Little Tiger imprint Stripes Publishing has bought a LGBTQ+ YA thriller by debut author Darren Charlton. 

Wranglestone is set after a zombie apocalypse has turned American into a wilderness and people are living in military refuges in national parks. Peter puts the camp in danger by allowing a stranger to enter so is forced to leave the community and help Cooper, a boy he has always admired from afar, herd the dead from the shore. 

Commissiong editor Katie Jennings bought world rights in a two-book deal from Hannah Sheppard and will publish in 2020. A sequel will follow in 2021. 

"This hauntingly atmospheric and thought-provoking debut had me gripped from the opening scene," said Jennings. "This is an apocalyptic thriller, a coming of age story and so much more. In a world in which survival is everything, how can there be a place for love? This is just one of the many questions Wranglestone raises, as it challenges the reader's assumption and expectations at every turn."

Follow Darren on Twitter.

The DHH Literary Agency are going on the road!

Due to the success of our pitching events in 2017, we have decided to go further afield and head up to the beautiful city of York, in order to discover new and untapped talent. 

The session will take place from 10am - 5pm on Saturday 1st December at a location in the centre of York. This event is free and each pitcher will have 10 minutes with their chosen agent. The list of pitchers will be decided upon the strength of their submission. We have 110 slots to fill, and we can't wait to read your work.

Below is an idea of what each agent is looking for:

David Headley is actively seeking well-written stories with strong characters and an original narrative voice across both general and genre fiction with a particular fondness for crime, thrillers, adventure and romance.

Broo Doherty is looking for novels that either put a new spin on the familiar, or take her out of her comfort zone. These could be in any of the following genres: psychological thrillers, crime novels, women's fiction and literary fiction. 

Hannah Sheppard loves novels with an original, standout voice. She's looking for children's fiction from 8+ to YA and commercial adult fiction. She wants an attention-grabbing hook or must-read concept. Amongst other things, she would love to see a swoony, feminist contemporary romance and a thriller with a unique premise. 

Natalie Galustian is looking for compelling narrative non-fiction, literary fiction, short stories and humour.

Harry Illingworth is looking for mould-breaking genre fiction with unique voices and strong concepts; books that can crossover from genre fiction to the commercial market. This could come in the form of epic fantasy, high-concept crime and thriller or accessible science fiction. 

How To Apply:
Email pitchdhh@dhhliteraryagency.com with the name of the agent in the subject line of the email, including a cover letter, one-page synopsis / outline and the first three chapters of the novel, or the first 5,000 words if shorter. You may only approach one agent on the team. If these guidelines are not adhered to, unfortunately we cannot consider your submission. We are also not able to consider pitchers who have attended any previous pitching events with us. 

Important Dates:
Submissions open: 10am on Friday 21st September
Submissions close: 6pm on Thursday 25th October
Please do not submit outside of these dates

If you have any questions about this event, please email pitchdhh@dhhliteraryagency.com, but remember - no submissions before 21st September!

#pitchdhh

Congratulations to client Stuart Turton and his debut novel, The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle (Bloomsbury Raven), which has been shortlisted for the Historical Writers' Association Debut Crown Award 2018. 

The novel, which has been sold in 17 territories, has garnered a staggering amount of praise from the likes of Ali Land "I hereby declare Stuart Turton the Mad Hatter of crime... unique, energising and clever"; Eva Dolan "Agatha Christie on time-bending substances. Mind blowing"; Louise O'Neill "Audaciously inventive, gripping and original" and many more. 

#SevenDeaths is up against The Woolgrower's Companion by Joy Rhoades (Vintage), The Optickal Illusion by Rachel Halliburton (Gerald Duckworth & Co), The Lightkeeper's Daughter by Jean E. Pendziwol (W&N), Estoril by Dejan Tiago-Stanković (Apollo) and The Sealwoman's Gift by Sally Magnusson (Two Roads).