Tag: Acquisition

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Solaris to publish sapphic Gothic horror The Needfire by MK Hardy

Solaris is thrilled to announce the acquisition of The Needfire, and a second fantasy novel, by MK Hardy.

For fans of Rebecca and The Hacienda, lush Gothic horror The Needfire brings 19th century Scotland to life as the financially ruined Norah Mackenzie accepts her father’s creditor’s hand in marriage and travels father to the north to his estate, Corrain House.

The land itself seems to speak to Norah: she is plagued by the cries of drowned sailors and the smell of burning thatch, remnants of the Clearances that swept the land decades before. Her only solace is a tumultuous and intense affair with housekeeper Agnes Gunn, who guards mist-wreathed secrets of her own. As the house begins to crumble beneath her feet, Norah must piece together the family and the land’s history to survive the ghosts haunting her – and make it out alive.

UK/BC English Language Rights were acquired by Amy Borsuk from John Baker at Bell Lomax Moreton Agency.

The Needfire will be released in July 2025.

Author MK Hardy on the acquisition:

“We are over the moon to be joining the list of authors published by Solaris, having admired their library of smart and diverse speculative books for some time. From our first call with Amy Borsuk we were invigorated by her enthusiasm and keen editorial eye and we can’t wait to work with her and the rest of the Solaris team. With their help we’ll ensure our Gothic horror The Needfire ensnares and bewitches readers, hopefully opening their eyes to an overlooked period in Scottish history and giving them a few scares – and swoons – along the way!”

Acquiring Editor Amy Borsuk:

“I’m so excited to be working with the incredible team that is MK Hardy on a story that is so creepy, haunting, and gorgeous in equal measure. The Needfire is the Scottish queer Gothic horror we’ve always needed.”

MK Hardy is the pen name for Morag Hannah and Erin Hardee, two geeky women living and writing together in Scotland. They are both communications specialists working in higher education. With backgrounds ranging from museum interpretation to web design, and from science communication to ghost tours, they are devoted to storytelling in almost every aspect of their lives and work. When they are not telling stories they can be found singing in choirs, foraging for fungi, and working on their 1880s fixer-upper.

For press enquiries please contact Jess Gofton, PR & Marketing Manager: jess.gofton@rebellion.co.uk.

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Solaris snaps up Karin Lowachee’s dragon novella trilogy The Crowns of Ishia

Solaris is delighted to announce the acquisition of The Crowns of Ishia trilogy, including The Mountain Crown, The Desert Talon and a sequel, by Karin Lowachee.

Meka’s nomadic people, the Ba’Suon, were driven from their homeland by the Kattakans. Decades later, under a fragile truce, Meka returns for an ancient and necessary rite: culling a king dragon of the Crown Mountains to maintain balance in the wild country.

Accompanied by an imprisoned dragon, a Kattakan veteran of war and a Ba’Suon traitor, Meka soon discovers the survival of the Ba’Suon people, their dragons, and the land itself will depend on the choices she and her companions make in this gunslinging fantasy of colonialism and resistance.

World English Rights were acquired by Amy Borsuk from Tamara Kawar at DeFiore & Company.

The Mountain Crown will be released in October 2024.

Author Karin Lowachee on the acquisition:

“I am absolutely thrilled to be a new part of the team at Solaris with The Mountain Crown and its sequels. I know my stories will thrive in the hands of Solaris as we work together to shepherd them into fruition. My heartfelt gratitude to Amy Borsuk and everyone at Solaris who are just as excited as I am to dive in!”

Acquiring Editor Amy Borsuk:

“I am absolutely thrilled to be working with Karin Lowachee on this incredible series. At long last, I get to work on an epic dragon fantasy! I loved this series from the first page and I’m so excited to bring it to fantasy readers across the globe. Karin is able to pack a full world rich with dragons, personal traumas, intense cultural histories and politics of colonialism and empire into the novella form with such ease. Come for the dragons, stay for the beautiful storytelling, compelling characters and gunslinging flavour.”

Karin Lowachee was born in South America, grew up in Canada, and worked in the Arctic. She has been a creative writing instructor, adult education teacher, and volunteer in a maximum security prison. Her novels have been translated into French, Hebrew, and Japanese, and her short stories have been published in numerous anthologies, best-of collections, and magazines. When she isn’t writing, she serves at the whim of a black cat.

For press enquiries please contact Jess Gofton, PR & Marketing Manager: jess.gofton@rebellion.co.uk.

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Solaris to publish The Longest Autumn by Amy Avery for the UK

Solaris is delighted to announce the acquisition of The Longest Autumn by Amy Avery for the UK, a lush, romantic fantasy for fans of Kushiel’s Dart and Gods of Jade and Shadow.

Tirne is one of four humans rigorously selected to usher the turn of the seasons into the mortal world. Every year, she escorts the taciturn god Autumn between the godly and human realms. Autumn’s seasonal stay among mortals brings cooler weather, changing leaves, and the harvest of apples and gourds until Winter takes his place.

This year, the enchanted Mirror that separates their worlds shatters after Tirne and Autumn pass through, trapping both of them in the human realm. As the endless autumn stretches on, crops begin to fail and the threat of starvation looms. Away from the magic of the gods’ home, Tirne suffers debilitating headaches that return with a vengeance. Worse, Autumn’s extended stay in the human realm turns him ever more mortal and vulnerable, stirring a new, forbidden attraction to Tirne.

While the priesthood scrambles to find a way to reassemble the Mirror, Tirne digs into the temple’s secrets and finds an unlikely ally–or enemy–in the enigmatic sorcerer and master of poisons, Sidriel. Thrown into a world of mystery, betrayal, and espionage as she searches for the truth, might Tirne lose her morals, her hard-earned position, and the illicit spark between her and Autumn?

UK/BC, excluding Canada, English Language Rights were acquired by Amy Borsuk from Brent Taylor at Triada US Inc. on behalf of Jennifer Azantian at Azantian Literary Agency.

The Longest Autumn will be released in January 2025.

Author Amy Avery on the acquisition:

“I’m so thrilled and honored to be working with Solaris and Amy Borsuk on The Longest Autumn! I can’t wait for the UK to meet my flawed, messy priestess and experience her world of unending autumn. It’s a joy to call Solaris my home across the pond.”

Acquiring Editor Amy Borsuk:

“I’m so excited to be bringing The Longest Autumn to UK readers. This lush fantasy has such an evocative world, and some deliciously messy romance. I was transported by the story from page one, and with a story about the god of Autumn and a priestess trying to find her way in two worlds, how can you not be?”

Amy Avery is a graphic designer and a lifelong lover of fantasy living in Wichita, Kansas. In her spare time, she co-hosts the writing craft podcast And It’s Writing. She can also be found watching cooking shows with her husband, mixing cocktails, or catering to the whims of a rather demanding tuxedo cat.

For press enquiries please contact Jess Gofton, PR & Marketing Manager: jess.gofton@rebellion.co.uk.

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Solaris to publish Matt Wallace’s Savage Company and Savage Bounty for the UK

Solaris is thrilled to announce the acquisition of Savage Company and Savage Bounty by Matt Wallace for the UK.

An epic fantasy with a diverse ensemble cast for fans of Joe Abercrombie and Anna Smith Spark, Savage Company follows warrior Evie, charged by a grieving widow to find a man Evie herself once loved who holds the key to expose the dark underbelly of the Empire’s missing population.

UK/BC, excluding Canada, English Language Rights were acquired by David Moore from Becky LeJeune at Bond Literary Agency.

Savage Company, the first book in the series, will be released in April 2024.

Author Matt Wallace on the acquisition:

“Solaris publishes some of my absolute favourite authors in the genre right now. I’m beyond thrilled to join their ranks. I’m also grateful to David Moore, and to my wonderful agent, Becky LeJeune, for making this happen.”

Acquiring Editor David Moore:

“I’m a big fan of Matt’s, and the Savage Rebellion is the best kind of epic fantasy – gritty, smart and complex, but still hopeful and full of heart. This is really exciting!”

Matt Wallace is a Hugo Award winner and the author of the Sin du Jour series, the Savage Rebellion trilogy, and the middle grade novels Bump, The Supervillain’s Guide to Being a Fat Kid, and Nowhere Special. He’s also penned over one hundred short stories in addition to writing for film, television, and video games. In his youth he traveled the world as a professional wrestler and an unarmed combat and self-defense instructor before retiring to write full-time. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Nikki.

For press enquiries please contact Jess Gofton, PR & Marketing Manager: jess.gofton@rebellion.co.uk.

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Solaris to publish Southern vampire horror Bless Your Heart for the UK

Solaris is thrilled to announce the acquisition of Bless Your Heart by Lindy Ryan for the UK.

Set in Southeast Texas in 1999, Bless Your Heart follows the Evans women—Ducey, Lenore and Grace—owners of the only funeral parlour in town, whose job for the past eighty years has been ensuring the dead stay dead. When the body of the town gossip rises from her coffin, it’s clear that the Strigoi―the original vampire―have returned.

As more folks turn up dead and Deputy Roger Taylor begins asking way too many questions, the Evans women must take up their blades to protect their town.

UK/BC Rights (excluding Canada) were acquired by Amanda Rutter from Kerry Nordling, Vice President/Director of Sub-Rights at Minotaur Books.

Bless Your Heart will be released in July 2024.

Author Lindy Ryan on the acquisition:

“I’m delighted to steep UK readers in Southern charm and introduce them to the Evans women and their monstrous southeast Texas hometown by working with Solaris on Bless Your Heart.”

Acquiring Editor Amanda Rutter:

“Lindy’s sharp, clever, funny writing is a perfect match for the Solaris list, and I am over the moon that we have signed Bless Your Heart for the UK market. I cannot wait for readers to enjoy the charm and terror of this amazing book.”

Lindy Ryan is a Bram Stoker Awards®-nominated and Silver Falchion Award-winning editor, author, short-film director, and professor. Ryan is the current author-in-residence at Rue Morgue, the world’s leading horror culture and entertainment brand, and a regular contributor at Booktrib and LitReactor. Her guest articles and features include NPR, BBC Culture, Irish Times, Daily Mail, and more. She is an active member of the Horror Writers Association (HWA), the International Thriller Writers (ITW), and the Brothers Grimm Society of North America. In 2022, she was named one of horror’s most masterful anthology curators, alongside Ellen Datlow and Christopher Golden, and has been declared a “champion for women’s voices in horror” by Shelf Awareness (2023). Her animated short film, Trick or Treat, Alistair Gray, based on her children’s book of the same name, won the Grand Prix Award at the 2022 ANMTN Awards.

For press enquiries please contact Jess Gofton, PR & Marketing Manager: jess.gofton@rebellion.co.uk.

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Solaris snaps up new and backlist titles by Aliya Whiteley

Solaris is thrilled to announce the acquisition of two brand new novels, and four backlist titles, by Arthur C. Clarke Award-nominated author Aliya Whiteley.

A meta coming of age tale of stories within stories, Three Eight One follows Rowena Savalas, a curator of the 21st century’s primitive internet in the year 2314, who stumbles upon a story posted online in the summer of 2024 that leads her to question her own life choices and whether the truth behind the story really matters at all.

Previously published by Unsung Stories, Solaris will also reissue The Beauty, The Loosening Skin, The Arrival of Missives and Greensmith, with a tenth anniversary edition of The Beauty to be published in Summer 2024.

Three Eight One will be released in January 2024. World All Languages Rights for Three Eight One and a second title and exclusive rights in all languages and territories for The Beauty, The Loosening Skin, The Arrival of Missives and Greensmith were acquired by David Moore from Max Edwards at Aevitas Creative Management. Titan will continue to sublicense North American English language rights to The Beauty, The Loosening Skin and The Arrival of Missives from Solaris, as they previously had from Unsung Stories.

Author Aliya Whiteley on the acquisition:

“It’s a delight and a reassurance to know that Solaris will be publishing my novels and novellas, starting with my latest novel of adventure and discovery, Three Eight One, from 2024. Many thanks to David Moore and all at Solaris for deciding to champion my stories into the future.”

Acquiring Editor David Moore:

“Aliya is a ferocious talent, creating some of the smartest, weirdest, most hauntingly beautiful stuff in genre at the moment, and it’s an honour to be a part of that. Three Eight One is a gorgeous book, a coming-of-age story that’s also a road trip that’s also an exploration of generational tension that’s also a meandering commentary on authorship and authenticity that’s also one of the coolest bits of metafiction you’ll read this year.”

Aliya Whiteley’s strange novels and novellas explore genre, and have been shortlisted for multiple awards including the Arthur C Clarke award, BFS and BSFA awards, and a Shirley Jackson award. Her short fiction has appeared in many places including Beneath Ceaseless Skies, F&SF, Strange Horizons, McSweeney’s Internet Tendency, Lonely Planet and The Guardian. She writes a regular non-fiction column for Interzone magazine.

For press enquiries please contact Jess Gofton, PR & Marketing Manager: jess.gofton@rebellion.co.uk.

For rights enquiries please contact Reitha Pattison, Rights Manager: reitha.pattison@rebellion.co.uk

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Solaris acquires haunting literary sci-fi by Lorraine Wilson

Solaris is thrilled to announce the acquisition of We Are All Ghosts in the Forest by Lorraine Wilson.

The internet is dead and its ghosts haunt us all. In a world without electronics and barely any politics, photojournalist Katerina flees to her grandmother’s village and a life of herbal medicine and beekeeping. When a wordless young boy is mysteriously entrusted into her care and rumours of harvest failure and a rampant digital disease start to swirl, they must escape into the dubious safety of the forest amidst accusations of witchcraft to search for the truth behind the disease.

We Are All Ghosts in the Forest will be released in November 2024. English Language UK/BC excluding Canada Rights were acquired by Amanda Rutter from Robbie Guillory at Underline Literary Agency.

Author Lorraine Wilson on the acquisition:

“I am truly delighted to be joining Solaris – they work with an amazing array of authors and are doing really exciting things across speculative fiction, so it will be an honour to become part of that. Amanda is a fantastic champion to have for my books and I know they are in the best possible hands with her. I have to confess I absolutely adore the characters and world in We Are All Ghosts In The Forest, so I cannot wait to see this story come to life under Solaris’ care, and to then be able to share it with readers. I feel like Orlando and Stefan are going to steal some hearts!”

Acquiring Editor Amanda Rutter:

“From the moment I started We Are All Ghosts in the Forest, I knew I was reading something special – it haunted me every time I wasn’t able to read it, and I couldn’t wait to get back to it. The beauty of the prose drew me in first, and then the warmth and hope of the character relationships had me all-in. I’ve been aware of Lorraine’s work for a while, and was thrilled to realise that this novel was just as special as what I had seen before, with themes of loss, love and belonging. I am delighted to welcome Lorraine to Solaris and can’t wait to bring We Are All Ghosts in the Forest to the reading public.”

A conservation scientist and third culture Scot, Lorraine Wilson lives by the sea writing stories influenced by folklore and the wilderness. She has a PhD from the University of St. Andrews but left academia and turned to writing due to disabling illness. Her debut novel, the dystopian thriller This Is Our Undoing, was a multi-award finalist. The follow up, a dark folkloric mystery The Way The Light Bends, was longlisted for the BSFA Best Novel award; and her third book, Mother Sea has recently released. It is an exploration of motherhood, climate change and belonging, and was called ‘complex, rich and beautifully crafted’ by Claire North, author of The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August. Lorraine has been stalked by wolves and befriended pythons, she also runs the Rewriting The Margins mentorship scheme for marginalised writers.

For press enquiries please contact Jess Gofton, PR & Marketing Manager: jess.gofton@rebellion.co.uk.

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Solaris to publish The Spear Cuts Through Water for the UK

Solaris is delighted to announce the acquisition of The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez for the UK.

Shortlisted for an Ignyte Award, British Fantasy Award and the Ursula K. Le Guin Prize, The Spear Cuts Through Water is a stunning and ambitious fantasy saga told as a story within a story that explores identity, legacy and belonging, in a tale of a god who escapes from their prison beneath a despotic emperor’s palace.

The Spear Cuts Through Water will be released in March 2024. UK/BC Rights were acquired by Amanda Rutter from Rachel Kind at Del Rey.

Author Simon Jimenez on the acquisition:

“I’m thrilled to be working with the Solaris team on the UK release for The Spear Cuts Through Water, and so excited to share the book with the new readership.”

Acquiring Editor Amanda Rutter:

“At London Book Fair, I was bowled over to realise that the UK rights to the most beautiful novel I have read in years, possibly ever, were still available. I immediately started the work to bring The Spear Cuts Through Water to a new readership, and I am delighted that Simon agreed to be published by Solaris. I am honoured to think that this breath-taking, clever and epic novel is going to be a part of our list. It deserves every single award nomination and plaudit it has received!”

Simon Jimenez is a Filipino-American writer of speculative fiction. His debut novel was The Vanished Birds and The Spear Cuts Through Water is his second novel. Jimenez’s works have received critical praise, with his debut novel being nominated for the 2021 Locus Award for Best First Novel and the 2021 Arthur C. Clarke Award. Jimenez himself was nominated for the 2021 Astounding Award for Best New Writer.

For press enquiries please contact Jess Gofton, PR & Marketing Manager: jess.gofton@rebellion.co.uk.

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Solaris to publish Gothic novella by Sarah Monette

Solaris is delighted to announce the acquisition of its third and final Solaris Satellite novella for 2023, A Theory of Haunting by Sarah Monette.

Monette, who also wrote the critically acclaimed The Goblin Emperor as Katherine Addison, returns to the world of 19th century museum archivist Kyle Murchison Booth in this haunted house mystery for fans of M. R. James and Sarah Waters. The star of a series of short stories previously collected in The Bone Key, Booth attracts yet more supernatural mishaps in his latest adventure that welcomes new and familiar readers alike.

A Theory of Haunting will be released in August 2023.

Exclusive World English Language Rights were acquired by Amanda Rutter from Cameron McClure at the Donald Maass Literary Agency.

Author Sarah Monette on the acquisition:

“It took me a long time to write this novella, so I’m very excited to be working with Solaris to see it in print.”

Acquiring Editor Amanda Rutter:

“Having been an ardent fan of Sarah in her Katherine Addison guise, I was absolutely thrilled to learn that there was a whole other world and wealth of stories to explore in the Kyle Murchison Booth canon. This standalone novella about Mr Booth is the perfect way to discover the necromantic mysteries he dwells within, and I am delighted that Solaris will be publishing A Theory of Haunting.”

Sarah Monette and Katherine Addison are the same person. She has published more than sixty short stories, eight solo novels, and four collaborations with her friend Elizabeth Bear. Her most recent novel is The Grief of Stones (Tor Books/Solaris, 2022). The Goblin Emperor (Tor Books, 2014) won the 2015 Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel and was a finalist for the Hugo, the Nebula, and the World Fantasy Award. The Angel of the Crows (Tor Books/Solaris, 2020) was a finalist for the Locus Award. The Witness for the Dead (Tor Books/Solaris, 2021) was a finalist for the Locus Award and shortlisted for the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award. The Grief of Stones was longlisted for the British Science Fiction Award for Best Novel. You can find her on Patreon as pennyvixen. She lives, with spouse, cats, and books, somewhere in the Upper Midwest.

For press enquiries please contact Jess Gofton, PR & Marketing Manager: jess.gofton@rebellion.co.uk.

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Solaris to publish Sign Here by Claudia Lux for the UK

Solaris is thrilled to announce the acquisition of Sign Here by Claudia Lux for the UK, a horror comedy set to be developed into a series by Amazon with Phoebe Waller-Bridge executive producing.

Peyote Trip works in Hell. Literally. He’s on the cusp of a big promotion if only he can get one more member of the wealthy Harrison family to sell their soul. But things aren’t always as they seem, on Earth or in Hell. And as old secrets and new dangers scrape away at the Harrisons’ shiny surface, revealing the darkness beneath, everyone must face the consequences of their choices.

Sign Here will be released in September 2023.

UK/BC English Language Rights were acquired by Amy Borsuk from Tawanna Sullivan at Berkley, PRH.

Claudia Lux on the acquisition:

“I am so excited to partner with Solaris to bring Sign Here to the UK! As a self-professed anglophile, it is an honor to join such a great list of authors and work with Amy and the whole Solaris team. Can’t wait to see you all in hell!”

Editor Amy Borsuk:

“I’m delighted to bring Sign Here to UK audiences, ahead of its adaptation into a TV show! This book is parts hilarious, moving, thrilling and tragic—UK readers are in for a wild and exciting ride!”

Claudia Lux is a graduate of Sarah Lawrence College, and has a master’s in social work from the University of Texas at Austin. She lives and works in Boston, Massachusetts. Sign Here is her first novel.

For press enquiries please contact Jess Gofton, PR & Marketing Manager: jess.gofton@rebellion.co.uk.