In this week's edition of Endnotes, we take a look at Daniel Black's ‘Isaac’s Song’ (Hanover Square, Jan.), the chronicle of a grieving queer Black man reflecting on growing up in Chicago. In its review, PW said, readers "will love this tale of hard-won self-acceptance."
Here's how the book came together:
Daniel Black
“This book’s journey was bumpy and frustrating, though ultimately satisfying. I revised every single sentence, multiple times, until Isaac’s sweet, fragile voice ushered forth. In fact, at one point, I almost deleted the entire manuscript. Yet I had invested too much to quit, so I pressed on until Isaac insisted I let him speak. Fully. Uninterrupted. Unedited. That’s when I knew I had written a good book.”
John Glynn
“Typically we acquire novels on full drafts or, for repeat authors, partials or treatments. But the mere idea of another novel from Daniel Black, and a companion to Don’t Cry for Me, was enough for us to acquire Isaac’s Song before a word of it was written! Working with Daniel has been one of the highlights of my career.”
Jim McCarthy
“Don’t Cry for Me hadn’t been an easy sale. It took longer than it should have, and we met some real resistance. But from the moment it was sold to Hanover Square, the process was smooth sailing. And while that book was a challenge to find the right partner for, once we had, it was blessedly easy to sell this follow-up, knowing that we had an enthusiastic partner who really understood the material.”
Vi-An Nguyen
“The publishing team wanted a cover that was referential to but distinct from Daniel’s previous book. I played with a color palette that feels connected to Don’t Cry for Me but used a rougher, more hand-drawn rendering style for the illustration to signal an evolution. I presented nine initial concepts before the team narrowed it down to a few that were tweaked until a final winner was chosen.”
