Filed under: Publishing News
It’s been a while, but publishing has also been slow now that we’re in the doldrums of summer. Here are the latest deals.
This series has been selling like hotcakes. It keeps dropping off the USAT list only to pop on again the next week.
NYT bestselling authors PC Cast and Kristin Cast’s HOUSE OF NIGHT series, set in the school where young “marked” students train to become adult vampires, to Michael Birnbaum at Empire Pictures (JOHN TUCKER MUST DIE, BANDITS), by Sean Daily at Hotchkiss and Associates, on behalf of Meredith Bernstein at the Meredith Bernstein Literary Agency.
The James Patterson machine cranks out another money-maker.
James Patterson’s YA series MAXIMUM RIDE, to Columbia Pictures, with Avi Arad, Ari Arad and Steven Paul at Seaside Entertainment (Iron Man) producing, along with Steve Bowen and Leopoldo Gout at James Patterson Entertainment, and Don Payne (Fantastic Four) adapting.
12 huge books in the series. Surely they won’t all be crammed into one movie.
The late Robert Jordan’s THE WHEEL OF TIME series, to Universal in an outright buy, in a significant deal, by Joel Gotler of Intellectual Property Group, on behalf of Nat Sobel at Sobel Weber Associates.
A move back to historical. Interesting.
Anne Stuart’s two new historical romance novels from the bestselling author, to Adam Wilson at Mira, by Jane Dystel at Dystel & Goderich Literary Management (World).
Christopher Moore is a big name in comedic fantasy. Jayne loves his books.
NYT bestselling author of LAMB and A DIRTY JOB Christopher Moore’s next four books, to Jennifer Brehl at William Morrow, in a major deal, by Nicholas Ellison at the Nicholas Ellison (NA).
I wonder if Butterscotch will make an appearance in this one.
Victoria Laurie’s GHOULS GONE WILD, the latest in the author’s series about a ghost-hunting sleuth, to Kristen Weber at NAL, by Jim McCarthy at Dystel & Goderich Literary Management (World).
This sounds right up Jayne’s alley.
Diann Ducharme’s THE OUTER BANKS HOUSE, which tells the story of a young and fiery girl and the love she must find and save amidst the dark secrets hidden on the barren shores of post-Civil War North Carolina, to Lindsay Orman, at Crown, by Byrd Leavell at the Waxman Literary Agency (NA).
I’m not a big fan of ‘rehab’ romance, but this might be an interesting read for Picoult fans.
Beth Cornelison’s SECOND CHANCES, in which injuries from a tragic accident leave a ladies’ man with a wounded soul, and a tenacious physical therapist helps him rehabilitate his body, heal his broken family, and discover the love of a lifetime, to Deb Werksman of Sourcebooks, in a nice deal, by Lucienne Diver of The Knight Agency.
Sounds funny, but I wonder about the happily-ever-after if he’s inside her.
Michelle Rowen’s LIVING IN EDEN, about a telephone psychic named Eden who becomes possessed by a demon…and then falls in love with him, to Cindy Hwang at Berkley, by Jim McCarthy at Dystel & Goderich Literary Management (World).
‘Historical erotic’ is a term that keeps coming up over and over again. The next big wave?
Julia Templeton’s THE RAKEHELLS OF ROCHESTER, a trilogy of historical erotic romances about three brothers forced to find wives or lose their inheritance, to John Scognamiglio at Kensington, by Jim McCarthy at Dystel & Goderich Literary Management (World).
I read somewhere that these were supposed to be young adult, but the PM blurb doesn’t say so.
USA Today bestselling author Yasmine Galenorn’s three books in the Elemental Magic series, in which two cousins explore their destiny in a world of Fae, magic, and intrigue, as they attempt to prevent the Queen of Mist and Shadows from unleashing a dark force on the world, to Kate Seaver at Berkley, by Meredith Bernstein.
Earmarked as romance according to PM, but the blurb is vague.
Two-time RITA finalist Vicki Hinze’s FORGET ME NOT, the first in the CROSSROAD CRISIS CENTER series, set within an organization dedicated to helping people in need, to Julee Schwarzburg at WaterBrook Press, in a very nice deal, for publication in Spring 2010, by Steve Laube at the Steve Laube Agency (world).
Jane Austen and urban fantasy seems to be the newest mix (there was a similar hook to another sale last month). I have to admit that it sounds intriguing.
Gail Carriger’s debut SOULLESS, a humorous Jane Austen-style urban fantasy about an avowed spinster who, being soulless, can negate supernatural ability and is thus shunned by London’s society vampires until one rudely attacks her, upsetting the social balance and revealing a dark cult, to Devi Pillai at Orbit, in a very nice deal, in a two-book deal, by Kristin Nelson at Nelson Literary Agency (World).
Not romance, but it seems that Austen-mania is going to pervade all other genres as well. First urban fantasy, now mystery. Inspirational publishers, consider yourselves warned in advance.
Anna Dean’s A MOMENT OF SILENCE, the first in a Regency mystery series featuring a Jane Austen-like sleuth with a sharp eye and equally sharp tongue, to Karyn Marcus at Thomas Dunne Books, for publication in Fall 2009, by David Marshall at Marshall Rights, on behalf of Allison & Busby (NA).
More Macomber-style women’s fiction.
Isabel Sharpe’s WEAVING IN A LIFELINE, in which a New York socialite walks away from her empty life and finds substance among women of a small North Carolina town who share hand-knit lace and legends from the Shetland Islands, to Lucia Macro at Avon, by Helen Breitwieser at Cornerstone Literary (World English).
More Jane Austen. Jane Rubino wrote this awesome cozy mystery series featuring Cat Austin.
Jane Rubino and Caitlen Rubino-Bradway’s LADY SUSAN AND HER DAUGHTER, a full-fledged reconstruction of Jane Austen’s early epistolary novella Lady Susan offering a new view of this clever worldly widow with her sixteen-year-old daughter, to Heather Proulx at Crown, in a good deal, at auction, by Marly Rusoff of Marly Rusoff & Associates (NA).
A tag-team anthology.
Shayla Black’s erotic novella, to Kate Seaver at Berkley HEAT, for a duet anthology with Maya Banks, by Kimberly Whalen at Trident Media Group. Maya Banks’s erotic novella, to Cindy Hwang at Berkley Heat, for a duet anthology with Shayla Black, by Roberta Brown of the Brown Literary Agency.
Cooking romances are hot right now (no pun intended).
Tracy Madison’s A TASTE OF MAGIC, after a woman receives a special birthday gift, an ancient gypsy magic that has been passed through her family’s bloodline for generations, she discovers everything she bakes will have a dash of delight and a pinch of wishes-can-come true; revenge is sweet…and it’s only the first dish to be served, to Chris Keeslar at Dorchester, in a nice deal, in a two-book deal, for publication in March 2009, by Michelle Grajkowski at 3 Seas Literary Agency.
More Aphrodisia titles.
PJ Mellor’s next four new works of erotic romance, to John Scognamiglio at Aphrodisia, by Jennifer Schober at Spencerhill Associates (world).
Orbit has had Rardin on a fast-release schedule and it must be working well for her.
Jennifer Rardin’s Books 6, 7 & 8 in the Jaz Parks urban fantasy series, three more adventures of CIA assassin Jaz Parks and her vampire boss, to Devi Pillai at Orbit, in a very nice deal, for publication in 2009 and 2010, by Laurie McLean at Larsen/Pomada Literary Agents (World).
Demons are definitely the new vampire.
Anna Katherine’s SALT AND SILVER, in which a demon huntress must travel through Hell in order to save the world, to Jozelle Dyer at Tor, for publication in 2009, by Diana Fox at Fox Literary (World English).
Jayne gave the first book in the series an A and the second a B+.
Ariana Franklin’s MISTRESS OF THE ART OF DEATH, Book 4, featuring a 12th-century CSI, to Rachel Kahan at Putnam and Laura Shin at Penguin Canada, for publication in Spring 2010, by Helen Heller at Helen Heller Agency.
Historical? Possibly?
Allegra Johnston’s THE EDGE OF INNOCENCE, a woman impoverished by her deceased father’s gambling ways must marry to salvage the family fortunes, but she will risk everything to avoid marrying a man she despises to be with the man of her dreams, putting not only her reputation in danger, but her life as well, to Megan Records at Kensington, in a two-book deal, for publication in Fall 2009, by Kevan Lyon at the Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency (World).
Moving away from Harlequin–so possibly this is not a romance, but just women’s fiction.
NYT bestselling author Kat Martin’s A CHRISTMAS CLOCK, about a lost love that is rekindled when an old woman with Alzheimer’s begins a desperate search to find a home for her orphaned grandson; with help from the small, Midwest town where she lives, the little boy finds the loving home he deserves, to Roger Cooper at Vanguard Press, by Robert Gottlieb and Kimberly Whalen at Trident Media Group (NA).
I have to admit I like the idea of a secret underwear shop.
Ilana Stanger-Ross’s SIMA’S UNDERGARMENTS FOR WOMEN, about a Brooklyn basement bra shop whose owner teaches other women to appreciate their bodies while hiding her own lifelong secret, to Juliet Grames at Overlook, by Joy Tutela at the David Black Literary Agency.
This sounds like a Kleenex-fest. More Picoult-type family drama.
George Bishop, Jr.’s TO MY DAUGHTER ON HER FIFTEENTH BIRTHDAY, in which a mother seeks reconciliation with her runaway daughter by recounting in a letter the story of her own troubled adolescence — revealing why her parents sent her away to a Catholic boarding school, how her long-distance love affair with a boy in Vietnam ended in tragedy, and offering something her mother never told her: the truth about how a girl grows up, the truth about life, to Jane von Mehren and Libby McGuire at Random House, in a major deal, at auction, for two books, by Marly Rusoff at Marly Rusoff & Associates (world English).
More paranormal romance.
USA Today bestselling author Sophie Jordan aka Sharie Kohler’s books #3 and #4 of the Moon Chasers series featuring warring lycans, their hybrid brethen and a secret society of mortal hunters, again to Lauren McKenna at Pocket, by Maura Kye-Casella of Don Congdon Associates.
Lilith Saintcrow crosses into young adult, but keeps her formula for tough-as-nails heroines.
Lili St. Crow’s debut STRANGE ANGELS, featuring the toughest teen hunter since Buffy hung up her stake, to Jessica Rothenberg at Razorbill, in a three-book deal, by Miriam Kriss at the Irene Goodman Agency (World).
Another YA, could be interesting. I’m creeped out by the title though.
Michele Greene’s SISTER WIFE, the coming-of-age story of a young woman growing up in a fundamentalist Mormon community, who after breaking the rules must define a new identity for herself, leaving everything she has known and trusted in order to survive as she embarks on a journey fraught with danger and terrifying consequences, to Anica Rissi at Simon Pulse, for publication in Spring 2010, by Kevan Lyon at the Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency (NA).
Michelle Rowen also writes a vampire series for Grand Central that is light and funny.
Michelle Rowen’s NIKKI DONOVAN: Demon Princess, the romance author’s YA debut about a girl who discovers on her 16th birthday that her absentee father is actually a king, in the underworld, to Stacy Cantor at Walker, in a two-book deal, by Jim McCarthy at Dystel & Goderich Literary Management (World).
Sounds like a winning combination to me. But will there be seven dwarves?
UNINVITED author Amanda Marrone’s DEVOURED, a modern-day spin on Snow White featuring a teenage girl with a dead twin, a crush, and a frenemy, again to Jennifer Klonsky at Simon Pulse, by Wendy Schmalz at Wendy Schmalz Agency (world).
I find this one really interesting, as time travel seems to be hitting the YA field with more frequency (instead of the portal to fantasyland, now it’s a portal to a historical land?). Note that this is a ‘major’ deal which means big money and lots of publicity.
Author of A NORTHERN LIGHT Jennifer Donnelly’s REVOLUTION, about a seventeen-year-old girl transported back in time to the French revolution who becomes caught up in a young actress’ attempt to help a tortured, imprisoned little boy who turns out to be Louis Charles, the lost king of France, to Krista Marino at Delacorte, in a major deal, by Steven Malk at Writers House.
I had no idea the Seattle suburbs were so dangerous.
Amy Reed’s untitled novel, about a brilliant, isolated girl, who moves from her sheltered island to a suburb of Seattle, and is thrown into a hidden and dangerous world — one where she must either surrender or fight for survival, to Anica Rissi at Simon Pulse, in a nice deal, for publication in Fall 2009, by Amy Tipton at FinePrint Literary Management (World).
Hopefully with no strange pregnancies or baby imprinting.
TANTALIZE and ETERNAL author Cynthia Leitich Smith’s BLESSED, which showcases a clash of shape-shifter, vampire, and other fantastical characters from her previous YA romantic thrillers, to Deborah Wayshak at Candlewick, by Ginger Knowlton at Curtis Brown (World English).
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Open Threads at Dear Author. Want to know what new releases are out this month and what readers are excited about reading? Check out the threads below. 
We don’t like to censor comments nor do we endorse the comments of any poster. We do reserve the right to moderate comments but most of the time will not, believing, as Justice Brandeis did, that the greater good is in “more speech, not enforced silence.”
I’m excited to read another historical by Anne Stuart. I really liked her last one. I wonder if she’ll continue to write romantic suspense for Mira. The last series seemed to have so much buzz.
I think Ann Herendeen’s book Phyllida and the Brotherhood of Philander is helping that push (I loved that book). I know Pamela Regis is including it in a chapter she’s writing for a compendium of romance as literature and Ann is on a panel that Eric Selinger is conducting at Princeton: Romance Fiction and American Culture.
a fourth book in the art of death series, YES!
I don’t know, but there were some were-creatures in Tantalize that freaked me out. Though admittedly, I don’t do well with werewolves (or were-anythings) to begin with.
But, regarding one of the other deals? Jennifer Donnelly + French Revolution = I’m so there!
“No more blood-sucking dead guys!” Kimber An screams and lunges at her computer screen with a wooden stake. She stops suddenly upon reading-
‘Jennifer Donnelly’s REVOLUTION, about a seventeen-year-old girl transported back in time to the French revolution who becomes caught up in a young actress’ attempt to help a tortured, imprisoned little boy who turns out to be Louis Charles, the lost king of France, to Krista Marino at Delacorte, in a major deal, by Steven Malk at Writers House.’
-Yes, Kimber An. There is a Santa Claus.
Regarding TO MY DAUGHTER ON HER FIFTEENTH BIRTHDAY, can I say I’m a bit suspicious of a book written by someone named George that tells the truth about how a girl grows up?
Not that men can’t write about women, and do it well, but it sort of feels like a Pronouncement from On High.
I should probably reserve judgment until it’s released.
This is way better than even eating loads of dark chocolate. And I love dark chocolate.
Yasmine Galenorn’s is definitely not YA according to her blogs and discussion group. She says writes “too dark” for that.
Can’t wait for the Rubino/Rubino-Bradway project - so curious to know what they did with the book! And - ahem - Rubino’s heroine - and it is a TERRIFIC little mystery/romance series - is Cat AustEn - and she even has a daughter named JANE!
YG’s series…not an actual YA series but aimed at a younger audience (16 and up)
Never cared for the Rubino books; a little too pat and predictable as “Murder She Wrote” cozies can often be. As for the Rubino-Bradway project I will put it on my things-to-read list but not at the top. I suspect that the daughter came (or was ushered) on board because mom wanted it to be so. If and when R-B publishes solo I’ll pass judgement then on her stand-alone talent.
Yes, it is Austen with an E.
Not that men can’t write about women, and do it well, but it sort of feels like a Pronouncement from On High.
Good one Steph. I think we can extrapolate and apply the same thought to anyone who writes without having lived the adventure, and that covers alot of literary ground. Some writers are exceptionally skilled at vicarious expression; others fail miserably. In my humble opinion, one writes best when one knows from solid life experience what one has lived.
Examples? Many (need to compile list) with the possible exceptions of historical fiction, since there are irrefutable facts to underscore the fancy.
Carla - surprised at your lack of Janite manners. I glanced at the agency site to check their author profiles and Rubino-Bradway looks like she’s got some cred. Maybe you should put your suspicions to rest so that you could “pass judgment” a little more informatively and just email the agent for the background? I don’t think you can judge stand alone product by an Austen-type work - Rubino’s sassy present day mysteries are nothing like what this project sounds like, and the daughter’s stand alone work, if that’s what she wants to do in the future, may be different as well.
Dear Sondra,
Respectfully, your manners are - where? Carla is merely expressing opinions, not “passing judgement” or harboring “suspicions.” And, as we all know, profile and cred. blurbs on an agency site come from - where? That would be from the author(s) themselves. Must it matter how similar or different the works of one author are when one does not care for what one has already read by that very author? The beauty of the literary world is that - as in life - one woman’s cup of tea is another woman’s toxin.
I too will be looking forward to R-B’s first stand-alone work. I believe that a stand-alone work can surely be referenced to - and to a degree compared with - any type of work, Austen’s included, if the reviewer sees noteworthy relationships. I will read it and review it for myself accordingly.
The best Janite manners include respectfully agreeing to disagree.
Very truly yours,
Lynda