Bloomsbury wins four-way auction for Brittney Arena's romantic fantasy

Bloomsbury has won a four-way auction for A Dance of Lies, a romantic fantasy from début author Brittney Arena.

Acquiring for the new SFF imprint at Bloomsbury, publishing director Vicky Leech Mateos bought translation alongside UK and audio rights from Jennifer Azantian at Azantian Literary. US and Canadian Rights went to Del Rey and Random House Canada respectively. The first in a duology, A Dance of Lies will be published in June 2025. The book has already seen auctions concluded in German with a high five-figure offer, as well as in Italian and French, all committing to two-book deals for the duology.

"A Dance of Lies follows Vasalie, a disabled dancer who, after being framed for murder, is thrust into a lethal feud between royals when her king offers her freedom in exchange for espionage," the synopsis says. "But as the king’s tasks grow increasingly deadly, Vasalie must use her wits and artistry to thwart his plans, even as her ploys land her in the centre of a dangerous political web that risks her heart as much as her neck."

Arena said: "Jen has been my fiercest advocate, and her relentless championship is the reason I’m here today. And the moment we met with the incredible team at Bloomsbury, we knew we found the right home. From the start, Vicky saw straight to the heart of my novel, particularly with a heroine who mirrors many of my physical limitations. I’m deeply grateful for this partnership, and for the ability to spotlight a different kind of strength in the fantasy space."

Azantian added: "I’m so thrilled about this absolute dream pairing for this incredibly special book. From the start, I fell so in love with Brittney’s gorgeous world with beautiful prose and a different kind of fantasy heroine who spoke to me deeply as someone who also deals with chronic illness and pain."

Leech Mateos commented: "From the first page (or step), I adored this book. Threaded with rich world-building and tense with glittering romance, Arena does something in the choreography of her writing that is pure magic. A tale of intrigue and adventure, A Dance of Lies is also about connection—with your body, with those around you and with yourself. Arena writes so movingly about limits and pushing past them."