Little Island announce trans love story as spring 2025 lead
Little Island Books are making a YA debut their lead title for spring 2025. A Fix of Light by Kel Menton is a trans love story with a dark magical twist, and the Irish publisher is tipping it for award shortlists.
Kel Menton is a youth theatre professional from Cork, and A Fix of Light is their first book. World rights in all languages were acquired by publisher Matthew Parkinson-Bennett from agent Laura Bennett of the Liverpool Literary Agency.
The publisher describes A Fix of Light as a queer love story which emphasises hope and the possibility of surviving trauma to build a life worth living, with protagonists that destigmatise trans experience: “18-year-old Hanan’s life is already complicated enough when he develops a strange new power: his emotions begin to magically manifest in the world around him. Then he meets Pax, a witty 19-year-old trans boy with fox-like features, and an intense romance blossoms.”
Little Island’s Parkinson-Bennett said that Kel is an astonishing talent. “We are so thrilled they’ll be joining our list of leading Irish YA voices next year. Despite being a debut, A Fix of Light will be one of our lead titles for 2025 and we are backing this gorgeously written book with a strong publicity campaign in Ireland and around the world.”
Kel Menton said they were honoured that A Fix of Light has found a home at Little Island Books. “I started writing this book at sixteen, and can hardly believe it is finally going out into the world. This is a lifelong dream come true, and I could not have had a more ideal publishing experience thanks to my agent Laura Bennett and the stellar team at Little Island.”
A Fix of Light will be published by Little Island in February 2025.
