Embla Books, Bonnier Books UK’s digital-first imprint, has acquired two books from previously self-published author Glenn Shapiro.
Senior Commissioning Editor Bea Grabowska acquired World All Languages rights from Alisha West at Corvisiero Literary Agency.
The Threads Remain is a heart-wrenching, gripping and powerful WW2 historical novel, following the lives of Josef, Friedrich, Max and Gerda, and one toy bear, Bärli, whose destinies are tragically and inextricably linked by the war. Previously self-published, Embla will be publishing the acclaimed novel later this month. The second as-yet-untitled novel will publish next summer.
Glenn Shapiro said: “I am so excited to be part of the Embla Books and Bonnier Books family. Their passion for powerful, character-driven stories is a perfect fit for me, and I look forward to bringing these stories to readers around the globe.”
Alisha West said: “When I first read The Threads Remain, and it grabbed all of my heart-strings in both tearful and joyful ways, I knew I wanted to work with Glenn and help his books find as many readers as possible. Seeing Bea’s passion for this book and her confidence that Glenn will continue to deliver empathetic characters and deeply human themes was all we needed to know we’d found the right home. We’re so grateful to Bea and the full team at Embla for their passion, commitment, and hard work.”
Bea Grabowska said: “From the heart-stopping first chapter, I knew something very special had landed on my desk with The Threads Remain. It’s at once tragic and heartbreaking, powerful and life-affirming – and truly unforgettable. Glenn expertly weaves together Josef, Friedrich and Max and Gerda’s stories with the utmost thought, carefully exposing the devastating truths of war, examining the concept of personal and national identity, all the while impressing upon his reader the vital need for human connection. This is a hugely profound story told with the greatest empathy and it’s safe to say that I was completely swept up in Glenn’s beautiful, vivid storytelling. We can’t wait to bring it to even more readers in the coming weeks and months!”
Glenn Shapiro was born and raised in New England. He is a lifelong writer of poetry and short stories, but made the leap to novels as part of his ‘second act’ after retirement. He is the son of a Jewish father and German-Catholic mother who was born in Germany during the war and raised there, post-war, through her adolescence. For his novel, The Threads Remain, he tackled that tragic time in history through characters inside Germany before, during and after the war.
