Firefly lands Killick's middle grade sci-fi horror

Firefly Press has landed a “scary and heart-warming” middle grade sci-fi horror by Jennifer Killick.

Publisher Penny Thomas acquired world rights in Crater Lake from Kirsty McLachlan at David Godwin Associates.

The synopsis explains: “When Lance and the rest of his class arrive at brand-new activity centre Crater Lake for the Year Six school trip, they have no idea just how life-changing the experience is going to be. What follows is a fight for survival that sees four pupils band together to save their classmates from a fate far worse than death. And whatever happens, they must never fall asleep.”

Killick is the author of MG superhero comedy series Alex Sparrow and sci-fi comedy Mo, Lottie and the Junkers (Firefly). A third in the Alex Sparrow series, Christmas comedy Alex Sparrow and the Zumbie Apocalypse (Firefly) is published this September.

Thomas said: “Jennifer Killick is a tour de force. Her comic writing for 9-12s, her grasp of dialogue, her sense of the absurdly surreal, and most importantly her deeply empathetic writing for this age group, take some beating. She also excels at inspiring events for school pupils and deserves to be a household name.

“We love Crater Lake. It manages to be scary and heart-warming at the same time, and should be available in all good bookshops and talked about, albeit in whispers, in every Year Six home.”