Hot Key buy E Lockhart's We Were Liars

From Book Trade, news of a UK publishing deal for E Lockhart's We Were Liars:

Emma Matthewson, Editor-at-Large at Hot Key Books, has acquired UK and Ireland rights in National Book Award finalist and Printz Award honoree E. Lockhart's YA novel WE WERE LIARS.

The book is already hotly anticipated in the industry as one of the top titles for 2014, and Hot Key Books will publish on 15 May, within days of Delacorte USA. They aim to make this one of the most talked about global launches of the year.

Described as: 'Thrilling, beautiful, and blisteringly smart ... utterly unforgettable' by John Green, WE WERE LIARS is a modern, sophisticated suspense novel that follows the tragic destruction of a wealthy, privileged family in New England.

A major sales and marketing campaign will support publication, including mailing out proof copies which are being produced within a week from the book's acquisition, as well as a big trade buzz-building campaign, including a dedicated helpline that booksellers can call to talk about the ending. The consumer launch will include a 'live read' on Twitter using the hashtag #wewereliars where readers will be asked to tweet as they read, plus blogger and vlogger outreach, promoting the global tumblr site wewereliars.tumblr.com and 'takeovers' on key consumer websites.

Sarah Odedina, Managing Director, says: 'Everyone at Hot Key Books is so excited and energised by having this breathtaking book on the list. It is a one-sitting heart-pounding read. It is quite simply unique and we know we are going to have a spectacular time bringing it to the attention of readers.'

Review: Fly on the Wall by E Lockhart

Fly on the Wall by E Lockhart (May 2008, Corgi Childrens, ISBN: 0552556246)

First Lines:

Friday. I am eating alone in the lunchroom.
Again.

Review: Gretchen Lee attends the Manhattan School for Art and Music. She is a talented artist specialising in comic book style drawing. At the Ma-Ha school every one tries to fit in by being different rather than conforming but Gretchen considers herself too ordinary to fit in and really only has one friend and a crush on a class-mate whom she's too shy to speak to.

She doesn't understand boys and in a fit of honesty says that she'd love to be fly on the wall of the boys' locker room, not expecting that her wish would come true and that the experience will change her life.

Fly on the Wall is a short book but covers a lot of ground in terms of issues of self-image (male and female), sexuality (gay and straight), racism and the repercussions of divorce but it does it in a light way and a way that the reader can relate to, as well as enjoying the humour. I raced through this book, staying up late to finish it and will seek out more of the author's work.

Cover: Very appropriate cover for the middle third of the book!