Jericho success stories
Could you be next?
We work with all writers – from beginners, to seriously-talented scribes who’ve been writing for years.
We love seeing lives change, and our success rate is vastly higher than the slushpile average. Most of the writers mentioned here came to us for editorial feedback. Some came to our annual Festival of Writing, or enrolled on one of our tutored courses. However you arrive at our doors, we’ll do what we can to help you succeed.
Bestsellers, prize-winners and authors with film deals
Claire McGlasson and how the Festival helped
Another Friday Night Live short-listed author, Claire McGlasson, found her literary agent Laura Williams at the Festival of Writing 2017. Her debut novel The Rapture will be published by Faber in 2019, but has already been optioned by Hillbilly Television.
Anna Mazzola and the dark story of Sarah Gale
Anna came to us with an (already very good) novel, based around the true life murder trial of a Victorian seamstress, Sarah Gale. The book had attracted interest from agents, but wasn’t quite there yet. There was something not quite right. We helped identify the issue, and Anna went out and fixed it. The result of her endeavours? Worldwide success and a glorious Edgar Award (the Oscars of international crime fiction).
Felicia Yap and the ‘Festival effect’
‘Friday Night Live’ shortlisted author, Felicia Yap, was snapped-up by Jonny Geller at Curtis Brown soon after our 2015 Festival of Writing. Her brilliant high-concept thriller, The Day After Yesterday, was bought by Headline’s Alex Clarke for a six-figure sum. The book has since been optioned for film. Felicia attended our Festival of Writing 2015 and in her words, ‘it made a huge difference’!
Rachel Abbott and her ‘shock’ feedback
Rachel Abbott came to us for her first ever editorial feedback, and found it a ‘shock’ – a good one. Scroll on a few years, and she’s one of the UK’s biggest-selling authors, with millions of books sold. She’s self-published as well as published via Thomas & Mercer, but either way, she’s become one of the essential crime writers of her generation.
Eve Harris and the Man Booker Prize longlist
Eve’s first book, The Marrying of Chani Kaufmann was longlisted for the 2013 Man Booker prize. Eve found her writing mentor, Daren King, through our Complete Novel Course. We anticipate great things from this wonderful writer.
Joanna Cannon, six-figures and a TV deal
The Trouble with Goats and Sheep was published by The Borough Press (HarperCollins) in Spring 2016. Joanna won Friday Night Live at our 2014 Festival of Writing. She walked away with seven offers from literary agents. That novel was published to huge acclaim and got a TV deal, and her follow-up sold for a massive £300,000.
John Fenton
Please Don’t Make Me Go is a tough, funny and honest memoir. We helped John hone his opening – then placed his work with a leading agent. That agent sold his work in a contested auction and the book spent weeks on the bestseller lists.
A.L. Berridge
Honour and the Sword was too long when it came to us. After a detailed editorial interchange, we placed that MS with an agent – with the same result: a contested auction and a place on the bestseller lists.
Barbara Tate
West End Girls, offered us a different sort of challenge. The author was elderly, so we took a hands-on editorial role, and then sold the book ourselves. Orion won the auction and the book became the hit of the summer.
Dania el-Kadi
Summer Blast (think Sex in the City meets John Le Carre) was a number one bestseller in Dania’s native Lebanon. The book isn’t just entertaining, it’s an important and influential read too.
Tim O’Rourke
Tim has self-published his Keira Hudson YA vampire series to the Amazon Kindle store, where it has been the #1 ranked bestseller in its category. He’s shifted over 500,000 books to date and is going strong for the million. Tim has also been agented by Peter Buckman at Ampersand, a connection we were delighted to help forge.
Mari Griffith
Her debut novel, Root of the Tudor Rose was an Amazon #1 in its category for many weeks. Her second novel The Witch of Eye was chosen by the Welsh Books Council as its ‘Book of the Month’.
Ian Thornton
The Great and Calamitous Tale of Johan Thoms has been bought by Simon & Schuster in Toronto, and is now being marketed worldwide. The book has also been optioned for film.
Catherine Cooper
Catherine won the inaugural £10,000 BWA Award for Golden Acorn, has gone on to publish three further books, and hook herself a film deal.
Louise Soraya Black
Louise won the Virginia Prize and a book deal with her beautiful novel, Pomegranate Sky.
Susan Imgrund
Susan won the EarlyWorks Prize for The Bother in Burmeon, and a book deal with quality indie press Circaidy Greogry.
Pip Jones
Pip won the inaugural Greenhouse Funny Prize for the funny and delightful Squishy McFluff, is now well on her way to being a well-established children’s author.
Margaret Skea
Margaret won the Beryl Bainbridge Award for Best First Time Author at the People’s Book Prize, for her historical novel, Turn of the Tide. At time of writing, the book has an average 4.9 star rating on Amazon.