Titan Books scoops three-book deal from 'viral sensation' LaRocca

Titan Books has landed a three-book deal with "viral sensation" Eric LaRocca. 

Fiction editor at large Cath Trechman acquired world English language rights, print, audio and e-book rights, from Priya Doraswamy at Lotus Lane Literary. We Are Always Tender with Our Dead, the first in the trilogy, is slated for publication in September 2025 with the second and third novels to follow in March and September 2026 respectively. 

"In the first novel of the trilogy, Eric writes with great empathy about the suffering and horror endured from gun violence plaguing the United States," said Doraswamy. "While fans will have to wait till 2025 to visit the town and residents of Burnt Sparrow, I can say with great conviction that it’ll be well worth it."

The horror trilogy will be set in the town of Burnt Sparrow, "a place existing in a peculiar state of limbo somewhere between reality and fantasy forgotten by nearly everyone except its residents", and follow from horror epics of the 1980s from Michael McDowell and Stephen King. LaRocca’s trilogy will "revolve around trauma in the United States, acting as a commentary on mass shootings and the ubiquitous presence of violence in American culture". 

LaRocca said: "The Burnt Sparrow Trilogy reflects my longing to process and truly comprehend the complexities of our collective trauma surrounding issues related to gun violence in the United States. This book series will be filled with pain, grief, helplessness, and a distinct yearning to better understand our culture of suffering." 

Trechman added: "Eric is such a delight to work with, one of the hardest working, warmest and kindest authors I know. We feel incredibly fortunate to have his books on our list and are absolutely thrilled to have acquired this new trilogy. It’s an exciting, ambitious project and the perfect way to showcase Eric’s incredible ability to weave threads of darkness, depravity and intense body horror with his beautiful, empathetic writing."