Neem Tree Press scoops Kate Wiseman’s ‘heart-breaking’ adult début

Neem Tree Press has scooped The Red Tunic, a World War One-set historical romance from Kate Wiseman. 

Archna Sharma, c.e.o. and publisher, signed worldwide rights in all languages from Oliver Latsch at LatschLit Literary Agency and Translations. The novel will be published in August 2024. 

The Red Tunic won the Eyelands Award for Historical Fiction pre-publication in 2020, and marks Wiseman’s adult début after previously writing young adult and middle-grade fiction. The synopsis reads: “As headstrong as her twin brother, Alfie, is gentle, Nina has never fit the womanly mould society expects of her. When the pressure on Alfie to prove himself at the Front mounts, Nina takes the opportunity to disguise her female identity and take his place in the trenches. While Alfie excels as a hospital nurse for war casualties, Nina finds love at war but battles to keep her identity concealed. The Mullins twins’ fates are inextricably interlinked with the turmoil of conflict in this fascinating exploration of gender roles and the extremes to which war pushes us.” 

Wiseman described the novel as an “intellectual labour of love”. She continued: “Nina and Alfie are very close to my heart and writing about them, thinking about others who experienced similar struggles, felt like an honour.” 

Cecilia Bennett, senior editor, commented: “The Red Tunic takes inspiration from real women who concealed their gender to fight in historical wars and imagines the experience of conscription for young soldiers whose gender identities fell outside societal expectations. I’m thrilled to be working with Kate on this immersive and heart-breaking tale.”