Magpie swoops for romantasy trilogy from Poppy Kuroki

Magpie, an imprint at Oneworld, has landed Ancestor Memories, a Japan-set romantasy trilogy from Poppy Kuroki.

Editor-at-large Jenny Parrott acquired UK and Commonwealth rights, excluding Canada and US, from Edwina de Charnace at MMB Creative. Gate to Kagoshima, the first in the series, will be published in June 2024.

The story follows a young Scottish woman visiting Japan in 2005 who suddenly finds herself in the 19th-century Satsuma Rebellion 1877. 

Parrott commented: "Like her protagonist Isla, Poppy is Scottish herself, and she has now lived in Japan for 10 years. She’s immersed herself in Japanese history, and the result is a truly unique and captivating read that combines romance, time travel, some historical characters and actual events, and high adventure, together with a resourceful female protagonist… Poppy’s prose is vivid and extraordinarily atmospheric, and packed with authentic historical detail readers will find fascinating. The two following novels will feature real events from Japan in different time periods, and some of the characters in book one will return." 

Kuroki said: "I’ve always been passionate about Japanese history. When I was in Kagoshima researching Takamori Saigō and the Satsuma Rebellion, I never dared dream it would be brought to life as it has, and I’m happy to introduce Isla and Kei’s story to the world."