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Owlet Press swoops for two picture books from Eagleton
Owlet Press has swooped for two picture books, The Woodcutter and the Snow Prince and Rory’s Room of Rectangles, from British Book Award shortlisted author Ian Eagleton.
Founder Sam Langley-Swain acquired world rights directly from the author, securing illustrations from Davide Ortu via Beehive Agency for The Woodcutter and the Snow Prince, and directly from Jessica Knight for Rory’s Room of Rectangles. The picture books will be published on 20th October 2022 and May 2023 respectively.
Eagleton’s début Nen and the Lonely Fisherman (Owlet Press), illustrated by James Mayhew, has been shortlisted for the British Book of the Year Discover Award. The winners will be announced in the ceremony on 23rd May.
The Woodcutter and the Snow Prince is a LGBTQ+ retelling of the classic Snow Queen story that is “destined to become a future classic celebrating the power of love at Christmas”. The story follows a lonely woodcutter who meets the cursed Snow Prince one Christmas Eve and the two share in a “magical” adventure when suddenly the prince vanishes at dawn. And so begins a quest as the woodcutter searches for the prince and the answer to his curse.
“As soon as I read Ian’s manuscript for Nen and the Lonely Fisherman, I was ‘hooked’,” commented Langley-Swain. “It was a really collaborative and rewarding process, finessing a story which really broke new ground. We’re delighted to have continued our working relationship across two wonderful stories, with the next release set to warm even the coldest hearts. It’s really exciting to watch the upward trajectory of one of our first début authors and to see his talents recognised by so many within the industry.”
Eagleton added: “The reaction to our first gay fairy tale, Nen and the Lonely Fisherman, has just been incredibly moving and the Nibbies shortlisting is incredibly exciting. The positive response to Nen has given us the confidence and inspiration to continue telling stories where everyone feels included and seen. It’s such a privilege to be able to work with Owlet Press again on our new Christmas story, The Woodcutter and the Snow Prince, and it’s been a pleasure to work alongside Davide Ortu, whose artwork and illustrations are cinematic, thrilling and beautiful. I really hope children will enjoy this wintry, mysterious adventure story which, once again, has LGBTQ+ representation and love at its heart. Books that reach out to our LGBTQ+ youth are needed now more than ever. They offer a chance for everyone to feel that they are important, special, supported and loved.”
