Trapeze wins auction for Naima Coster novels

Trapeze will publish two novels from US author Naima Coster, including What's Mine and Yours, a book the author hopes "will inspire tough, rich conversations". 

Publishing director Sam Eades acquired UK and Commonwealth rights (excluding Canada) at auction from Lucy Morris at Curtis Brown. The first title, What's Mine and Yours, will be published in hardback, e-book, audio and trade paperback in March 2021.

What's Mine and Yours begins with a new school initiative in Piedmont, California which forces the students at a mostly black public school to move across town to a nearly all-white school. On one side of the school "integration debate" is Jade, Gee's single, black mother, grieving for her murdered partner, and determined for her son to have a better life. On the other is Noelle's mother, Lacey May, who refuses to see her half-Latina daughters as anything but white. The novel will follow the two families as their paths collide over the course of three decades.

Eades said: "What's Mine and Yours is a thought-provoking exploration of identity politics, race, education policy and motherhood. It is also a page-turning ride of a story that hooks you in from that devastating opening scene. Beautifully written, this tender and emotional novel is thought-provoking and accessible, and I can’t wait for readers to fall in love with it and talk about it. Naima Coster is such an exciting talent, and we are so lucky to welcome her to Trapeze Books."

Coster commented: "I hope the novel will inspire tough, rich conversations about what we see as a good life for ourselves and our families, how privilege and race shape these desires, and who we’re willing to leave out or leave behind to fulfil our dreams."

Coster's debut, Halsey Street was published by Little A, an imprint of Amazon Publishing in 2018.