Orbit scoops Ash Huang’s ‘lush’ fantasy debut in two-book deal
Orbit has acquired the debut novel by Ash Huang, The Secret Lives of Immortals, which tells the story of a woman from third century China who is tricked into immortality and must settle with the consequences of her long life, as well as the actions of the alluring man who betrayed her.
Editorial director Jenni Hill bought world English-language rights to the title in a two-book deal with Hana El Niwairi at Cooke McDermid, with editor Angelica Chong acquiring for the US. Publication is scheduled for spring 2027.
Huang’s short fiction has previously been published by publications including Nightmare, Lightspeed, Ecotone and Orion’s Belt. In 2022, Huang won the Diverse Worlds Grant from the Speculative Literature Foundation, and is an alum of the Roots. Wounds. Words Retreat, Tin House Winter Workshop and the Periplus Fellowship.
She said: “thrilled to find a home here at Orbit with Jenni, Angelica, and the rest of the team. I’ve read and obsessed over many immortality stories over the years, from canonical vampire lore to cryogenically preserved bumblers like Futurama’s Fry. The Secret Lives of Immortals is my own homage to what it actually means to make the years count as they fly on by.”
Hill commented: “This tale captivated us from the get-go, with a main character who makes you feel as though she is sharing her secrets with you and only you. He Ling sits you down with a stiff drink, enthrals you with her triumphs and heartbreak and keeps you hooked until her very last words.”
El Niwairi added that she “can’t wait for readers to experience the beautiful chaos that is Ling’s (mis)adventures through the centuries, and to meet the brilliant mind behind it all, Ash Huang… We couldn’t have asked for better partners than Jenni, Angelica, and the Orbit team for this journey.”
