Knights Of spears Huxley-Jones' Welsh-myth inspired series

Inclusive children’s publisher Knights Of has snapped up Vivi Conway and the Sword of Legend, the debut middle-grade novel by consultant, editor and non-fiction author Lizzie Huxley-Jones.

Eishar Brar, editorial director, acquired world rights for the first and second, as-yet-untitled book, from Abi Fellows at The Good Literary Agency.

Publishing on 1st June 2023, Vivi Conway and the Sword of Legend will be the publisher’s middle-grade lead title for 2023.

Huxley-Jones is an autistic editor and author, and a vocal advocate for neurodiverse stories. The first book in the series is narrated by 12-year-old Vivi Conway, who is autistic, and celebrates the importance of learning about and supporting one another’s differences with a diverse cast of characters.

"On the day Vivi and her Mams are due to move from Wales to London, Vivi sneaks away for a quiet swim at the lake," the synopsis reads. "Instead, she meets a host of mystical creatures and learns she is part of a magical group of children known as enaids, who share the souls of witches from legend. But will she be brave enough to embrace true friendship and her magical destiny to help protect the world from evil?"

Brar said: “Lizzie Huxley-Jones is a force of nature, and we are absolutely over the moon that they have trusted us with their middle-grade. It’s a joy to be able to help shape their extraordinary imaginings into a book that is both joyful and necessary. As a long-time fan of their work within publishing, I am really delighted to bring Vivi Conway to the Knights Of list.”

Huxley-Jones’ other forthcoming books include queer holiday rom-com Make You Mine This Christmas (2022) from Hodder Studio. Commenting on the new series with Knights Of, they said: "I grew up in Wales, a land of stories, and I’ve always wanted to share our myths and legends, but to re-tell them with disabled and queer kids in the centre of it all. 

"I’m so grateful to my whole team for helping me tell this story—my brilliant agent Abi Fellows has been a huge champion of it since it was a handful of ideas in 2019, and my tremendous editor Eishar understands it on a DNA level and has guided it in the exact way it needs. There are so few words to describe how wonderful it is to have a book find a home with the phenomenal Knights Of, a team of brilliant people I have long admired and respected. I am truly the luckiest author.”

Fellows added: "Vivi and friends have a very special place in my heart and I can’t think of a more perfect home for their adventures than Knights Of."

The publication will be backed by a publicity and marketing campaign, including an events and bookshop tour led by Annabelle Wright, head of publicity at ed public relations, and Knights Of’s head of marketing and brand partnerships Ella Chapman.