‘Tunnels’: the next Harry Potter?

As the end of the Harry Potter series approaches this July, publishers and booksellers are stepping up the search to find a new big hit to fill the coming hole in their profits.  Tunnels, by Roderick Gordon and Brian Williams, is one of the latest candidates.

Interestingly, Tunnels was originally self-published; then went on to be picked up by one of the stars of the publishing business.

The latest candidate arrives under the aegis of the man who, as an editor at Bloomsbury, was the first to spot Potter’s potential, and who has gone on to publish the popular Cornelia Funke books. Barry Cunningham is now tipping a fantasy tale about a boy archaeologist, who discovers a world of thrilling adventure after digging a hole, as the next enormously big thing.

Cunningham found the first of the books, Tunnels, after its joint authors Roderick Gordon and Brian Williams pooled their resources to self-publish a deluxe edition. The first print run, sold through Gordon’s local bookshop in Norfolk, apparently sold out within hours - a sensational success for a self-published book - and word reached Cunningham.

With the backing of Cunningham - a man considered something of a magician himself in the publishing world - the book has gone on to sell pre-publication rights in 15 languages around the world, securing advances totalling more than £500,000. Cunningham is currently in Hollywood, in discussions to sell the film rights.

Link to the full Guardian article