NOT ALL first-time authors have the luxury of a pre-existing fan base, let alone a nine-million-subscriber-strong YouTube channel. But not all authors have the star power of Lilly Singh.
The Toronto-based YouTube sensation – known to fans as IISuperwomanII – achieved fame with a brand of comedic videos, including “What Canadians Really Want to Say to Americans,” “The 6 Stages of Having a Crush,” and imitations of her conservative Indian parents reacting to various music videos. Doubleday Canada believes Singh’s celebrity will translate to the page, and next March will publish How to Be a Bawse: A Guide to SurvivingConquering Life, acquired by Penguin Random House Canada vice-president and deputy publisher Marion Garner and Doubleday Canada editor Bhavna Chauhan at a heated auction.