Hachette acquires Jones’ debut novel

Hachette Australia has acquired ANZ rights to Theodora’s Tea Shop by Christy Anne Jones in a joint acquisition with Wildfire, an imprint of Headline, taking UK and commonwealth rights excluding Canada, via Anna Carmichael at Abner Stein, in a ‘hotly contested’ international auction.

An ‘atmospheric 1920s-inspired fantasy about magic, friendship, and, of course, tea’, the novel follows Dorothy Louise Walcott, ‘a timid young woman, frugal, ill, over-educated, and dreaming ceaselessly of running away to learn magic,’ said the publisher. ‘Dot is determined to find the witch Theodora – empress of an underground syndicate peddling magic from the quaint façade of her tea shop. Theodora is everything Dot wants to be: beautiful, witty, confident. However, Dot’s arrival heralds the unearthing of Theodora’s eldritch secrets, threatening to topple the witch’s empire and take them both with it.’

Jones is a speculative fiction writer based in Adelaide. Her short stories and travel writing have been published in Australia and Japan. She runs a bookish YouTube channel where she posts reviews, essays, and cosy and cinematic vlogs.

Jones said: ‘I was blown away by the team’s enthusiasm and alignment on the story. What a joy for the novel to have found such a wonderful home, and I am so excited to see it hit shelves in 2026.’

Hachette head of fiction Rebecca Saunders said: ‘I knew within seconds that I wanted to publish Christy’s breathtakingly imagined novel. It is so beautifully written and enchanting; think Howl’s Moving Castle, The Night Circus and Emily Wilde’s series of novels. Theodora’s Tea Shop is already an office favourite – I had one enthusiastic colleague wanting to join the acquisition meeting even though she was on holiday! We can’t wait to publish.’

Theodora’s Tea Shop is planned for simultaneous release in Australia and the UK in late July 2026.

Category: Local news Rights and acquisitions