Sceptre wins three-way auction for Hyphen editor-in-chief Chen’s ‘truly beautiful’ début novel 

Sceptre has landed Hyphen magazine editor-in-chief Karissa Chen’s “truly beautiful” début novel in a three-way auction.  

Editorial director Jo Dingley acquired UK and Commonwealth rights, excluding Canada, to Homeseeking, a love story spanning 70 years of Chinese diasporic experience, from Florence Rees at A M Heath on behalf of Michelle Brower at Trellis Literary Management. 

US rights were pre-empted by Tara Singh Carlson at Putnam. Rights have also been sold in Italy (Garzanti), Spain (Urano), Denmark (Politikens), Norway (Gyldendal Norsk) and the Netherlands (Nieuw Amsterdam). Sceptre will publish in spring 2024. 

The publisher’s synopsis reads: “There are moments when a single choice can define an entire life. Haiwen and Suchi are teenage sweethearts in 1940s Shanghai; their childhood friendship has blossomed into young love, and they believe that they are soulmates. 

“But when Haiwen secretly decides to enlist in the army to keep his brother from the draft, their shared future is shattered. Their paths take them far afield from each other, with the exception of one pivotal chance encounter on the Hong Kong ferry in 1966. 

“Sixty years later, Haiwen, now in his late 70s, is bagging bananas at a 99 Ranch in Los Angeles when he lifts his head to once more see Suchi. As they begin to rekindle their friendship, it feels like they might have a second chance to live the life they were supposed to have together. But the weight of the past lives with them at every moment, and only time will tell if they are able to forge something new.”

Dingley said: “It’s impossible not to fall in love with Suchi and Haiwen. Their story is one of first love, broken by war, of ties severed, facing the past and of finding home, wherever we settle. Compelling, sweeping, atmospheric and utterly heartbreaking, Karissa’s very special novel takes the reader on a fascinating and shocking tour of China’s 20th-century history, explores the Asian-American immigrant experience and looks at intergenerational trauma, but, at its heart, is a truly beautiful, twisty, lump-in-the-throat-inducing love story.”

Chen said: “I’m beyond thrilled to be working with Jo and the team at Sceptre to bring Homeseeking to the UK. It’s a novel I’ve been working on for more than seven years, and one close to my heart, as it’s loosely based upon my own grandparents’ stories and that of a generation of Chinese and Taiwanese diaspora who had to live through the heartbreak and aftermath of several traumatic wars.

“I’m eager to share this lesser known history of China with the world, and I’m so happy that this book has found such a supportive and brilliant home at Sceptre.”