A press release from Orbit Books:

Orbit Books have acquired gifted storyteller Charlie Fletcher‘s first adult novels, a fantasy trilogy perfect for adults who grew up reading Neil Gaiman and Philip Pullman. Charlie is already a favourite among younger readers as the author of the Stoneheart series, published by Hodder Children’s Books.

Commissioning Editor Jenni Hill acquired World Rights in all languages from Karolina Sutton at Curtis Brown UK. The first volume in the trilogy, The Oversight, will be an Orbit worldwide release in May 2014, with Orbit UK and Orbit US publishing simultaneously. Translation rights are being handled by Little, Brown.

Once there were hundreds of members of the Oversight, the brave souls who guard the borders between the mundane and the magic. Now their number can be counted on a single hand. When a vagabond brings a screaming girl to the Oversight’s London headquarters, she might be their hope for a new generation – or the instrument of their downfall.

Jenni Hill said: “A classic theme of great fantasy novels is the team of heroes fighting impossible odds – The Oversight delivers this and much more, set against a rich background woven from myths and history that will have you believing in old English magic as you race to the final page. It’s the book that Jonathan Strange and Charles Dickens would have written if they’d collaborated (and if Strange wasn’t fictional). All of us at Orbit loved The Oversight and I feel incredibly lucky to be publishing this talented storyteller’s first adult novel.”

Charlie Fletcher said: “I’m doubly excited (and just a little bit awed) to be bringing The Oversight to Orbit. Firstly, I’m just plain looking forward to writing for an adult audience. Having begun writing stories for my kids, I’m really pleased to be able to keep them in the cross hairs as they now emerge from the other end of the teenage tunnel. Secondly, on closer examination the Orbit roster seems to contain a disproportionately large number of the sci-fi and fantasy authors whom I admire and enjoy (hence the side helping of awe).”

About Charlie Fletcher: Charlie Fletcher has worked in film editing for the BBC on everything from drama to current affairs. He’s written screenplays for Tri-Star, MGM, Paramount and Warner Bros among others and continues to write for movies and television. Charlie has also moved into other types of writing including magazine features, a computer game and as both a national Sunday newspaper columnist and restaurant reviewer. Stoneheart was short-listed for the Branford Boase First Book award and his most recent book, Far Rockaway, was longlisted for the Carnegie Medal.