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Andersen Press scoops YA horror novel from Rose
Andersen Press has scooped a YA horror novel from J P Rose.
Chloe Sackur, commissioning editor for fiction, acquired world English and audio rights in a two-book deal from Clare Wallace at Darley Anderson Children’s Book Agency. The first book, The Haunting of Tyrese Walker, will publish on 6th October 2022.
The synopsis says: “After a shocking event leaves Tyrese struggling with grief, he’s taken to visit family in Jamaica. From the first night, strange things start happening: impossible visions, blackouts, swarms of insects, and the discovery of a grave hidden deep in the forest…
“Tyrese can’t explain what’s going on and he’s scared that he’s losing his grip on reality. Then Tyrese is warned that the mysterious Shadow Man is hunting him. Under threat, Tyrese and his friends set out on a terrifying journey across the island to try and uncover the sinister history of the Shadow Man. Who can Tyrese trust when his own mind is falling apart?”
The cover, which is to be revealed, will be designed by artist Dananayi Muwanigwa, a young self-taught digital illustrator based in Harare, Zimbabwe.
Rose said: “Having been adopted, natural curiosity as a teenager led me to discover more about my birth family: my paternal heritage being a wonderful diversity of Jamaican and Nigerian. And it was while visiting family for the first time, I initially heard about duppies. Even all those years ago, they sparked my imagination, and I immediately knew this captivating part of Jamaican folklore was something I one day wanted to write about. To have had the opportunity to celebrate a part of my heritage by writing this contemporary horror story with diversity and inclusion at its heart has been amazing.
“Through adversity, great things have happened. It truly feels like a seminal moment for me. Andersen Press have been so incredibly welcoming, and it’s an absolute honour to be part of this small yet powerful house of creativity and talent. It’s been a true collaboration.”
Sackur added: “We’re thrilled to have J P Rose join the Andersen Press list with two terrifying horror novels for teen readers. I was struck by her writing’s unique mix of spooky darkness, Jamaican folklore and psychological drama. The Haunting of Tyrese Walker explores big questions about identity, memory and grief but it’s also full of shock twists and heart-racing chills. It’s a joy to work with J P Rose as she dreams up ever-scarier ideas!”
