Published 4th July 2024
Hardback | £22.00 | Renegade Books
ISBN: 9 780349130620
Just as heartbreaking as it is heartwarming, Helen Heckety’s new novel, Alter Ego, is a gripping and totally unique page-turner that explores the feeling of wanting to disappear for a little while and learning to love oneself despite difference.
The story follows Hattie, who’s been diagnosed with a hidden disability at a young age. Tired of constantly explaining herself and proving her worth beyond her condition, Hattie fabricates a whirlwind romance with a fictional character named Oliver and, fuelled by a desire to escape reality, decides to live life as an able-bodied person.
Moving to a remote cabin in the middle of nowhere, where she knows absolutely no one, Hattie starts over. Back home, nobody can know her true reason for leaving, and in her new life, nobody can know the truth about her. But it’s not long before her lies begin to spiral dangerously out of control – trapped between who she really is, and who she so desperately wants to be.
Heckety, who is disabled herself, brings a unique perspective to the tale, shedding light on the challenges and triumphs of living with a disability in a society that often marginalizes such experiences.
Alter Ego promises to be a moving, funny, and utterly relatable read for anyone who has ever felt a little lost or struggled to accept themselves. Perfect for fans of Kirsty Capes, Daisy Buchanan, and Abigail Bergstrom, this novel is a testament to the power of storytelling in driving positive change and understanding.
About Helen Heckety
Helen Heckety is a multi-disciplinary writer who is disabled. She’s proud to be contributing to a more diverse arts and literature scene with her writing and performing.
Helen studied History of Art at University, and worked in a library as a manager and registrar of births and deaths before becoming a freelance writer and performer.
She has written two one-woman solo shows and toured them across the UK. Her first show was nominated for New Writing South’s Best New Play at Brighton Fringe 2017. Her most recent show premiered at the Southbank Centre as part of London Literature Festival in 2019.
Her debut poetry collection The Underlook was published in 2021 with The Poetry Business, exploring the medicalisation of the disabled body, the experience of dating an anaesthetist and the case of a missing piglet. She was shortlisted for the Jerwood Poetry Fellowship in 2019, and won Gold in Creative Futures Literary Award for her poem Crack.
For review copies and all publicity enquiries, please contact:
Tom Neilson | tom.neilson@midaspr.co.uk | +44 (0)20 7361 7860
