Gollancz snares Anavrin Jay dark fantasy romance trilogy

Gollancz has acquired The Blood Plagues, the debut dark fantasy romance from self-published author Anavrin Jay, in a six-figure deal for the Blood Demands Blood trilogy.

Editor Millie Prestidge acquired world all-language rights directly from the author. The publisher will republish The Blood Plagues in e-book on 15th June 2026, with hardback, export trade paperback and audio to follow in January 2027.

The synopsis states: “In The Blood Plagues death is an honour. The young are raised with one purpose: to die willingly before the Blood God in a rite of devotion. Ashara and Demetri were never meant to want anything beyond death… until each other. But that was before the acolytes. Before the inquisition. Before the penance. Estranged for eight years, they reunite mere hours before they are destined to die. But when a Druid is found slain, a vicious hunt for answers unravels, and soon Ashara must decide: remain the sacrifice, or become the wrath…”

Jay said: “The Blood Plagues is a compendium of my postpartum nightmares and my maladaptive daydreams, and as such, is both my deepest fears and precious hopes given voice. It is another dream brought to life that this strange, twisted, warped story has found its home with Gollancz and with Millie, who is a phenomenal talent and a true powerhouse in the publishing world. I cannot wait to discover what lies ahead for us all. Blood demands blood.”

Prestidge added: “The Blood Plagues is precisely the genre-disrupting SFF we strive to publish at Gollancz, and I’m thrilled to welcome Anavrin to the list. You often wonder where romantasy will be headed next, and with a sharp voice, grimdark edge and poignant messaging, the genre couldn’t be in safer hands with Anavrin. Her debut truly demands to be devoured, and I’m beyond excited to work with her and Orion’s incredible rights team to get The Blood Plagues on the widest array of bookshelves.”