The Bookseller – Rights – Fourth Estate snaps up ‘joyously radical’ poetry collection in two-book deal with Femi

Fourth Estate has snapped up the second “life-affirming” poetry collection, The Wickedest, and a collection of short stories from Caleb Femi.

Kishani Widyaratna, publishing director, acquired British Commonwealth rights, excluding Canada, in physical, e-book and audio, in a two-book deal from Rachel Mann, previously of JULA, now at CAA. North American rights were acquired by Jackson Howard at MCD/FSG from Andrea Joyce at Joyce Literary Rights Agency on behalf of Mann. The Wickedest will be published in September 2024 and be supported by an “unmissable” campaign with the “thrilling” short story collection following in 2026.

The Wickedest is a “modern epic” celebrating “the institution of house parties or ’shoobs’. It follows a typical night at a legendary house party known as ’The Wickedest’, as the minutes count down and then up to the sun rising over the revellers in the early hours of the morning.” The poems range from English sonnets to experimental forms with original photography, text messages and documents such as council forms and blueprints “to create an utterly immersive reading experience”.

Widyaratna said: “It is a huge privilege to welcome Caleb Femi to Fourth Estate. Caleb is simply a one of kind artist, both a voice of a generation and a writer capable of giving voice to generations. He produces ground-breaking, generous and generative work in whatever form he turns his hand to. I am grateful to him for entrusting us with his exceptional poetry and this joyously radical, life-affirming new collection, as well as his hugely exciting move into fiction. Readers are in for a treat.”

Femi added: “I am incredibly excited to join Fourth Estate, a powerhouse I’ve always admired for championing trailblazing works. The Wickedest is my most ambitious collection yet and has only become stronger with Kishani Widyaratna’s editorial eye. Beyond this new collection, this marks a new chapter in my writing practice as I move into writing fiction and I look forward to embarking on that journey with an outstanding partner in Fourth Estate.”