Daphne Press has acquired You Weren’t Meant to Be Human by New York Times-bestselling author Andrew Joseph White, about a mute trans man aiding in the covert invasion of a parasitic alien species, until an unwanted pregnancy puts his own future at risk.
Senior Commissioning Editor Davi Lancett has acquired UK & Commonwealth (ex. Canada) rights from Jennifer March Soloway from the Andrea Brown Literary Agency and Rachel Clements from Abner Stein Literary Agency, representing the author. Daphne Press will publish in hardback simultaneously with the US publisher, Saga Press, in Autumn 2025.
Lancett says, “Andrew is a fantastic talent and this book is an incredible evolution and escalation from his young adult titles. Brutal, heart-rending, and raw, Crane’s journey is a powerful exploration of pregnancy and personal identity, wrapped up in a gory, gross bow made of worms.
”White adds, “You Weren’t Meant to Be Human is my first adult novel, and a horrifically personal one. It touches on so many difficult topics surrounding my trans identity, my disability, and more. Am I a bit nervous to show it to the world? Of course. But after working with Daphne Press and Illumicrate to release my first three books in the UK, this story is in some of the best hands I could ask for. I can rest assured that it will be handled with grace, and I’m so glad it will be reaching readers so far from my own home. Thank you to everyone who made this possible!”
Soloway says, “We are deeply grateful to Daphne Press and Illumicrate for introducing this groundbreaking horror novel to readers in the UK. In You Weren’t Meant to Be Human, Andrew Joseph White explores urgent societal issues—poverty, queerphobia, inequality, and familial and partner abuse. I am confident that this novel will spark important and necessary discussions about gender, disability, and class. Let the conversations begin.”