Deal Announcement: Heather Walter, Fantasy

Posted at 11:18 am by Laura, on February 16, 2022

dealannouncement

I’m beyond thrilled to share that Heather Walter’s CRIMSON CROWN will finally be in readers’ hands!

Author of MALICE and the forthcoming MISRULE Heather Walter’s CRIMSON CROWN, pitched as a Tudor-inspired retelling of the rise of Snow White’s Evil Queen, in which a witch hunted by a zealous king infiltrates the religious faction that seeks to eradicate her kind, and must choose between loyalty to her coven or her heart, to Tricia Narwani at Del Rey, in a good deal, in a two-book deal, for publication in spring 2024, by Laura Crockett at TriadaUS Literary Agency (world).

In Heather’s deal announcement post for MALICE, I shared a story about going on submission with Heather’s first project, a Snow White prologue/villain origin story. One editor in particular (spoiler, it was Tricia) resonated with the story, but not enough to make an offer.

When MALICE sold to Del Rey, we set CRIMSON aside. But all through edits, launch, writing MISRULE, and MISRULE’s edits, Heather and I kept going back to CRIMSON. It was such a special project for us, and we really wanted to share the Evil Queen’s story someday. What could be done to make it better? What could be done that would make Tricia say yes! again?

And then Heather emailed me a big what if: what if…this was Anne Boleyn’s story?

Everything fell into place after that. Reimagining Tudor England into a whole new world was easy with this queer Snow White villain origin tale. I want to gush about literally everything that made this mash-up so perfect, but I don’t want to spoil it for readers. You’ll just have to take my word for it.

Heather’s editorial experience with her previous books helped reshape our original project together. When I say to clients that books are never shelved completely, this is why. The first manuscript didn’t sell––it simply wasn’t ready––but this sparkling, bloody, witchy, wicked tale that CRIMSON CROWN became, after a few years in a drawer, did. The heart of her remains present, yet I am in awe of how much more elevated and heart-poundingly wonderful it has become!

Congratulations, Heather!!

Author: Laura

Laura is a fangirl. A literary agent by day, a blogger by night. A recipient of an MA in Publishing. Happily attached to a book, ereader, and laptop. A tea devotee, musician, and book hoarder (so much so that she just might die from an overturned-and-heavily-loaded bookcase collapse).