Walters takes on Brownlow's debut novel

Louise Walters has signed a “heart-breaking” children’s novel, The Naseby Horses, from debut author Dominic Brownlow, a year after founding her own publishing company.

Walters acquired the novel in a one-book deal and will publish in December 2019 in paperback and e-book. 

The Naseby Horses is described by Walters as “a lyrical, haunting novel exploring the bond between teenaged twins when one of them goes missing”. The manuscript was longlisted for the Bath Children’s Novel Award last year.

Walters said: “A friend whose judgement I trust emailed me to enthuse about Dominic’s novel and I agreed to read it. The first few pages convinced me this was a novel worth publishing: powerful, moving, mysterious, and written in the singular and heart-breaking voice of the novel’s teenaged protagonist. It’s a true work of art and simply too good to pass up.”

Brownlow added: “I am delighted The Naseby Horses will see the light of day in the nurturing and eager hands of Louise Walters, who not only saw the book's potential but was willing to develop and commit to it. I am very much looking forward to the year ahead."

Walters launched Louise Walters Books last year after struggling to get her second novel taken on by a traditional publisher.