Farshore sinks its teeth into Holly Swain's vegetarian vampire-themed début picture book

Farshore has bought world rights to author/illustrator Holly Swain’s "irresistibly funny" picture book about a vegetarian vampire called Colin’s battle against his archenemy: a pesky duck.

Tiffany Leeson, creative director at the HarperCollins division, snapped up world rights to Colin’s Castle from Becky Wilson at The Plum Agency. The "’Home Alone’ with a vampire twist and a pich of Wile E Coyote" title will publish the UK on 29th August this year, accompanied by a "far-reaching and exuberant" marketing and publicity campaign.

Colin, the veggie vampire, has just moved into his new castle, which is perfect in every way, until Duck arrives. Duck, Farshore said, "pops up when Colin’s in the bath, when he’s watching telly, when he’s on the loo...Quack! But Colin has a plan; will he succeed in banishing Duck from his castle and leading the duck-free life that he dreams of?"  

The Hove-based Swain has worked for over 20 years as an illustrator since graduating from the University of the West of England Bristol, collaborating with authors such as Michael Morpurgo, Cressida Cowell, the poet Roger McGough and Tom Moorhouse for his New Adventures of Mr Toad series, an update on Kenneth Grahame’s The Wind in the Willows.

Leeson said: “From the minute Colin arrived on my desk, we were all smitten. Holly has created a hilarious partnership between Colin and his rival, Duck, with a unique new illustration style that’s perfect for their story.”