HARPERCOLLINS CHILDREN’S BOOKS ACQUIRES IMMERSIVE MAGICAL MIDDLE-GRADE BY EXCEPTIONAL DEBUT TALENT PHILIPPA LEATHLEY
Posted on 16th January, 2024
Excited to announce a deal for one of our debut authors, Philippa Leathley!
Inkbound: Meticulous Jones and the Skull Tattoo will publish in hardback in February 2025, with a sequel to come in 2026.
Your ink is who you are.
On her tenth birthday, Meticulous Jones receives her fate, as all children do, in the form of a magical tattoo. She hopes that her ink will reveal something exciting: travel, discovery, or adventure. What appears is a skull, held by a violet glove. Metty’s fate is to become a murderer.
Metty is swiftly hidden away by her father, Moral, in the remote countryside. But when Moral goes missing, his sister Magnificent arrives to sweep Metty off to the glittering city of New London. And when Metty hears rumours of a shadowy organisation known as the Black Moths, she suspects they are connected to her father’s disappearance – and to her own fate . . .
Perfect for fans of Nevermoor, Lemony Snicket, and The Swifts, Inkbound is a thrilling and magical story of family, fate, and finding the courage to be truly yourself.
Philippa Leathley says: ‘I am delighted that Inkbound has found a home with the incredible HarperCollins teams on both sides of the Atlantic. Natalie and Amy blew me away with their enthusiasm and fantastic ideas for Metty’s story, and I feel so excited and fortunate to work with them both, and to share the world of New London with readers. I am also hugely grateful to my amazing agent Hannah Sheppard for all her support and hard work.’
Natalie Doherty, Publishing Director says: ‘Immersive, page-turning, and fizzing with atmosphere and mystery, Inkbound heralds a phenomenally talented new voice. The unique fate tattoos around which Philippa’s world is built are some of the most memorable creations I’ve come across, and will spark countless young imaginations and conversations about destiny and forging your own path. We’re delighted to be publishing Philippa, alongside our colleagues at Clarion.’
Read the full press release on The Bookseller.
