Gollancz makes timely pre-empt for Oona Out of Order by Margarita Montimore

Rachel Winterbottom, Commissioning Editor at Gollancz, has pre-empted UK & Commonwealth rights (ex. Canada) for Oona Out of Order by Margarita Montimore from Flatiron Books at Macmillan US, publishing spring 2020 in hardback, ebook and audio. For fans of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and The Time Traveler’s Wife, Oona Out of Order is an optimistic, uplifting book-club fiction debut that teaches us about living in the moment while celebrating family, relationships and the many facets of love.

What would you do if you woke up thirty years older than you were yesterday?

Brooklyn, 1982. Oona Lockhart and her boyfriend are about to ring in the New Year and Oona’s 19th birthday. But seconds after the New Year begins, Oona is torn from her life and everyone she loves, finding herself in her fifty-one year old body thirty-three years into the future. The life she had is gone, and all she is a letter from herself from the previous year to guide her.

Each year on the stroke of midnight she finds herself resurfacing in a different year of her own adulthood. Still a young woman on the inside, but ever changing on the outside, who will she be next year? Philanthropist? Club kid? World traveller? Wife to a man she’s never met?

Oona Out of Order is an uplifting joyride through an ever-changing world that shows us what it means to accept your fate and live in the moment.

Rachel Winterbottom said: ‘I was completely drawn in by the sharpness of Margarita’s prose, biting dialogue and the vividness of every scene. With its absolutely brilliant premise, Oona Out of Order explores the notion of giving yourself to every life experience no matter what the outcome. Like The Time Traveler’s Wife and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, it achieves that perfect balance of being both life-affirming and heart-breaking. I cannot wait for everyone to meet Oona and read this beautifully clever book.’

Margarita Montimore said: ‘I’ve always been fascinated by stories involving time travel, so I decided to write one of my own, putting a different spin on it. When I came up with the concept of a young woman living her life out of order, I thought it could be interesting way to explore identity, family, romantic relationships, and the various ways the passage of time affects us. Oona Out of Order was an utter joy to write and, along the way, taught me a thing or two about living in the moment. I’m thrilled to be working with Gollancz to bring the book to readers in the UK.’

James Melia bought the book at auction from Lisette Verhagen at David Godwin Associates, on behalf of agent Philippa Sitters. Melia said: ‘I knew from the first pages that Oona Out of Order would be something unique, but as I read the final lines of Margarita Montimore’s wondrous debut, it was as clear as day that I had in my hands a book of such original vision, and enormous heart. I’m so glad Gollancz will be publishing this fantastic novel in the UK.’

Philippa Sitters said: ‘Oona Out of Order is a classic in the making. Margarita has written a book of such complexity and wit, it’s a sheer joy to read and I can’t wait to see Gollancz publish it here.’

Oona Out of Order will be published in hardback, ebook and audio download in 2020.