Hot Key leaps for dark ballet-themed YA duology from debut author Shea

Hot Key Books has acquired an “intoxicating ’Black Swan’ meets House of Hollow" YA duology by debut author Jamison Shea.

Senior commissioning editor Ruth Bennett bought UK and Commonwealth rights from Kristin Dulaney at Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, US. Macmillan US bought world English-language rights from Jennifer March Soloway at Andrea Brown Literary Agency.

The first book, I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast Is Me, explores the cut-throat world of Parisian ballet and "shows the toll of giving everything to a world that will never love you back". The book centres on ballerina Laure, "a perfectionist with an axe to grind" who is constantly overlooked. But she is willing to do "anything to prove that a Black girl can take centre stage. But as Laure follows her vicious desires, no matter what the cost, she becomes a perfect target too".

The Buffalo, New York-born and Finland-based author’s first title is slated for an August 2023 release in both the UK and US, with the sequel, I am the Dark That Answers When You Call, set to follow in 2024.

Bennett said: “I completely devoured this book: Jamison’s debut is an intoxicating combination of elite ballet, rivalry and dark rivers beneath the streets of Paris. It’s a compelling exploration of what happens if you choose evil, but it’s also about the destructive power of a society that never lets you forget your difference. Jamison is an exciting new talent—they write with passion and an effortless eye for a killer plot!”