Corvus swoops for Saintclare's 'fearless' debut in five-way auction

Atlantic imprint Corvus has signed Sugar, Baby, Celine Saintclare’s debut novel after triumphing in a five-way auction. 

In her first acquisition for the imprint, Corvus editor Sarah de Souza won UK and Commonwealth rights, excluding Canada, from Hattie Grünewald at the Blair Partnership.

Sugar, Baby follows Agnes, a young woman stuck in a dead-end cleaning job whose life changes when she is introduced to a new profession: sugaring. "At first, it seems like the perfect escape – extravagant tasting menus, private jets to Paris and Miami, endless admirers," the synopsis reads. "But it comes as a shock for her religious mother Constance, who came to the UK from St Vincent in her 20s. While Constance’s faith starts to be rattled, Agnes must ask herself how far she is willing to go to be adored."

Saintclare was longlisted for the Penguin Random House WriteNow scheme, and will be starting an MA at Goldsmiths in creative and life writing this year.

"I’m so excited to have signed with Corvus and to be working together with Sarah de Souza on my debut novel," she said. "I love the vision Sarah and the rest of the team have for Sugar, Baby and to have found a home that shares my passion for the story. I’m also very grateful to my agent Hattie Grünewald at the Blair Partnership for her guidance and championing my work."

De Souza said: "Sugar, Baby shines a light on the world of high-paid sex work through the eyes of an outsider, while exploring the interplay of beauty, race and sexuality. Celine’s unique voice makes her the perfect author to tell this story, and she does so with breathtaking vulnerability, vivid detail and unexpected humour. I can’t wait to publish her fearless debut next summer."

Grünewald added: "Sugar, Baby caught my eye immediately when it arrived in submissions and it’s fantastic to have matched Celine with a publisher who shares our passion and vision. It’s sure to be the book everyone’s talking about next summer."