Irish novelist Sara Baume's debut Spill Simmer Falter Wither was released by Cornerstone in early October after being originally signed by Irish publisher Tramp Press.

The novel, described by A Girl Is A Half-Formed Thing novelist Eimear McBride as 'unbearably poignant and beautifully told', tells the story of 57 year old outcast Ray's relationship with One-Eye, a mistreated dog he rescues. Simply and powerfully written, the story is told in both first and second person as Ray describes his painful past and life in an Irish seaside town to One-Eye. With the novel described by The Independent as a 'heart-breaking read' and The Sunday Times as a 'carefully crafted, compassionate tale of two misfits', The Guardian praised Baum for her ability to 'reawaken her reader's capacity for wonder'. Baum, who's also an artist, is currently working on her second novel before moving back into the art studio - with a range of talents and a Guardian First Book Award nomination under her belt, her future looks bright.