Picador has pre-empted Milk by exciting Irish author, Alice Kinsella.

Commissioning Editor Gillian Fitzgerald-Kelly acquired World Languages, Excluding North American English, for Milk by Alice Kinsella from Marianne Gunn O’Connor at Marianne Gunn O’Connor Literary, Film and TV Agency. Picador will publish in spring 2023.

Editor Gillian Fitzgerald-Kelly said “I couldn’t be happier to welcome Alice to the Picador list. There is so much wonderful writing coming out of Ireland and Milk is a magnificent example. What struck me most when reading is how deftly Alice taps into the soft, gentle and intimate first year of motherhood whilst also tackling the reality of having children in contemporary Ireland. I was mesmerised by Alice’s writing; it has a brilliant quality to it which combines a poetic sensibility with urgent, moving and exceptional prose and I was delighted to see the same level of enthusiasm and determination to publish Alice’s memoir across the wider team.”

Milk is best described as a map of motherhood, charting Alice’s first year of her little boy’s life. Told in an aphoristic almost elliptical voice, Milk straddles the seemingly small world of childbirth, care-giving and its attendant challenges with the politicisation of motherhood in her native Ireland. All the while, Alice never loses grip of the evocation of her newly discovered world. Tender, beautiful and expertly handled, Milk marks the beginning of the career of a brilliant literary talent.

Marianne Gunn O’Connor said “I fell in love with Milk the moment I started reading Alice’s honest, sensitive and heartfelt memoir of her first year as a mother. It has her poet’s sensibility all her over it and I can see it becoming a classic of modern motherhood. I’m utterly delighted that Gillian will shepherd this beautiful, thought-provoking book out into the world with the glorious team at Picador . . . it is the perfect home for Alice and I know she will thrive in such passionate and creative hands.”

Alice Kinsella said “Milk is a story of madness, motherhood, and finding myself somewhere between the two. When Marianne told me Picador wanted to publish it, I could hardly believe it. I have dozens of Picador titles on my shelves, and to find a home for my book with them is a dream come true. Gillian's enthusiasm and passion is gorgeously infectious and I can't wait to work with her. My endless thanks to my agent Marianne, for the leap of faith and unbelievable kindness, and to everyone at Picador for the incredibly warm welcome. I'm feeling incredibly lucky right now.”

Born in Dublin and raised in Co. Mayo, Alice Kinsella’s work has been published in The Irish Times, Poetry Ireland Review, RTÉ, Banshee, and The North, among others. Alice won the inaugural AIS alumni creative writing award for her first piece of creative non-fiction. She currently lives on the west coast of Ireland.

Photo credit: Paul Kinsella