Northern Highlight - Hazel Holmes

NORTHERN HIGHLIGHT

HAZEL HOLMES, UCLan Publishing

 

 Tell us about your role and what this involves. 

We're a very small team so, essentially it's a bit of everything, but mainly commissioning editor and project management. I also work closely with the academic team to ensure our business is fully integrated into the teaching on our MA and BA Publishing courses, as well opening up opportunities right across UCLan. It's a very exciting job at the moment! 

How has the children's/YA offering developed at UCLan over the years, 

and what have been the highlights? 

 I think the national support we received with our first commercial YA title, Cold Bath Street, really gave us the platform to grow our list and expand from YA to middle grade and non-fiction. It opened up discussions with authors, illustrators and agents who like what we do and want to be a part of it. Thanks to the pool of talent on campus we're also able to explore audio and early years publishing, and 2021 will see our first picture books publishing. We can't wait!


Finney's Story, written by Alana Washington and illustrated by Charlotte Caswell 

 
Cold Bath Street by A.J. Hartley 
Cover design by UCLan students, cover illustration by Bob Baker
 

Where are you based and what are the advantages to being based in the North?  

We're based in Preston, on campus as the University of Central Lancashire. Apart from the 15 minute commute to work, there is a vast array of advantages! We are definitely more accessible than some offices in London, and being on campus means we're constantly surrounded by innovation and creativity. 

What events/new projects do you have coming up? 

I also work on the Arts Council funded NYALitFest. This was cancelled in March and we're currently exploring opportunities to reschedule. 2021 also sees our biggest publication schedule to date with a whopping 20 titles publishing. We're really looking forward to the publication of The Weather Weaver, a fantastic mythical, middle grade debut, set in Shetland.

 
The Weather Weaver by Tamsin Mori
Cover illustration by David Dean
 

 What for you is the 'spirit of the North'?  

I suppose for me it's a sense of 'togetherness' with a gritty 'can do' attitude that can accomplish many great things.

What are your favourite children's stories set in the North?  

Apart from the ones we publish!? I was always a fan of the early The Wardstone Chronicles books by Joe Delaney, and more recently Danielle Jawando's And the Stars were Burning Brightly. 

What would you like to see from children's publishing in the North?   

I see that publishing is slowly becoming more diverse, but not fast enough. The only reason I can afford to work in publishing is because I live here in the North. There are so many talented people with so many fresh and exciting ideas. London is great, but it's not for everyone. Wouldn't it be brilliant to aim for a career in publishing without even having to consider an unaffordable move to the capital!

Follow Hazel on social media:

Twitter: @hazelreads

Insta:hazelholmesreads


 

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