Portobello Literary

We spoke to the brilliant Caro Clarke of @portyliterary.bsky.social about all things publishing: from the role agents play in supporting writers and what they look for in a book, to ways writers can build a career in an industry in flux.

Read more at our Substack With Bite!

a stack of my book ramping up rights which is green with a disability pride flag on the front and the subtitle an unfinished history of british disability activism in yellow then my name in white. just behind my book and to the side is a selection of other disabled books

three people sat down smiling and holding up copies of ramping up rights. Lozza, a white person with hair wearing a cheky shirt and smart casual grey jorts sat in a wheelchair. me, Rachel, a white woman with collar bone length ginger hair wearing a long green floral dress and big glasses with a pink crystal chain sat on a chair and maisie a white woman with long blonde hair kept off her face with a black hairband wearing a black dress and cardigan in a wheelchair

Nottingham you were wonderful last night, sold out event celebrating disability rights activism full of rage, solidarity and disabled joy. Bloody love that I get to do this for my job!
@hurstpublishers.bsky.social @portyliterary.bsky.social @lozzagilbert.bsky.social @fiveleavesbooks.bsky.social

Also another great piece about toxic ableist tropes in books and the Salt Path fiasco here from @bookwormvaught.bsky.social

Just realised it was in 2018 I was being told by people in PRH that my book about nature and illness was unsaleable if it didn't have a redemptive cure arc. 🫠

The company of owls cover with a colourful blue, orange and yellow tawny owl print by matt underwood, on a teal tile background with wainwright prize logo and 2025 nature writing longlist to the left of the book cover.

We have graphics, which must mean it's real!

Thanks to @eandtbooks.bsky.social and @portyliterary.bsky.social for conspiring with me to bring this book out into the world and letting me have the ridiculous pleasure of making this #NatureWriting longlist two years in a row. #TheCompanyOfOwls

The cover for THE SHAPE OF MONSTERS by CL Hellisen. Two silhouetted figures stand before a void of wavering red and blue light, in which can faintly be seen the eyes of the creature inside it.

My Audible Original novel The Shape of Monsters, read by the brilliant Omari Douglas (It's a Sin, Black Doves) will be out on July 3rd!

‘Simple things made well’ will always come back to the best possible ingredients you can get your hands on, then with a little time and care, creating food that isn’t showy, but tastes incredible.

With recipes including: Brown Butter Apple Buns, Dauphinoise pie, Focaccia, Whey Brined Roast Chicken, Honey Tart with Apricot Jam, Kimchi, Tiramisu, Cocoa Roasted Squash, Pickles, Burnt Honey Custard, Salsa Verde, Fresh Peas, Broad Beans, Almonds & ricotta, Coffee & Cardamom loaf cake and many more

With over 90 sweet & savoury recipes, the book is built around the kitchen table – for creating, feasting, coming together, having quiet moments & joyous celebrations. The chapters cover: Butter, Milk and Cream, Bread, Fruit, Olive Oil, Chocolate, Nuts, Spices, Herbs & Coffee, Eggs, Salt & Vinegar.

It weaves together recipes & stories – inspired by their cookery journey, relationships with producers and communities, and their love of food since they were small. The recipes are all accessible for the home cook, inspiring the reader to learn new skills, or simply return to comforting classics!

‘We want this book to be a well-thumbed friend that feels safe and comforting and from which you know you can always make something delicious that feels like home. Our love of food and cooking began at our kitchen tables and we want to share this passion with you, to bring to yours.’

Happy publication day (yesterday!) to Emily Cuddeford and Rachel Morgan for Kitchen Table, the gorgeous debut cookbook from beloved Scottish bakery Twelve Triangles

Simple things made well.

… , Hannah Hodgson, Sally Huband, Rowan Jaines, Dillon Jaxx, Louise Kenward, Abi Palmer, Louisa Adjoa Parker, Alice Tarbuck, Nic Wilson

Contributors: Isobel Anderson, Kerri Andrews, Polly Atkin, Khairani Barokka, Victoria Bennett, Feline Charpentier, Cat Chong, Eli Clare, Dawn Cole, Lorna Crabbe, Kate Davis, Carol Donaldson, Alec Finlay, Jamie Hale, Jane Hartshorn…

Moving Mountains is not about overcoming or conquering, but about living with and connecting, shifting the reader’s attention to the things easily overlooked by those who move through the world untroubled by the body that carries them.

Through 25 pieces, the writers offer a vision of nature that encompasses the close up, the microscopic and the vast.

From a single falling raindrop to the enormity of the north wind, this is nature experienced wholly and acutely, written from the perspective of disabled and chronically ill authors.

‘An anthology to treasure and return to’ @elinorcleghorn.bsky.social

‘Uniquely compelling, dynamic and powerful’ LUCY JONES

‘Deeply affecting’ @tomshakespeare.bsky.social

‘Promises to change the landscape of nature writing’ @littlehux.bsky.social

On a yellow table against a blue wall, there are two copies of the paperback edition of Moving Mountains.

Happy belated paperback publication day to @louisekenward.bsky.social and all the contributors of Moving Mountains!!

A first-of-its-kind anthology of nature writing by authors living with chronic illness and physical disability, with a foreword by @samlwalton.bsky.social

So @waterstones.bsky.social is running a preorders campaign this weekend where you can get 25% off “selected” upcoming books.

However I’ve just tried the code with mine and a few of my friends (who are all debut or small authors) books and they’re not included

Proposal Course: Session Two Some thoughts on synopsis, pace and themes, followed by a guest post from Louise Kenward on developing a narrative.

If you haven’t yet found @portyliterary.bsky.social excellent course on writing a book proposal, session 2 has now arrived!

Delighted to have been invited to contribute my own experience of wrestling a project into a book…read my guest post below:

#naturewriting 💙📚🌿🦋✍️

substack.com/home/post/p-...

A copy of the Angry Robot bound proof of Awakened by Laura Elliott. The cover, a vast raven with a blue eye and the Tower of London on its back is by Sarah Flaherty.

"In those final years, the prevailing emotion was one of exuberance and energy. We let the monster swallow us, and we were happy as we were digested."

Published June 10th.

A NEW SEMESTER BEGINS 📚 🖋️

We're thrilled to reveal the gorgeous cover of THESE DREAMING SPIRES, edited by @marieoregan.bsky.social & @paulkane.bsky.social! Featuring 12 new dark academia short stories from masters of the genre.

We'll see you on the first day of term, September 2nd, 2025.

On a wooden bookshelf against a blue wall is a red pillar candle with dripping wax on a black candle holder and a proof of the book Awakened by Laura Elliott

On a wooden bookshelf against a blue wall is a red pillar candle with dripping wax on a black candle holder and a proof of the book Awakened by Laura Elliott showing its back cover.

On a wooden dresser surrounded by old fashioned ceramic crockery is the cookbook Kitchen Table: Simple Things Made Well by Emily Cuddeford and Rachel Morgan

On a wooden dresser surrounded by old fashioned ceramic crockery is the cookbook Kitchen Table: Simple Things Made Well by Emily Cuddeford and Rachel Morgan showing its back cover

Lovely clients book post this week:

A proof of @tinywriterlaura.bsky.social debut horror novel Awakened (June ‘25) and a finished copy of the Kitchen Table cookbook by Twelve Triangles bakers extraordinaire Emily Cuddeford and Rachel Morgan (out March)!

Can’t wait for you all to discover them!

Hi new followers! I'm Elspeth, a Scottish writer who loves animals, (vegan) baking and reading across genres. My dark academia debut novel, These Mortal Bodies, comes out this July! My lovely agent is offering a six month free sub to their Substack for anyone who preorders from an indie bookstore x

A social media graphic with six book covers in the background (Kitchen Table, Moving Mountains, The Ghost Lake, Ramping Up Rights, Awakened, These Mortal Bodies) with text in white saying “Portobello Literary in 2025… What to look forward from our authors and our Substack — includes an offer for subscribers!”

What to look forward to in 2025 from our authors and our Substack:

portobelloliterary.substack.com/p/portobello...

Portobello Literary in 2025... What to look forward to from our authors and our Substack — includes an offer for subscribers!

Moving Mountains is coming out in paperback in March, and look at some of the other beauties coming from @portyliterary.bsky.social this year!

Caro is offering some brilliant rewards for all preorders, take a look:
substack.com/home/post/p-...

A social media graphic with six book covers in the background (Kitchen Table, Moving Mountains, The Ghost Lake, Ramping Up Rights, Awakened, These Mortal Bodies) with text in white saying “Portobello Literary in 2025… What to look forward from our authors and our Substack — includes an offer for subscribers!”

What to look forward to in 2025 from our authors and our Substack:

portobelloliterary.substack.com/p/portobello...

The Company of Owls by Polly Atkin A book review (& last minute Christmas gifts for your favourite writers)

The Company of Owls by Polly Atkin #bookreview

#owls @pollyrowena.bsky.social @portyliterary.bsky.social #NatureWriting

open.substack.com/pub/louiseke...

🌟2025🌟 Delighted to share that I’m now represented by Caro Clarke @portyliterary.bsky.social joining their brilliant stable of authors 📕🌟 l know that my words & my journey as a writer could not be in better, kinder, more dedicated hands. I look forward to the adventures 💕

Have you heard? "Memoir is dead"... Or is it? Let's find out!

Excellent Substack post by Literary agent Caro Clarke, aka @portyliterary.bsky.social open.substack.com/pub/portobel...

Revealing the final cover for AWAKENED by Laura Elliott! 🪶 - Angry Robot The final cover for Awakened by Laura Elliott is here! From an exciting new voice in horror comes the tense and surreal novel Awakened. Exploring the extreme aftermath of induced global sleeplessness ...

Now available to preorder 👀
Look at this beautiful cover!
Congratulations
@angryrobotbooks.bsky.social
@portyliterary.bsky.social &
@tinywriterlaura.bsky.social

#BookSky 💙📚 #Writingcommunity #Disability 🦅
angryrobotbooks.com/2024/11/reve...