Brighton-based literary and entertainment company Viv Loves Film has signed an exclusive representation deal with Haunt Publishing, Scotland’s leading purveyor of Gothic, horror and dark literature.
Viv Loves Film will represent all non-publishing rights across certain titles within Haunt’s distinctive catalogue, with a focus on screen and stage adaptation.
Haunt Publishing has built a reputation for unearthing voices that echo from the darker corners of literature. From shape-shifting grief monsters and spectral shapeshifters, to feminist hauntings and postmortem poetics, Haunt’s growing list is as strange and subversive as it is emotionally resonant.
Among the haunting highlights is The Gingerbread Men by Joanna Corrance… a snowbound folk horror where storytelling becomes a sinister survival tactic in a remote Highland hotel. With its Shining-esque atmosphere and fairy tale unease, it’s ripe for an eerie and evocative adaptation.
Also in the shadows: “Benothinged” by Alvar Theo, a whip-smart horror-comedy about isolation, friendship, and a soul-sucking monster named The Nothing. Part British horror, part black-humoured love letter to the unwanted houseguest known as depression, it’s a striking debut with screen potential pulsing through every scene.
Haunt’s catalogue also includes Haunted Voices, edited by Haunt’s own Rebecca Wojturska… a chilling anthology that celebrates Scotland’s rich tradition of oral storytelling through a Gothic lens. From monstrous tongue-eaters and shadowy demons, to haunted video tapes and wicked priests, these stories are bold, folkloric, and ripe for adaptation. This eerie chorus of contemporary and archival voices positions Haunted Voices as a uniquely Scottish supernatural showcase for screen or stage.
Poetry doesn’t escape Haunt’s reach either. “Where Decay Sleeps” by Anna Cheung turns the seven stages of decomposition into a macabre menu of Gothic delights, featuring Dracula’s dinner guests and Tinder bios for monsters. Cheung’s poetry walks the line between folk horror and cheeky morbidity, inviting bold visual and performative interpretations.
Emma Topping, Founder and CEO of Viv Loves Film, commented:
“It is well-known that Viv Loves Horror and as such we are absolutely delighted to represent Haunt Publishing, whose fearless commitment to the uncanny, unusual and underrepresented makes them a true force in contemporary literature. We are also excited to shine the spotlight on Scottish stories and authors. Haunt’s list is not only rich with local mood and vision… it’s screaming to be adapted for screen and stage.”
Haunt Publishing’s Managing Director, Rebecca Wojturska, said:
“For a small press, the world of film and stage can be scarier than the monsters lurking in the stories we publish. We are over the (full) moon to be partnering with Viv Loves Film. The team’s love of horror flickered brightly and all at Haunt – the publishers and the authors – look forward to haunting new places.”
ENDS
For more information please contact
Viv Loves Film
Peter Kelly, Associate Literary Agent
peter@vivlovesfilm.com