Hot Key Books wins four-way auction for 'future star' Lessore in two-book deal

Hot Key Books has signed a two-book deal with debut author Nathanael Lessore following a four-way auction. 

Editor Ella Whiddett and Ruth Bennett, senior commissioning editor, acquired UK and Commonwealth rights from Clare Wallace at The Darley Anderson Children’s Book Agency. The first book, Steady For This, will be published on 27th April 2023 with the second title following in 2024. 

Lessore’s teen novel is a celebration of friendship, rap music and finding your voice. Set in south-east London, Steady For This follows Shaun, known as MC Growls, who goes viral for the wrong reasons but this doesn’t stop him from giving up on his dream "to use his bars to take the world by storm". However, it is an unexpected friendship that will help Shaun achieve his ambitions.  

Whiddett commented: "From the first page of Steady For This, we knew we were reading something very special. Not only were we belly laughing from the get-go, but we were blown away by how Nathanael writes with such humour and heart. His skill for capturing the vibrancy – and awkwardness! – of being a teenager is unmatched. We can’t wait for everyone to fall in love with Growls the way we have.” 

Lessore added: “Growing up and going to school in Peckham as an ethnic minority, the connotation was always that we were troubled, unruly kids with difficult lives. But we were honestly very happy, we hung out and we laughed all day. I wrote Steady For This with the dream that kids like me might see themselves represented in a positive and authentic way. Hot Key are turning that dream into a reality. Ella and Ruth have such a deep understanding of these characters, their motivations, and their world. I was also lucky enough to land an agent who believed in Steady For This and in me as a writer. Having Clare in my corner is truly priceless. I do believe that home is where the heart is, and I am beyond happy to have found the perfect publishing home for Growls and my writing.”

"Nathanael has such a standout voice: fresh, funny, tender and hugely skilful," commented Wallace. "He’s a future star and I’m so thrilled that he and Growls have found such stellar publishing champions in Ruth and Ella and the whole Hot Key team."