The Bookseller – Rights – Penguin Life and PRH Australia jointly acquire new poetry collection from Urlichs

Penguin Life and PRH Australia have jointly acquired a new poetry collection Beautiful Chaos: On Motherhood, Finding Yourself and Overwhelming Love, from author, Instagram poet, and creator, Jessica Urlichs.

Emily Robertson, editorial director at Penguin Life, alongside Izzy Yates, head of Penguin Publishing Lab at Penguin Random House Australia, acquired world rights directly from the author. The collection will publish ahead of Mothers’ Day in March 2024.

The publisher describes Beautiful Chaos as “a deeply personal and healing collection of poetry that provides the reader with permission to access unexplored emotions behind parenting and childhood”.

Robertson said: “I’m very happy to be publishing Jess on the Penguin Life list. While on maternity leave Jess’ poems were a balm to my soul, she gave words to the emotions that I couldn’t express and her bravery in sharing her experience reminded me that I wasn’t alone.

“Jess’ incredibly engaged following share my appreciation of her words and they are often shared widely online. With even more unpublished works and some of her most popular poems, Beautiful Chaos, will be the perfect gift for mothers-to-be, a companion when awake in the middle of the night and a knowing friend through the early years of motherhood.”

Urlichs said: “It is a dream come true to have my work published by those who first saw themselves in the pages of my words, so for me, having Beautiful Chaos released with Penguin is extremely special. I hope this book becomes a treasured keepsake for many.”