News

Royal horror title to Hodder

21.06.09 | Victoria Gallagher

Hodder & Stoughton has acquired a "mash up of ­horror and history" detailing the demon secrets of Queen ­Victoria by a pseudonymous author.

Editor Kate Howard bought Queen Victoria: Demon Hunter in a pre-emptive deal from Antony Topping, literary agent at Greene & Heaton. Howard obtained the title by A E Moorat for a "good five-­figure sum". Moorat has previously published other titles, but is writing under a pseudonym. The publisher will not reveal his/her identity.

Queen Victoria: Demon Hunter pre-supposes that Queen Victoria is a demon hunter, protecting her empire from the dangers of werewolves and demons. The book is subtitled: "She Loved Her Country; She Hated Demons".

Carolyn Mays, editor at Hodder, said: "It has its tongue in its cheek but it is not entirely humorous. It will appeal to people who watched and read John Ajvide Lindqvist's Let the Right One In (Quercus) ‘Heroes' and ‘Dr Who'." Mays added that the book would interest those who bought the recent Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (Quirk), and hoped it would echo its success. Mays also said that she thought readers aged 15 to 45 would enjoy the new title.

The book will be published as a B-format paperback original on 15th October, priced £7.99. Mays said that by publishing the title in October it would tie-in to Hallowe'en as well as being available for the Christmas market.

Mays said that Hodder had been "proactively" seeking to publish a book in this genre as she believed it was a "growing area". Although the deal is only for one book Mays suggested that there was potential for a sequel as the author has "lots of great ideas".

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By Z H Polo

Sounds great. I'm a big fan of this growing genre -- as well as authors who have initials in their name -- so this is one book I'll certainly be looking out for!

Thu, 27/01/2011 - 12:42
By D. Borg

And Quirk Books is revealing the title of its next "mash up" on July 15--can't wait to see what the originators of this new genre have up their sleeves!

Thu, 27/01/2011 - 12:42
By Z H Polo

Sounds great. I'm a big fan of this growing genre -- as well as authors who have initials in their name -- so this is one book I'll certainly be looking out for!

Thu, 27/01/2011 - 12:42
By D. Borg

And Quirk Books is revealing the title of its next "mash up" on July 15--can't wait to see what the originators of this new genre have up their sleeves!

Thu, 27/01/2011 - 12:42

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