Tag: acquisitions

Posted on by

Solaris to publish swashbuckling queer historical fantasy by Emma Sterner-Radley

Solaris has acquired queer Scandinavian historical fantasy Snowblooded by Emma Sterner-Radley.

State-sanctioned assassins Valour and Petrichor were plucked from the streets of 18th century Vinterstock as children and raised to be rivals. When brash butch Valour and uptight dandy Petrichor are given the job of co-assassinating their city’s elusive seller of illegal magic tonics, they must quell their bickering long enough to buy their way out of the abusive order that reared them and into a normal life.

Snowblooded will be released in Summer 2024.

World All Language Rights excluding North America were acquired by Amy Borsuk from Abner Stein in association with Speilburg Literary Agency.

Emma Sterner-Radley on the acquisition:

“I am beyond thrilled to be working with the great team at Solaris and to get a chance to not only share my love of the history and mythology of my native country, but also to write the LGBTQIA characters that mirror my own experiences!”

Editor Amy Borsuk:

“Emma has created an absolutely uproarious romp with characters that will warm your heart and then break it. Her writing is several parts wit and swashbuckle with a beautiful helping of rich worldbuilding and intriguing storytelling. I can’t wait for readers to meet our assassins Petrichor and Valour, and the indomitable Ingrid!”

Emma Sterner-Radley is an ex-librarian turned fantasy author. Originally Swedish, she now lives with her wife and two grumpy old cats in the U.K. She spends her time writing, reading, daydreaming, lifting weights, and watching whatever is the most gay on TV.

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

Posted on by

Solaris to publish debut novella by Em X. Liu

Solaris is thrilled to announce the acquisition of If Found, Return to Hell by Em X. Liu, the second of the 2023 Solaris Satellites novellas, to be published in June 2023.

Being an intern at One Wizard sounds magical on the page, but in practice mostly means getting yelled at by senior mages and angry clients alike. And so, after receiving a frantic call from a young man who’s awoken to a talisman on his bedroom wall—and no memory of how it got there—Journeyman Wen jumps at the chance to escape call-center duty and actually help someone for once.

But the case ends up being more complicated than Wen could ever have anticipated. The client has been possessed by a demon prince from Hell, and he’s not interested in leaving.

World English Language Rights were acquired by David Moore from Penelope Burns at Gelfman Schneider.

Author Em X. Liu on the acquisition:

“If Found, Return to Hell is an attempt to rediscover the magic in mundanity: carving out satisfaction in your work, how to balance a helping instinct with your own happiness, living with the guilt of not calling your mom for weeks, a warm meal, friends that turn into family, etc. I am so excited to bring it to you with the help of the Solaris Satellites program; I hope it will be the perfect size to dig into, but not too hearty—a nourishing meal in these trying times.”

Acquiring Editor David Moore:

“Em could hardly have found a more susceptible editor! As an immigrant myself I delighted in the found family storyline, and as a parent I ached with the impulse to protect someone a little bit helpless; but the frustration and tedium of the call centre? That I felt right in the bottom of my crusty old Gen-X soul. If Found, Return to Hell is strange, lovely, incredibly humane and utterly delightful.”

Em X. Liu is a writer and recent biochemistry graduate, which means they love stories about artificial intelligence and Shakespeare in equal measure. Since immigrating to Canada, they never go long without hopping on a plane to wander new places. But out of all the cities they’ve been to, they still love their home in Toronto the most. Their debut novel, The Death I Gave Him, will be published by Solaris in September 2023.

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

You might also be interested in:

Posted on by

Solaris to publish luscious Cornish fantasy by Sam K. Horton

Solaris is delighted to announce the acquisition of historical folk fantasy Gorse, and its sequel Ragwort, by debut author Sam K. Horton.

Poldark meets The Bear and the Nightingale in a tale of the battle between folk belief and religion in 18th century Cornwall. Pelagius Hunt – a Keeper responsible for mediating between the worlds of men and fey – and his one-time friend Revered Cleaver battle for the village of Mirecoombe’s soul as death stalks the moor. Only Pel’s ward, changeling Nancy Bligh, can unroot the darkness threatening to swallow them all.

Gorse will be released in Fall 2024.

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

Sam K. Horton on the acquisition:

“I’m thrilled to be working with Amy and Solaris to bring Gorse, and Nancy and Pel’s world, to life. I can’t wait to share these moors filled with monsters and folklore.”

Editor Amy Borsuk:

“I’m so excited to be working with Sam on this magnificent book! His lush writing, the fight of old gods versus new ones, immersive Celtic folklore at the heart of the story, and the dark magic lurking in the moors is what drew me to this book and will captivate readers craving more dark folkloric fantasy.”

Sam K. Horton lives above the moor in Cornwall, drawing on its wild landscape, wide skies and windblown folklore for his work. He trained as a costume designer before moving into visual art. It was during his last creative project that he discovered his talent for writing. This came as a surprise, despite a lifelong love of reading anything within reach, but a welcome one.

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

Posted on by

Solaris to publish S.L. Huang’s The Water Outlaws for the UK

Solaris has triumphed at auction for The Water Outlaws by S.L. Huang, a queer wuxia fantasy epic inspired by the Chinese classic, Water Margin.

Lin Chong is an expert arms instructor who believes in keeping her head down and doing her job—until a powerful man with a vendetta rips her carefully-built life away. Disgraced, tattooed as a criminal and on the run, she’s recruited by the Bandits of Liangshin who proclaim a belief in justice for women and the downtrodden. Together, they could bring down an empire.

The Water Outlaws will be published in August 2023.

UK/BC Rights were acquired by Michael Rowley from Danny Baror at Baror International Inc.

Author S.L. Huang on the acquisition:

“I could not be more thrilled that The Water Outlaws landed with Solaris, who have published some of my favorite books in science fiction and fantasy. The enthusiasm of Solaris’s team is just amazing, and I can’t wait for them to bring my queer, feminist martial arts bandits to the United Kingdom!”

Acquiring Editor Michael Rowley:

“As an editor, finding a book like The Water Outlaws hitting your desk is like a dream come true. A wonderful concept brilliantly realised. This gender-flipped retelling of a great, perhaps the great, Chinese epic that is a joy to read. Compassionate, thrilling and at times heartbreaking, then joyous, I am beyond excited to welcome S. L. Huang and The Water Outlaws to Solaris.”

S.L. Huang is a Hugo-winning and Amazon-bestselling author who justifies an MIT degree by using it to write eccentric mathematical superhero fiction. Huang is the author of the Cas Russell novels from Tor Books, including Zero Sum Game, Null Set, and Critical Point, as well as the new fantasies Burning Roses and The Water Outlaws. In short fiction, Huang’s stories have appeared in Analog, F&SF, Nature, and more, including numerous best-of anthologies. Huang is also a Hollywood stunt performer and firearms expert, with credits including “Battlestar Galactica” and “Top Shot.” Find SL Huang online at www.slhuang.com or on Twitter as @sl_huang.

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

Posted on by

Solaris to publish The Immortality Thief sequel, The Unkillable Princess

Solaris is thrilled to announce the acquisition of The Unkillable Princess by Taran Hunt, sequel to the much-loved The Immortality Thief.

Linguist Sean Wren and his found family of misfits return to salvage data in another sci-fi adventure when someone from Sean’s past unexpectedly returns, seeking aid. The Unkillable Princess will be released in 2025.

World All Languages Rights were acquired by Amy Borsuk from Hannah Bowman at Liza Dawson Associates.

Author Taran Hunt on the acquisition:

“I’m delighted to work with the wonderful team at Solaris on the sequel to The Immortality Thief. Sean Wren is a character very dear to my heart, and I look forward to continuing his story and the story of those closest to him!”

Acquiring Editor Amy Borsuk:

“I’m so excited to work with Taran on the next stage of her thrilling Kystrom Chronicles! The Unkillable Princess promises to be as fun and suspenseful as The Immortality Thief, with a good helping of new challenges for Sean and probably more puns.”

Taran Hunt is the author of The Immortality Thief. She studied physics in college and loves languages. If she could have a swordfight aboard a spaceship, she would. She works in theatre in New York, where she lives with her partner and their increasingly round cat.

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

Posted on by

Solaris to publish Natania Barron’s feminist Arthurian fantasy trilogy, Queens of Fate

Solaris is delighted to announce the acquisition of Natania Barron’s Queen of None, previously published by Vernacular Books, and its companion sequels, Queen of Fury and Queen of Mercy.

For fans of Circe and The Witch’s Heart, the Queens of Fate trilogy reveals the world of Arthurian myth through the eyes of the people behind the legends, including King Arthur’s oft-forgotten sister, Anna Pendragon, and her son, Gawain. Queen of None and Queen of Fury will be published in 2024, with Queen of Mercy to follow in 2025.

World All Languages Rights were acquired by David Moore from Stacey Graham at 3 Seas Literary Agency.

Author Natania Barron on the acquisition:

“I am absolutely delighted to work with the Solaris team to bring these stories to publication. I often say that these tales represent the thesis I never got to write, melding my lifelong love of all things King Arthur with a deep desire to elevate hidden voices in the narrative. Having the opportunity to continue the saga in such good hands is truly wonderful.”

Acquiring Editor David Moore:

“I love Arthuriana – Gawain, Parzival and the Morte sit with Chaucer and Shakespeare at the top of my literary pantheon. Barron’s trilogy is beautiful, sumptuous and thoughtful, of course, and you should read it for those reasons alone; but it’s also an absolute geeky delight for devotees of this most strange and many-headed of cultural legacies.”

Natania Barron is an award-winning fantasy author long preoccupied with mythology, monsters, and magic. Her often historically-inspired novels are filled with lush description and vibrant characters. In 2020, Barron’s Queen of None was hailed as “a captivating look at the intriguing figures in King Arthur’s golden realm” by Kirkus, and won the Manly Wade Wellman award the following year. Her shorter works have appeared in Weird Tales, EscapePod, and various anthologies, RPG, and game settings. In addition, she’s also known for her ThreadTalks, which dive deep into the unseen, and often forgotten, world of fashion history. Barron lives in North Carolina, USA, with her family and two dogs. When she’s not writing, you can find her wandering the woods, tending her garden, and collecting rocks.

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

Posted on by

Solaris to publish Jewish fantasy trilogy by Ariel Kaplan for the UK

Solaris is delighted to announce the acquisition of The Pomegranate Gate and its sequels by Ariel Kaplan, with the first book to be published in Summer 2023.

Set in a mythical Spain at the height of the Inquisition, The Pomegranate Gate follows Toba Peres and Naftaly Cresques who are forced to flee their home after the Queen orders all Jews to convert or leave. Their fates are inextricably bound together when Naftaly finds himself in possession of a book he’s forbidden to open and Toba stumbles through a magical gate into another realm, home of the fabled, square-pupiled immortals known as the Maziks, whose own Inquisition are on the hunt.

UK/BC and Europe English-language Rights were acquired by Amy Borsuk from Hannah Bowman at Lisa Dawson Associates.

Author Ariel Kaplan on the acquisition:

“I’m thrilled that Rebellion will be publishing the UK editions of The Pomegranate Gate and its sequels! I’m very much looking forward to working creatively with the entire staff.”

Acquiring Editor Amy Borsuk:

“Ariel Kaplan’s The Pomegranate Gate blends the realities of Sephardic Jews in exile with a fantastical world full of ancient secrets, curses and demons. It’s lyrical, enchanting and clever, and I love that this epic tale is Jewish at its very core. I am absolutely thrilled to be the UK editor and cannot wait to see it on bookshelves and in readers’ hands.”

Ariel Kaplan is the author of several books for teens and adults, including Grendel’s Guide to Love and War and We Regret to Inform You. She was raised in Virginia and has a B.A. in History and Religious Studies from the College of William and Mary. The Pomegranate Gate is her adult debut.

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

Posted on by

Solaris acquires queer science fantasy debut by Meredith Mooring

Solaris is thrilled to announce the acquisition of Redsight by Meredith Mooring, a queer science fantasy debut of priestesses, pirates and power with a blind heroine, for publication in Spring 2024.

Redsight follows a blind priestess who powers warships for the galactic military by manipulating spacetime. When the captain of her ship is murdered by a pirate with a dark past, she must choose between a painful life of service or a chance at freedom with the galaxy’s most wanted criminal.

World All Languages Rights were acquired by Amy Borsuk from Ernie Chiara at Fuse Literary.

Author Meredith Mooring on the acquisition:

“I’m excited to share a story from my perspective as a blind writer. Fiction by authors with disabilities isn’t common in the science fiction and fantasy genre, and I hope this book will introduce readers to new concepts and experiences.”

Acquiring Editor Amy Borsuk:

“Space pirates, queer love, a powerful mythos, a blind witch protagonist – REDSIGHT is a richly packed world with compelling characters. I’m so excited to be working with Meredith to bring this unique story to sci-fi and fantasy fans alike.”

Meredith Mooring is an employment discrimination attorney from North Carolina and a graduate of The Seeing Eye guide dog school. In her spare time she serves on the board of directors for a non-profit that pairs guide dogs with blind children.

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

Posted on by

Solaris to publish Yoon Ha Lee’s debut YA trilogy, Lancers, for the UK

Solaris is delighted to announce the acquisition of Yoon Ha Lee’s debut YA trilogy, Lancers, with book one planned for late 2023.

Space opera Lancers follows trainee Imperial lancer pilot, Hwa Young. When she uncovers a terrible secret the Empire has been hiding from its citizens, she’s forced to return to her rebel roots to save her world.

UK/BC English Rights were acquired by David Moore from Anna Carmichael at Abner Stein.

Author Yoon Ha Lee on the acquisition:

“I’m extremely excited to be working with Rebellion again, and happy that the books have found a home here!”

Acquiring Editor David Moore:

“Delighted to welcome Lee home again! Lancers is a thrilling story and one I’m excited to bring to our readers.”

Yoon Ha Lee’s novel Ninefox Gambit came out from Solaris in 2016 and quickly garnered massive critical acclaim and was short-listed for the Arthur C. Clarke, Hugo and Nebula Awards. It won the Best First Novel Award in the Locus Awards and the Reddit Fantasy Award. His story collection Conservation of Shadows was released by Prime Books in 2013. He lives in Louisiana with his family and an extremely lazy cat, and has not yet been eaten by gators.

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

Posted on by

Solaris to publish cyberpunk mosaic novel by Lavanya Lakshminarayan

Solaris is delighted to announce the acquisition of The Ten-Percent Thief by Lavanya Lakshminarayan, a sci-fi novel of corporate greed and resistance with an Indian twist, for publication in Spring 2023.

In a future where the world’s nations have collapsed and Bangalore has been rebranded as Apex City, the elite Virtuals and downtrodden Analogs live on either side of an electric shield that strikes through the city’s centre. Technology is the key to power, so when Analog thief Nāyaka steals a genetically-modified jacaranda bud, and plants it on the Analog side of the city, the tree that blossoms becomes a clarion call for rebellion.

World All Languages Rights, excluding Asia, and French and Italian languages, were acquired by David Moore from Cameron McClure at the Donald Maas Literary Agency.

Author Lavanya Lakshminarayan on the acquisition:

“This is a “pinch me, I must be dreaming” moment! I’ve always admired Rebellion Publishing’s list, and I’m thrilled to have found a place on it, in the company of so many wonderful writers whose work I love and cherish.

The Ten-Percent Thief is my debut novel, and it’s a mosaic woven through the streets of India in the near future. It’s part-satirical, part-hopeful, all cyberpunk and revolution, and I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I loved writing it.

I’m super grateful to David Moore and Cameron McClure for giving my words a home, and for letting my imaginings thrive unfettered. They’ve travelled with me on journeys into the unknown, and transformed my dreams into the pages of The Ten-Percent Thief. I can’t wait for you to step into this future we’ve built, and I’m excited about the many worlds we’re shaping beyond!”

Acquiring Editor David Moore:

“The Ten Percent Thief is a book for our time, cyberpunk revisited for the 2020s. It’s a scathing satire on social media, on the gig economy, on the inequalities of our society and the lies it tells to preserve them. And it’s fun, too, and often funny. I’m hugely looking forward to working with Lavanya on this.”

Lavanya Lakshminarayan lives between Bangalore and Hyderabad, and grew up in the former. She spent ten years as a game designer, building worlds and crafting narratives for massive successes like FarmVille and Mafia Wars. She’s travelled across the world, but loves coming home to her two dogs and the legion of stray cats she cares for. She can be found on Instagram at @lavanya.ln and Twitter at @lavanya_ln.

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