Happy Publication Day to Anthony King

Happy Publication Day to Anthony King

Apr 30, 2026

THE STORY OF HOW A WILD MOUNTAIN ADVENTURE EVOLVED INTO AN ELITE OLYMPIC SPORT

‘Why is the best blood of England to waste itself in scaling hitherto inaccessible peaks, in staining the eternal snow, and reaching the unfathomable abyss never to return?’ – The Times, 1865

In the 1950s, rock climbing was a wild mountain adventure that was defined by a rebellious, bohemian culture and practised by small groups of amateur enthusiasts. Today, rock-climbing has become a professionalised, high-performance, mass-participation Olympic sport. There are now more than 400 climbing walls and over 500,000 people climb regularly in the UK.

Ascent tells the story of this remarkable transformation.

Anthony King – a dedicated climber himself – traces the sport’s evolution through decades of rebellion, innovation and achievement to its place today as a vibrant, diverse culture. His own experiences colour the narrative; we discover not just how climbing developed, but what it feels like to climb and be a climber. More than just a history of the sport, through this story we also see how British society itself has changed.

Expansive, immediate and deeply engaging, Ascent is both cultural sport history and lived experience.

Ellie Kildunne – Game Changer

Ellie Kildunne – Game Changer

Apr 30, 2026

We are thrilled to announce publication of Ellie Kildunne’s book – Game Changer.

‘Lukewarm is no good.’

As a youngster, Ellie Kildunne was told girls don’t play rugby. But that’s what she was good at, and she was determined to find a way.

Growing up in Yorkshire, Ellie started playing rugby aged six with a boys’ team, which she continued to do until she was 13, constantly having to prove herself as the only girl. Then, her mum found out about some local U15 trials for girls. She went along, made the team, and thus began the career of an England rugby great.

But to achieve greatness in sport is not an easy journey. Ellie has faced prejudice. She has fought through career-threatening injury. While the hyperfocus superpower that is part of her ADHD has driven her to surpass the competition, it brings with it a difference in the way she processes information that has led to misunderstandings and conflict, at school, at college and in her professional life.

Ellie’s guiding philosophy is ‘Lukewarm is no good’. Her passion for rugby was always white hot. The fire will never go out, and the setbacks have made her stronger. She’s smashing through barriers, and spurs us all on to achieve our goals, whatever our path in life.

On and off the field, Ellie is a game changer.

Mark Hodgkinson

Mark Hodgkinson

Mar 17, 2026

We at DLA were so fond of Mark, he was a brilliant author of course, but much more importantly he was a good man who was a joy to work with.

Above all we regarded Mark as a friend who we were lucky and privileged to work with.  

We will miss him enormously.

Anthropic Settlement

Mar 11, 2026

Has your book been published in the USA?  If so, it’s worth checking the Anthropic Settlement Page to see if you are eligible to claim compensation for illegal copying.  We have tried to reach out to all DLA authors who we believe have a claim but if you’ve not been contacted please visit the Anthropic website https://secure.anthropiccopyrightsettlement.com/lookup  and follow the instructions to claim by 30 March 2026.

Congratulations to Steven Finn

Congratulations to Steven Finn

Nov 6, 2025

The Ashes Files: My Pride and Pain in Cricket’s Most Intense Series by Steven Finn is published today by Seven Dials Books.