Writers' Newsletter
Issue #275
February 2026
|
New Independent Publisher Pellerin Books Launches with Digital‑First Vision
firstwriter.com – Monday February 16, 2026
A new player has entered the UK publishing landscape as Pellerin Books, an independent publisher focused on commercial fiction, officially launches. The company is the creation of Laura Palmer, co‑founder of Head of Zeus, and Jessie Sullivan, formerly head of marketing, who bring extensive experience from both traditional and digital‑first publishing models.
According to the founders, Pellerin Books is built around a simple but ambitious premise: designing a publishing house that reflects how readers discover, buy, and engage with books today. The company will publish a curated list of immersive fiction across genres including crime, romance, historical, fantasy, and science fiction.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
International Copyright RegistrationRegister your copyright online for instant copyright protection in more than 160 different countries worldwide. |
Andrew Hewson: The Quiet Architect of Other People’s Greatness
firstwriter.com – Wednesday February 11, 2026
When a figure like Andrew Hewson dies, the literary world tends to reach for familiar phrases – veteran agent, industry stalwart, champion of writers. All true, of course, but insufficient. Hewson, who died aged 83, was something rarer: a man who built a life’s work out of elevating other people’s voices while never clamouring for attention himself.
A Career That Began With a Curtain Call
Hewson’s path into publishing was anything but linear. He began not in an office but in a theatre foyer, working front‑of‑house at the Newcastle Playhouse. That early proximity to performance – watching audiences arrive expectant and leave transformed – seems, in retrospect, like the perfect apprenticeship for a future literary agent.
In 1969, he was hired by John Johnson, a man whose family ties to Dame Celia Johnson gave the agency a certain theatrical glamour. Hewson’s early responsibilities were a blend of the practical and the whimsical: nurturing American publishing links, expanding the playwright list, and – charmingly – unfurling the Union Jack on Royal birthdays outside the Albemarle Street office.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Writers' Handbook 2027 - Out Now!
|
The Final Chapter of Haunt Publishing: How a Small Press Illuminated the Dark
firstwriter.com – Friday February 6, 2026
For a publisher devoted to shadows, Haunt Publishing’s story ends not with a scream but with a quiet, heartfelt farewell. After eight years championing Gothic, horror, and dark fiction, the Scottish indie press will close its doors on 1 June 2026, returning all rights to its authors and offering a final clearance sale as it winds down operations.
This closure marks the end of one of the UK’s most distinctive small presses—one that carved out a space for underrepresented voices in a genre often dominated by the mainstream.
A Mission Built on Unease, Empathy, and Representation
Founded in 2018 by Rebecca Wojturska, Haunt Publishing emerged with a clear purpose: to spotlight global and marginalised voices in Gothic and horror literature. From its earliest days, the press positioned itself as author-led, paying double the industry-standard royalty rate and compensating writers for events – an unusually generous model in small-press publishing.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Leadership Shift at Long‑Running Literary Agency as Aaron Priest Retires
firstwriter.com – Tuesday February 3, 2026
A major transition has taken place at one of New York’s longstanding boutique literary agencies. After more than fifty years at the helm of the company he created in 1974, veteran agent Aaron Priest has stepped away from day‑to‑day leadership. His departure marks the end of an era, and the beginning of a new one under Mitch Hoffman, who has now assumed ownership of the Aaron Priest Literary Agency and will serve as its president.
Priest’s career has been defined by his work with a wide range of bestselling and influential writers. Over the decades, he guided the publishing paths of authors including Erma Bombeck, David Baldacci, Philip Caputo, Robert Crais, Heather Graham, Brenda Joyce, Johanna Lindsey, and Robert James Waller. Beyond his client list, Priest helped shape the agenting profession itself as a founding member of the Independent Literary Agents Association, the group that later evolved into today’s Association of American Literary Agents. His interests also extended to the stage: in 2014 he was among the producers of the Broadway adaptation of The Bridges of Madison County, drawn from Waller’s hit novel.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Alice Caprio Joins PFD to Strengthen Its Growing Children’s and YA Division
firstwriter.com – Wednesday January 21, 2026
Peters Fraser + Dunlop has announced the appointment of Alice Caprio as the newest member of its children’s and young adult representation team, marking a further expansion of the agency’s commitment to the sector. Caprio officially steps into the role on 5 January 2026.
Her move to PFD follows a five‑year stretch immersed in the international children’s book market, during which she scouted for London Literary Scouting and later represented authors at Felicity Bryan Associates. That experience has given her a broad view of global trends and a strong grounding in talent development.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Georges Borchardt, Literary Powerhouse Who Brought Global Voices to America, Dies at 97
firstwriter.com – Wednesday January 21, 2026
Georges Borchardt, a towering figure in the world of literary representation and a tireless advocate for writers whose work reshaped modern literature, has died at his Manhattan home at the age of 97. His family said he passed away peacefully, surrounded by loved ones, including Anne Borchardt, his wife and business partner for more than six decades.
For many in publishing, Borchardt was not merely an agent but a cultural bridge. Over a career spanning more than 70 years, he introduced American readers to some of the most influential voices of the 20th century — among them Samuel Beckett, Elie Wiesel, Marguerite Duras, and Eugene Ionesco. His agency, founded in 1967, became a haven for writers whose work demanded both courage and conviction.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
News |
Some of this month's news for writers from around the web.
Writing festival celebrates Arts Council cash
bbc.co.uk – Tuesday February 17, 2026
An annual literary festival attracting entries from authors around the world is celebrating a grant worth almost £59,000.
The 10th Hammond House International Literary Festival, also known as LitFest, is hosting a series of events in Grimsby until 25 February.
The money from Arts Council England will be used to fund the festival over the next two years.
Jessica Johnson, the Litfest project manager, said the grant would allow them to "have the resources to work with a lot more creatives locally, pay them what they deserve and allow us to broaden our projects".
Events include workshops with the writer Paul Basset Davies, who has worked with some of the biggest names in British comedy, and award-winning illustrator Debasmita Dasgupta.
The finale, on 25 February, will include an awards ceremony at University Centre, in Grimsby, where entries shortlisted as part of a competition will be published in an anthology.
The Romance Writing Festival to return to Dorset
dorsetecho.co.uk – Sunday February 15, 2026
The second Romance Writing Festival will return to Bournemouth on Saturday, October 3, promising a full day of expert talks, workshops, and networking opportunities for writers at every stage of their journey.
Taking place at the Marsham Court Hotel, the festival will feature Sunday Times bestselling authors, industry professionals, and aspiring writers under one roof.
The event is part of the growing literary programme from the Bournemouth Writing Festival, and it caters to romance writers ranging from beginners to those seeking publication.
Katie Fforde, a stalwart of the romance genre, will appear in conversation with BBC South’s Edward Sault.
Sue Moorcroft, president of the Romantic Novelists’ Association, will also feature in the line-up.
After 40 Years, Romance Publisher Harlequin to End Historical Romance Line
people.com – Saturday February 14, 2026
One of the most successful romance novel publishers in the world is shutting down its historical romance line.
Harlequin Enterprises is planning to shut down its historical line in September 2027, a representative from parent company Harper Collins confirmed to PEOPLE in a statement. Retail efforts and digital publishing in the U.S. and U.K. will cease as a part of the shutdown.
"As Harlequin continues to evolve its series romance publishing program, we have made the difficult decision to discontinue publishing the Historical Romance series after September 2027 due to changing global market conditions," the statement said. "We are deeply grateful to the talented authors who have helped shape the series and shared unforgettable stories with generations of readers."
Harlequin — known for novels and series including Lynne Graham's Bond of Hatred, Maya Banks' The Tycoon's Pregnant Mistress series and other romances — will not acquire any new works for the line moving forward, the outlet reported, citing an email sent to Harlequin authors.
| Click here for the rest of this month's news > |
Listings |
A selection of the new listings added to firstwriter.com this month.
New Publisher Listing: Heloise Press Ltd
firstwriter.com – Tuesday February 10, 2026
Publishes stylistically innovative literary fiction with a focus on intimate, visceral and powerful narratives. Champions worldwide female talent and brings together emerging and established women’s voices from the UK and abroad. Seeks manuscripts in English that align with its editorial line, including book reviews and sample pages from authors, as well as pitches and sample translations from translators who have discovered distinctive international work. Accepts stories marked by striking content and literary sophistication, with an emphasis on women’s experiences and global perspectives.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
New Literary Agency Listing: Europa Content
firstwriter.com – Friday February 20, 2026
A boutique literary management and production company based in Brooklyn. Known for pioneering unconventional deals, developing original scripted audio, and helping authors move from book to screen. Maintains a global foreign rights program selling into nearly every territory. Accepts email queries only with the first 25-50 pages of a manuscript.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
New Magazine Listing: Spellbinder
firstwriter.com – Friday February 20, 2026
Quarterly print magazine featuring new writing and visual art. Publishes poetry, short stories, flash fiction, creative nonfiction, flash nonfiction, stage plays, screenplays, monologues, play extracts, and visual art including paintings, drawings, digital art, collage, and photography, with a focus on imaginative, original, and boundary‑testing work from emerging and established creators. Welcomes submissions from all backgrounds and seeks writing up to 3,000 words in fiction and nonfiction, flash pieces between 100 and 1,000 words, poems up to 40 lines, drama up to five A4 pages, and up to three artworks in accepted formats. Emphasises curiosity, inclusivity, and innovation across literary and artistic forms.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Click here for more of this month's new listings > |
Articles |
Some of this month's articles for writers from around the web.
Publishing houses have hundreds of imprints. What are they exactly?
marketplace.org – Saturday February 14, 2026
The book publishing market share is heavily concentrated in five or so publishing houses: Penguin Random House, Macmillan, Simon & Schuster, HarperCollins, and Hachette. But these publishers all have a vast collection of imprints, and often it seems a book is more closely associated with its imprint than its parent publisher. My question is: What exactly are imprints and what are they for? The easy answer would be branding but it seems each imprint operates more or less individually on its books, implying it’s not just for appearances sake and might have a deeper purpose.
The big five publishers collectively have hundreds of imprints, spanning categories like classic literature, romance, science fiction, fantasy and business.
There are imprints like Golden Books, a brand from Random House whose children’s books have a recognizable gold-foil spine. Scribner, an imprint from Simon & Schuster whose published authors include Stephen King and Pulitzer Prize-winner Jennifer Egan. And Harlequin Books, an imprint from HarperCollins that publishes the famed Harlequin romance novels.
Not all imprints have strong brand recognition among the public, but imprints have a purpose within the publishing world, helping agents know which brand they should pitch to, according to publishing experts that Marketplace spoke to. The people who work at imprints have also developed expertise on books within their brand and know how to market them.
Fanfiction’s Total Cultural Victory
defector.com – Tuesday February 3, 2026
In 2012, a self-published author of erotic Twilight fanfiction, whose books had gained a large fan base online, was offered a seven-figure contract by a major American publisher. E. L. James's Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy would become the three bestselling titles of the 2010s in the U.S. (even Fifty Shades Freed, the now mostly forgotten end to the trilogy, outsold The Hunger Games). They would also sell over 150 million copies worldwide across 52 languages.
The impact was immediate: Op-eds were written. Bad prose was excerpted. Stock photos of fluffy handcuffs appeared everywhere. And, amidst all the endless discussions about ethical BDSM and "mommy porn" and what, exactly, women might want, fanfiction had suddenly become highly lucrative. Instead of asking what Fifty Shades meant for women, people should have been asking what it meant for publishing.
Book publishers were afraid of building shared universes until they saw how successful the Marvel Cinematic Universe was, according to Brandon Sanderson
thepopverse.com – Tuesday February 3, 2026
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is so influential that it has even changed the way books are published. Publishers and readers are embracing shared universes, such as Leigh Bardugo’s Grishaverse and Jeremy Robinson’s Nemesis Saga. While book series are nothing new, a shared literary universe is different because it can focus on different characters and different time periods in a shared continuity, whereas a series will tell a linear story with the same characters.
Brandson Sanderson, who created the Cosmere literary universe, recalls how the shift began after the MCU took off. “I thought I want to do all these magic systems, all these different planets, and I want to connect them all,” Brandon Sanderson says during New York Comic Con 2022’s Titans of Fantasy panel. “People were really scared of continuity back then. When I was doing this, this was a few years before the MCU came out. Publishers were scared. They wanted one series but they didn’t want this big interconnected thing because the conventional wisdom was this would scare off readers.”
| Click here for the rest of this month's articles > |
About |
Information about this newsletter and the firstwriter.com site.
Resources for writers
Go to firstwriter.com for the following invaluable resources for writers:
Advertise
To advertise on this newsletter for as little as $30 / £20 click here
Submit
To submit articles, news items, press releases, or any other items of interest to writers, click here
This newsletter has been compiled by firstwriter.com and is protected by copyright. It may not be copied, forwarded, or otherwise distributed in whole or in part without firstwriter.com's written consent.
While every effort is made to ensure that all information contained within this newsletter is accurate, readers are reminded that this information is provided only as a list of potential leads that the reader should follow up with his or her own investigations. Unless otherwise stated, firstwriter.com is not associated with and does not endorse, recommend, or provide any assurances relating to any of the organisations, events, persons or promotions contained within this newsletter, and cannot be held responsible for any loss incurred due to actions taken in relation to information provided. Inclusion does not constitute recommendation.
Please do not reply to this email. The address from which this has been sent is not capable of receiving emails and sending an email to it may cause your subscription to stop. If you have any queries or require any assistance please contact us by going to https://www.firstwriter.com/contactus/
© firstwriter.com 2026