Coming-of-age YA Début, Unpregnant to be Published Next Year

Chicken House publishers in the UK have pre-empted the success of YA novel Unpregnant by début authors Jenni Hendriks and Ted Caplan. Chicken House’s Editorial director, Rachel Leyshon, bought the UK and Commonwealth rights from Cecilia de la Campa at Writers House. Unpregnant will published in the UK in January 2020 following a US release in September this year, published by HarperTeen who acquired the US rights in a heated six-publisher auction.

Leyshon said, “The whole Chicken House office fell head over heels for this road trip like no other. At once a timely novel about female friendship and choice, and an utterly unique debut full of humour and heart. Jenni and Ted are an outstanding new writing duo, and we are thrilled to be their UK home.”

The book’s synopsis says, “Veronica is top of her class – and somehow she’s found herself gazing in disbelief at a positive pregnancy test. Even worse, her ex-best friend and the high school’s legendary malcontent, Bailey, is the only one there to help,” reads the synopsis. “In this warm and darkly funny road trip story, Veronica and Bailey drive a thousand miles to an out-of-state abortion clinic – rediscovering their friendship in the process.”

This hotly sought-after book is a “Sharply observed, bittersweet and darkly funny,” novel about two Missouri teens who have to travel thousands of miles away from home to another state in order to obtain a legal abortion. This story makes Unpregnant a very timely novel given the conversations that are happening around the globe about abortion including; the changes in the US surrounding abortions laws and attempts to overturn Roe vs Wade as well as campaigning in the UK surrounding the current laws on abortion in Northern Ireland.

Unpregnant authors Jenni Hendriks and Ted Caplan said, “We are so thrilled Chicken House is bringing Unpregnant to the UK! We hope Veronica and Bailey’s story of friendship, acceptance, and the bumpy road to adulthood can resonate with readers no matter where they are from. And let’s face it, some things are universal – like bad boyfriends, love of junk food, and an unshakeable belief in UFOs.”

Unpregnant has not only been snapped up by publishers but has also already been commissioned for a film adaptation. The new streaming service, WarnerMedia, which launches Autumn this year, is developing the project. The movie adaptation of Unpregnant will be directed by Rachel Lee Goldenberg who has also directed The Mindy Project and Valley Girl.

Unpregnant was perhaps even written with a film in mind given that the authors have both previously worked in the entertainment industry. Hendriks is a cartoonist who was a writer on the American comedy series How I Met Your Mother. While Caplan has worked in the film industry for more than 20 years helping to craft the soundtracks for films such as The Maze Runner and The Hate U Give both of which were also adapted from novels. Caplan was also the screenwriter for “Love Sonia”, a feature film about international sex trafficking.

Unpregnant by Jenni Hendriks and Ted Caplan is available to pre-order now and will be published 2^nd January 2020 by Chicken House Books in the UK and 10^th September 2019 by HarperTeen in the US.