Upswell acquires Vincent hybrid memoir/prose poem/history
Upswell Publishing has acquired world rights to Fourteen Ways of Looking, a ‘hybrid memoir/prose poem/history’ by Erin Vincent, with US rights sold to Deep Vellum and UK rights to CB editions.
‘When Erin Vincent was 14 years old, both of her parents were killed in a road accident in Western Sydney,’ said the publisher. ‘Almost 40 years later, the number 14 began haunting Erin, appearing everywhere – in the books she was reading, in films, TV shows, in the news … Fourteen. 14. This felt like a sign, so Erin embarked on a quest to seek out instances of fourteen throughout history.
‘To her surprise, much of what she found related to her life at fourteen, so she began writing it all down. The result is Fourteen Ways of Looking, written in fragments that looks at the year Erin’s parents died. It is also the story of a writer reflecting on her life and her grief and commenting on the writing process as it progresses.’
Vincent is the author of Grief Girl (Macmillan), which was named a New York Public Library Best Book and an American Library Association Best Book Nominee. Her work has appeared in Meanjin, the Guardian, Electric Literature, and the Offing, among other publications. She holds a Master of Arts in creative writing from the University of Technology Sydney and is currently studying for a PhD in creative writing.
Publisher Terri-ann White said, ‘Erin Vincent’s manuscript delivered a blast of brilliance when it landed in my inbox this year. It is sophisticated and so full of joy. For me, it is a quintessential Upswell book!’
Vincent said: ‘I am honoured that Fourteen Ways of Looking is being published by Terri-ann White of Upswell Publishing, as she is one of those rare publishers who is willing to take risks on books that don’t fit the mould.’
Upswell is planning to release Fourteen Ways of Looking in March 2026 in the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand markets, with US and UK release planned for March/April 2026.
Category: Local news Rights and acquisitions
