BYWATER BOOKS is pleased to announce the signing of COMPASS ROSE by debut novelist ANNA BURKE. “This is a swashbuckling 26th century dystopian adventure novel,” said publisher Salem West. “It’s smart, colorful and quirky, yet it manages to deliver a healthy dose of heart, humor, and humility on every page.”

In the year 2513, the only thing higher than the seas is what’s at stake for those who sail them.

Rose was born facing due north, with an inherent perception of cardinal points flowing through her veins. Her uncanny sense of direction earns her a coveted place among the Archipelago Fleet elite, but it also attracts the attention of Admiral Comita, who sends her on a secret mission deep into pirate territory.

Accompanied by a ragtag crew of mercenaries and under the command of Miranda, a captain as bloodthirsty as she is alluring, Rose discovers the hard way that even the best sense of direction won’t be enough to keep her alive if she can’t learn to navigate something far more dangerous than the turbulent seas.

Aboard the mercenary ship, Man o’ War, Rose learns quickly that trusting the wrong person can get you killed—and Miranda’s crew have no intention of making things easy for her—especially Miranda’s trusted first mate, Orca, who is as stubborn as she is brutal.


“I’m thrilled to work with and bring Compass Rose to a great publishing company like Bywater Books,” said Burke. “I love the titles they put out, and am excited to be a part of a publishing house that constantly pushes the upper limits of the genre.”

Raised in Upstate New York, ANNA BURKE graduated from Smith College in 2012 with a B. A. in English Literature and Studio Art. She holds a certificate from the International Writing Program at the University of Iowa; and was the inaugural recipient of the Sandra Moran Scholarship for the Golden Crown Literary Society’s Writing Academy.
Since graduation, Anna has lived all along the Eastern seaboard, but wrote her debut novel, the high seas adventure Compass Rose (2018), while living on a small island in the West Indies—she suspects this explains her sudden interest in dystopian lesbian pirates. When not writing fiction, Anna is an overly ambitious gardener and freelance writer. She and her wife live with their two dogs, and the occasional four-legged guest. Unlike her protagonist, Anna has no sense of direction. You can learn more about ANNA BURKE the freelance writer and the novelist on her website.
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