Gollancz wins Rachel Schneider’s 'romantasy cocktail' in 10-way auction
Gollancz has triumphed in a 10-way auction for Rachel Schneider’s originally self-published Metal Slinger.
Editorial assistant Millie Prestidge acquired UK and Commonwealth rights, excluding Canada, from Emily Forney at BookEnds Literary Agency. North American rights were sold to Saturday Books, an imprint of Pan MacMillan US. Gollancz will publish the export trade paperback and e-book in line with Saturday Books, followed by the hardback in September 2025. Rights have currently sold in 12 additional territories.
Metal Slinger is the first in a romantasy duology following Brynn, a young woman who has spent her life among the Alaha – a community exiled to live over the sea – waiting for a chance to attend the annual market hosted by Kenta – the very people who exiled the Alaha.
“Attending the market is a rite of passage for all young guards, but Brynn does not anticipate breaking a century long peace treaty while there,” Gollancz said. “Nor does she plan for an intense encounter with an enemy soldier to threaten both the fragile co-existence between their people and everything she once believed in. As Brynn’s true identity is revealed, confronted with a world of hidden magic, soon Brynn begins to question everything, including her heart.”
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Prestidge said: “Metal Slinger is an incredible cocktail of everything readers in the romantasy space are hungry for. From tension, witty banter, found family and a plot twist that is still shaking the internet to its core, quite frankly, I can’t wait to introduce readers everywhere to the queen of a jaw-dropping cliffhanger, Rachel Schneider. Working with Rachel, Emily and the team over at Saturday Books is a dream come true.”
Schneider, who is based in South Louisiana, said: “I’m grateful to be working with Millie Prestidge and the entire team at Gollancz. This story has been my passion project for years, and their love for Metal Slinger is beyond exhilarating. I’m ecstatic to get the book into the hands of UK readers.”
Forney added: “I inhaled Metal Slinger in less than two days, and it’s been the biggest joy to work with a team that loves this book just as passionately. We are so unbelievably thrilled to work with Gollancz and Saturday Books to bring this intensely romantic and epic story to readers everywhere.”
