“Excited” does not begin to cover our feelings about Lyra Selene’s stunning adult fantasy debut, A Feather So Black!

This Celtic-inspired Swan Lake retelling is romantic fantasy at its finest. A magical tale of a changeling princess, her cursed sister, and the dangerous fae lord she must defeat to save her family, it’s perfect for readers of Holly Black, Sarah J. Maas, and Hannah Whitten. Once you enter its alluring world—a place where magic winds through the roots of the trees, forest creatures aren’t what they seem, and falling in love can be your undoing—you’ll never want to leave.

A Feather So Black is coming to shelves Spring 2024! Senior Editor Priyanka Krishnan acquired World English rights from Jessica Watterson at Sandra Dijkstra and Associates. Commissioning Editor Nadia Saward acquired for Orbit UK.

Says author Lyra Selene: “I’m beyond thrilled A Feather So Black has found a home with Orbit! I hope this dark dream of a story captures readers’ imaginations in the same way it captured mine, long ago. I can’t wait to share Fia’s seductive world of perilous magic, moonlit secrets, and forbidden romance with you!”

Adds editor Priyanka Krishnan: “I think Lyra must be part fae herself. She casts a spell with this story, making you forget the world around you as you keep turning pages. This book has everything I love: a complicated heroine, a delicious romance, a nuanced sister relationship, and exquisite atmosphere. You’ll feel you’ve stepped straight into a dark fairy tale, and it will leave you swooning.”

And agent Jessica Watterson: “I was put under a spell from the first gorgeous word of A Feather So Black and I’m thrilled it has found amazing champions at an amazing house. I can’t wait for this book to sweep everyone off their feet!”

A Feather So Black is the first in a planned trilogy. Read more about the book below and follow author Lyra Selene on Instagram @LyraSelene for updates!

In a realm without magic, Fia is a rare changeling, swapped for the Princess Eala by the wicked Fair Folk. Eala’s mother, the High Queen, has taken Fia in as an adoptive daughter and trained her as a warrior spy, while the true princess is a prisoner, cursed and bound to the realm of the fae.

When a forgotten gate to the Folk realm is discovered, Fia is tasked by the High Queen to break Eala’s curse and retrieve her. But she doesn’t go alone: with her is prince Rogan, Eala’s betrothed—and the man Fia secretly loves. 

 As the two journey through the gate and into a world where magic runs deep and every step is dangerous, Fia’s mission is complicated by her feelings for the prince… and her unexpected attraction to the dark-hearted fae lord holding Eala captive.

With time running out to break the curse, Fia begins to question everything—the truth of her origins, the reality of her mission, and the “love” of her mother and High Queen. Ultimately, the key to unravelling truth from half-truth and saving the balance between the realms might just be… herself.

Lyra Selene was born under a full moon and has never quite managed to wipe the moonlight out of her eyes. She grew up on a steady diet of mythology, folklore, and fantasy, and now writes tall tales of twisted magic, forbidden love, and brooding landscapes. She lives in New England with her husband and daughter, in an antique farmhouse that probably isn’t haunted. She is the author of the young adult duology Amber & Dusk. A Feather So Black is her adult debut.