Renard Press snaps up Anna Vaught's 'folkloric fable'

Renard Press has snapped up Anna Vaught’s "folkloric fable", Her Winter Song, illustrated by Maya Chessman.

Publisher Will Dady bought world English rights from the author directly, and the book will be published in October 2024.

"In Her Winter Song we find ourselves transported to a Wiltshire long past, surrounded by a host of characters that are firmly interwoven into the tapestry of the land, their storylines cutting through time," the synopsis says. 

"A beautifully written, lyrical work, Her Winter Song is a folkloric fable about white horses, shadows, possession and terrible deeds in the Wiltshire uplands that gives a firm nod to the classic ghost-story writer M R James, and, with the help of the gorgeous illustrations by Maya Chessman, breathes new life into winters yet to come."

Vaught is an English and creative writing teacher and the author of several books, including Saving Lucia (Bluemoose Books) and Famished (Influx Press). 

She has had a column with The Bookseller and Mslexia, and launched The Curae literary prize for carers. She is also a guest university lecturer and a tutor for Jericho Writers, and volunteers with young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. She has recently finished a PhD on magical realism and trauma, and will launch The Renegade Literary Festival in 2026.