PUBLISHING NEWS
- Audiobook features a star-studded narration cast, including Dame Julie Walters, Ruth Jones MBE, Richard Armitage, Katie Leung, Celia Imrie, Kathryn Drysdale and Dervla Kirwan
- LJ Ross’s bestselling short story anthology, which features 54 heart-warming and uplifting stories from some of the country’s top authors, to be published by W.F. Howes
W.F. Howes, RBmedia’s international publishing brand, has acquired the audio rights for LJ Ross’s bestselling short story anthology Everyday Kindness, securing an all-star cast of narrators.
The multi-voice audiobook will feature more than 20 screen and stage actors, including national treasure and multiple award-winning actor and comedian, Dame Julie Walters; star and co-writer of Gavin and Stacey, Ruth Jones MBE; and Hannibal and Stay Close lead, Richard Armitage. The audiobook will also feature Harry Potter star Katie Leung, Celia Imrie of Bridget Jones’s Diary, Kathryn Drysdale, who recently starred in Netflix blockbuster Bridgerton, and Smother star Dervla Kirwan.
Edited by internationally bestselling author LJ Ross, Everyday Kindness celebrates compassionate acts of everyday life and features contributions from new, established, bestselling, and award-winning authors from across the country, including Sophie Hannah, C.L. Taylor, Will Dean, and Adam Hamdy.
The book evolved from the author’s desire to combine the skills of those in the wider writing community to promote positivity and to raise funds for Shelter, a vital charity that works to prevent homelessness and inadequate housing across the UK.
LJ Ross said: “I have been genuinely touched by the response to Everyday Kindness. The writers involved in this project have done so much more than contribute their stories, with many going above and beyond to help create a huge buzz and promote it tirelessly to their readers and fans.
“The book has been enthusiastically received by the general public, topping the Amazon charts for a sustained period of time and raising over £25,000 for Shelter. But there is more to be done. Looking ahead to the audiobook launch, I am delighted to see such a stellar cast getting on board. With such narrating talent and highest quality production, I’m sure the audio version will be an instant success, too,” she concluded.
World English language rights to the book were acquired from Millie Hoskins of United Agents by W.F. Howes Senior Acquisitions Editor, Laura Smith. She added: “Having worked with LJ Ross on her hugely popular Alexander Gregory series, we were extremely excited to get started on this title, which not only features some brilliant writing from some top names in publishing but is also benefiting such a good cause. The team has put a great deal of effort into securing such prestigious actors to narrate the book, and we can’t wait to get them in the studio and to hear the end result.”
Everyday Kindness: A collection of uplifting tales to brighten your day, edited by LJ Ross, is out in audiobook on 17 February 2022 (Random Acts of Kindness Day), published by W.F. Howes. All author royalties will be donated to Shelter.