Diamond Kahn & Woods Literary Agency are thrilled to announce that Constable & Robinson are to publish David Owen’s fantastic debut novel, Panther.
Sarah Castleton acquired World English language rights in Panther from agent Ella Kahn at DKW.
Panther tells the story of Derrick, whose family is being torn apart by his sister’s depression and her recent suicide attempt. When rumours start to circulate that a panther is roaming wild in his south London suburb, Derrick decides to try and capture it. Surely if he can just find a way to tame the panther, he’ll be able to put his life back together too?
Panther is a funny, touching, and occasionally unsettling coming-of-age story, which deals candidly with the stigmas and misunderstandings surrounding depression.
Sarah Castleton said: ‘David Owen talks about the way depression lives within families. Derrick is odd, awkward, alone, and struggling to understand the black threats pacing around within his family and outside his front door. The way that David talks about anger, guilt, and fighting for control is extremely refreshing and extraordinarily empathetic. Panther is a perfect match for Much-in-Little, and I think it will strike a chord with readers of all ages.’
David Owen said: ‘I couldn’t be happier that Constable & Robinson is publishing my debut novel, Panther. The book deals with a sensitive, personal subject, and their understanding of that shows that they’re the ideal home for my writing.’
Ella Kahn said: ‘David is one of the most talented young writers I have ever come across. His prose is striking and original, and this is a bold novel with strong emotional impact. Sarah has understood this perfectly, and I know that Constable & Robinson will be a brilliant publisher for Panther.’
David achieved first class honours in BA Creative Writing and MA Writing for Children from the University of Winchester, where he went on to teach on the BA Creative Writing for three years. He now works as a freelance games journalist, contributing to review sites including IGN, Rock Paper Shotgun and Polygon, and has been published as a poet in journals such as Agenda and Seam.
Constable & Robinson will publish Panther on their Much-in-Little YA imprint in early 2015.
http://www.thebookseller.com/news/constable-buys-ya-novel-depression.html
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