Joanna Corrance Signs a Horror Novel Deal!

Author Joanna Corrance

Joanna Corrance is back at Luna, and next Winter 2027, we will bring you the Highland-set Horror novel, The Gingerbread Men, just in time for a snowy Christmas night!

The novel will be released in print, digital and audiobook.

Many of you will remember Joanna's debut with Luna Novella, back in 2021. John's Eyes opened the award-winning series with a cracking SF novella - which, if you have not read, should go check right now!

Don't be fooled by Joanna's sunny appearance, because her stories pack a punch! You don't believe me?

“With vividly drawn characters, and a strange and compelling narrative, this part body horror, part fairy tale novella marks Joanna Corrance as a writer to watch. I can’t wait to see what she does next.” – Sarah Pinborough

“a genre-bending masterpiece that delves deeply into humanity’s reactions to the unknown… Its thought-provoking themes and beautiful prose resonate deeply, solidifying its place as one of my all-time favourite books.” – Jim McLeod, The Ginger Nuts of Horror

“A quiet slide into terror...” – Lord Sampler’s Library

“Quirky apocalyptical magic-realism horror… Great fun to read.” – Mayhem Horror Sensation

About the book:

Eric abandons his fiancé, Eleanor, at the Edinburgh Christmas market, following a mysterious woman back to the hotel she owns in the Highlands. Here he meets the men that staff the vacant rooms. Men like him. Men with something to hide…

By day, the men carry out their domestic chores in the hotel, cut off from the rest of the world by the snow. At night, they tell horror stories beside the fire, hoping to entertain the woman they serve.

They do not ask why there are no guests, why it always snows, why they can’t go home. Seeds of doubt begin to plague Eric and, as he delves deeper into the lives of the men at the hotel, secrets are uncovered...

Joanna, on writing the book:

The idea for The Gingerbread Men came about following a conversation that touched on the divide of unpaid domestic labour within relationships. Over the years, various discussions and observations have shown me that, whilst things are improving, there is still a strong social undercurrent that often goes unquestioned. I wanted tell a story that turned this topic on its head, that posed the subject in a different light and got people asking questions. I wanted the people reading my book to wonder (aside from - why is everyone trapped in this snowy hotel in the middle of nowhere!?) why these men were all working for free in this hotel, doing all the cleaning, cooking and entertaining? Why were they all accepting this treatment from the hotel manager when she clearly doesn’t respect or appreciate them? My hope was that people who might not otherwise have considered the topic might realise that, although the perspective here is different, the message is the same.

As the story grew arms and legs, I delved into this tale that takes place almost exclusively within the walls of an isolated rural hotel. Of course, I was hugely inspired by the landscape of my home in the Highlands of Scotland which can be bleak and beautiful, vast and claustrophobic all at the same time. There’s this rich tradition of oral storytelling in Scotland which I wanted to weave into the book, creating stories within stories influenced by the folklore I was raised on.

About Joanna:

Joanna Corrance is a lawyer and author of horror and dark speculative fiction from the Highlands of Scotland. Her novels The Gingerbread Men (Luna Press) and Overtime (NewCon Press) will be released in 2027. Joanna is the author of the novellas John’s Eyes and The Hamlet and has featured in anthologies including the award winning Blood In The Bricks. Follow her on Instagram at @joanna.corrance

And so get ready! The Gingerbread Men will be waiting for you next Christmas!