Orion buys debut novel from leading Irish broadcaster

Susan Lamb, Managing Director of Orion Fiction, and Eleanor Dryden, Senior Editor Orion Fiction, have acquired the UK and Commonwealth Rights for two novels by Rachael English from Robert Kirby, United Agents.

The first book Going Back will be published in June 2013 and the second novel in the summer of 2014.

Going Back is a story of family, friendships and love. It follows Elizabeth O’Hara and her friends, young economic migrants from Dublin, as they escape for a summer in Boston in 1988. Twenty years later as opportunities are scarce once again, the next generation look to Boston, awakening memories of a life-changing golden summer for their parents. Going Back will be published in June 2013.

Rachael English a much-loved Irish journalist, and is the presenter of Morning Ireland on RTE Radio 1. She has worked in broadcasting in Ireland for twenty-three years, and was awarded a PPI Radio Award for her radio programme Five Seven Live. Going Back is her first novel.

Rachael English says:"Writing Going Back was a brilliant experience and I'm still pinching myself that it's going to be published by Orion. In fact, in telling people my news, I've had to start by saying, 'I swear I'm not making this up'."

Eleanor Dryden says:“We are delighted to have acquired Rachael’s debut novel. We knew immediately that we had to snap it up – Rachael’s writing is so warm and appealing and the story is a perfect combination of humour, heartache and surprises. We made a pre-emptive offer within a week of Rachael signing with United Agents and we look forward to publishing this special novel as enthusiastically as we bought it.”