First Ink signs duology and a standalone from Hafsah Faizal

First Ink has acquired three books from Hafsah Faizal, author of We Hunt the Flame, We Free the Stars and A Tempest of Tea. The deal includes a duology and a standalone title.

Cate Augustin, editorial director at Macmillan Children’s Books and First Ink, bought UK and Commonwealth rights from Kristin Dulaney at Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group in the US. The books will be published by FSG in the US.

The first book in the duology, Blade of Honey, will be published in hardback in 2027, with the sequel in 2028 and a standalone in 2029.

Blade of Honey follows a girl who cons her way into a coveted invitation to compete for the king’s hand in marriage – but she doesn’t want to be queen. She wants to drive a dagger through his heart. A twisted cat-and-mouse tale, it is described as “The Bachelor” meets Cinderella.

Faizal said: “This duology is a story that is close to my heart, and I could not be more thrilled to be working with First Ink again to publish it across the pond. They’ve done such a fantastic job with my earlier books that I have no doubt Blade of Honey is in capable hands. I’m eager for readers to experience the angst and tension the plot promises to deliver.”

Augustin said: “We couldn’t be more excited about the launch of three new books from the powerhouse that is Hafsah Faizal. At First Ink we’re all about meeting audiences where they are, and Blade of Honey is exactly the book that readers will be desperate to get their hands on, pairing Hafsah’s lyrical writing and swoony romances with a commercial proposition that will sweep readers away.

“We’re so excited to be working with Hafsah and our US colleagues again, to build on the incredible success of A Tempest of Tea and make this another global bestseller, and we can’t wait to welcome Hafsah to the UK for the first time this autumn to support the publication of its sequel A Steeping of Blood.”