams at Adams Literary. Adams described Kristoff as an “international rockstar and literary


giant”. He continued: “We’re very happy to finally share that he’ll be able to continue to write his one- of-a-kind brand of epic fantasy for years to come.” Kristoff added: “Despite appear-


ances, [Bardon] and the crew at HarperVoyager are actually black-hearted, evil geniuses. We’ve been planning these books since 2021, and I’m stoked to be working with my favourite gang of villains again to bring these novels to your bookshelves.”


04 1 ALAN RICHARDSON Melbourne-based Kristoff has


sold close to two million copies of his fantasy titles across 35 territories since first being published in 2012 with Stormdancer. His 16 books released in the UK, almost all published through HarperVoyager, have combined to shift nearly 183,000 units for just over £2.1m. Bardon said: “As the bestselling


Empire of the Vampire series concludes soon with Empire of the Dawn, HarperVoyager is thrilled to announce a flurry of new books that are sure to delight.” The final instalment in the


Empire of the Vampire series is scheduled for publication in November 2025.


2 CHRISTOPHER TOVO


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