People & Publishing Roundup, August 2023
ROBERT SILVERBERG has written a story, his first since retiring over a decade ago, set to appear in Analog: “It is all of three sentences long, a takeoff on Fredric Brown’s classic story ‘Knock’…. I first sold a story to Analog in 1955, 68 years ago. That doesn’t quite equal Jack Williamson’s record of longevity – he sold a serial to them when he was in his nineties, 74 years after his first sale to Astounding, the predecessor of Analog – but I’m doing my best.”
DAVID ESTES is now represented by the John Jarrold Literary agency for translation rights.
NANA KWAME ADJEI-BRENYAH’s Chain-Gang All-Stars (Pantheon) was shortlisted for the £5,000 Waterstones Debut Prize, “celebrating debut fiction in all its forms,” with the winner to be announced August 24, 2023.
YUDHANJAYA WIJERATNE’s unpublished novel The Wretched and the Damned won the Gratiean Prize for the best work of literary writing in English by a resident of Sri Lanka.
JOSEPHINE SAXTON is the winner of the 2023 Cordwainer Smith Rediscovery Award, intended to bring attention to lesser-known SF and fantasy authors. The award was presented by Rich Horton and Ann VanderMeer during Readercon 32, held July 13-16, 2023.
NNEDI OKORAFOR sold The Africanfuturist, “examining the relationship between a story and its teller, the labyrinth of African Diasporic identity, family, and what makes us human,” to Julia Elliott at William Morrow for seven figures at auction via Angeline Rodriguez and Eric Simonoff of William Morris Endeavor.
LYDA MOREHOUSE sold Welcome to Boy.net and two more books in Earth’s Shadow, “jaunty lesbian space opera trilogy with a serious edge,” to Cheryl Morgan at Wizard’s Tower Press. Wizard’s Tower will also issue paperback editions of Morehouse’s AngeLINK series.
SHARON SHINN sold novel Whispering Wood, completing the Elemental Blessings series, to Patrick Swenson at Fairwood Press via Ethan Ellenberg of the Ethan Ellenberg Literary Agency.
GREGORY FROST’s story collection Beyond Here Be Monsters went to Patrick Swenson at Fairwood Press at auction via Marie Lamba of Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency.
TRAVIS BALDREE sold another novel in the Legends & Lattes series plus two more books to Lindsey Hall at Tor for seven figures via Stevie Finegan at Zeno Agency. Bella Pagan will edit.
OLIVIE BLAKE sold collection Januaries and two more titles to Lindsey Hall at Tor via Amelia Appel of TriadaUS Literary Agency. UK rights went to Bella Pagan at Tor UK via Chris Scheina at Macmillan.
JOSH MALERMAN’s Incidents Around the House and a second book sold to Tricia Narwani at Del Rey via Kristin Nelson of Nelson Literary Agency.
JACK SKILLINGSTEAD sold story collection The Whole Mess and Other Stories to Patrick Swenson at Fairwood Press.
ALVARO ZINOS-AMARO sold interview compilation Being Michael Swanwick to Patrick Swenson at Fairwood Press.
NAOMI KRITZER’s near-future novel Liberty’s Daughter went to Patrick Swenson at Fairwood Press via Danielle Bukowski of Sterling Lord Literistic.
CHRISTOPHER BUEHLMAN’s fantasy The Daughters’ War, in the world of The Blacktongue Thief, went to Lindsey Hall at Tor via Michelle Brower of Trellis Literary Management.
REBECCA THORNE’s romantic fantasies Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea and A Pirate’s Life for Tea, plus two more books, sold to Monique Patterson at Bramble via Taryn Fagerness of Taryn Fagerness Agency. UK rights went to Tor UK.
NADI REED PEREZ sold fantasy The Afterlife of Mal Caldera to Katie Dent at Titan Books via Larissa Melo Pienkowski of Jill Grinberg Literary Management.
KIRSTY GREENWOOD sold fantasy romance The Love of My Afterlife and a second book to Jen Monroe at Berkley for seven figures at auction via Hannah Todd of Madeleine Milburn Literary Agency. Canadian rights went to Deborah Sun de la Cruz at Penguin Canada, and UK rights to Katie Loughnane at Cornerstone at auction, via Todd.
AMALIE HOWARD sold The Starlight Heir, “inspired by Persian and Indian mythology and astrology,” and a second title to Erika Tsang at Avon via Thao Le of Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency.
ERIN MAYER, writing as EK SATHUE, sold horror satire Youthjuice to Taz Urnov at Soho Press via Maria Whelan at Inkwell Management.
MI-YE LEE sold fantasy The Dallergut Dream Department Store and a sequel, translated by Sandy Joosun Lee, to John Glynn at Hanover Square Press at auction via Chiara Tognetti of Chiara Tognetti Rights Agency on behalf of Sam & Parkers. UK rights went to Areen Ali at Headline.
OLIVER K. LANGMEAD’s SF novel in verse, Calypso, sold to George Sandison at Titan via Alexander Cochran at C+W.
CARISSA BROADBENT sold The Serpent and the Wings of Night and The Ashes and the Star-Cursed King, first in the Crowns of Nyaxia romantic fantasy series, to Monique Patterson at Bramble via Bibi Lewis of Ethan Ellenberg Agency.
Japanese writer MAI MOCHIZUKI’s fantasy The Full Moon Coffee Shop and a second book sold to Romilly Morgan at Brazen in the UK via Marina Penalva of Casanovas & Lynch Agency on behalf of Emily Books Agency. US rights went to Hilary Teeman at Ballantine at auction via Emma Thawley at Quercus.
K.C. HARPER’s Shadowed Moonlight and two more in an urban fantasy trilogy went to Natasha Qureshi at Hodderscape via Helen Lane of Booker Albert Agency.
DREW HAYES sold Roverpowered and three more books to AJ Nadir at Aethon. Rhett Bruno will edit.
MARGARET KILLJOY’s fantasy The Sapling Cage and two more books went to Margot Atwell at Feminist Press via Connor Goldsmith of Fuse Literary.
C.A. KENNEDY sold The 7 Seven Habits of Highly Effective Reapers, How to Stop Worrying and Start Dying, and How to Lose Friends and Influence Demons to Harbor Lane Books via Leslie Truex of Blue Ridge Literary Agency.
JORDAN CLAYDEN-LEWIS sold speculative gay romance Such a Small World to Craig Gibb at Deep Desires.
STEPH NELSON sold horror novel The Threshing Floor to Rob Carroll at Dark Matter Ink.
ADAM MILLARD sold The Village of C to Crystal Lake.
ALLIE THERIN sold the third book in the Roaring Twenties Magic series to Stephanie Doigat Carina Press via Laura Zats of Headwater Literary Management.
RK SUMMERS sold fantasy The Age of Magic to Sara-Jayne Slack at Inspired Quill.
MARY J. CARTER’s Nothing Gold Can Stay sold to Nancy Swanson at The Wild Rose Press.
RACHEL VAN DYKEN’s fantasy Fallen Gods and two more books went to Liz Pelletier at Red Tower via Nicole Resciniti of the Seymour Agency.
JAY GOULD sold horror adventure Hellfall to In Churl Yo at Castle Bridge Media. Jason Henderson will edit.
RANIA HANNA’s fantasy The Jinn Daughter went to Nadine El-Hadi at Hoopoe via Kaitlyn Katsoupis of Belcastro Agency.
DANA BURKE sold fantasy The Other Side of the Mirror to Danielle DeVor at City Owl Press.
JUNO DAWSON sold Queen B, prequel to historical fantasy Her Majesty’s Royal Coven, to Nidhi Pugalia at Penguin via Katelyn Dougherty of Paradigm.
RUNYX sold Gothikana and a second book to Monique Patterson at Bramble via Kimberly Brower of Brower Literary.
MJ WASSMER sold SF social satire Zero Stars, Do Not Recommend and a second book to MJ Johnston at Sourcebooks via Brady McReynolds of JABberwocky Literary Agency. UK rights sold to Kelly Smith at Zaffre via Stevie Finegan of Zeno Agency.
CHLOE SPENCER’s horror novel Mewing went to Alan Lastufka at Shortwave.
CLARISSA TRINIDAD GONZALEZ sold magical realist novel Celestina’s House to Kwame Scott Fraser at Rare Machines. Julia Kim will edit.
CRYSTAL J. JOHNSON & FELICITY VAUGHN’s paranormal romance Unleashing Chaos sold to Anna Todd at Frayed Pages.
LAUREL HIGHTOWER sold horror novel The Day of the Door to Max Booth III and Lori Michelle Booth at Ghoulish Books.
ROBERT E. HARPOLD’s humorous fantasy detective novel When the Gods Are Away sold to Rob Carroll at Dark Matter Ink.
JEM ZERO sold A Spark in His Hand to Lisa Green at City Owl Press.
SARENA STRAUS sold DeInception and MassInception, sequels to ReInception to Michael Dolan at Winding Road Stories.
CATHERINE MCCARTHY sold fantasy The Wolf and the Favor to S.D. Vassallo at Brigids Gate. Carrie Allison-Rolling will edit.
VICKY BURKHOLDER’s paranormal novel The Cane, the Puzzle, and Magic went to Amanda Barnett at The Wild Rose Press.
R.H. BURKETT’s fantasy Bad Moon Rising went to Ally Robertson at The Wild Rose Press.
ARIANA FERRANTE’s fantasy novel Food for Thought went to S.D. Vassallo at Brigids Gate.
RAE KNOWLES sold Merciless Waters, about a rusalka, to Heather Vassallo at Brigids Gate.
SHIRLEY MCCOY’s fantasy Dragon Song went to Claudia Fallon at The Wild Rose Press.
MELISSA SCOTT sold space opera Fallen, a “companion saga” to Finders, with illustrations by Eleni Tsami, to Athena Andreadis at Candlemark & Gleam.
KATJA DESJARLAIS’s vampire novel Junction sold to Lill Farrell at The Wild Rose Press.
KURT BAUMEISTER’s Twilight of the Gods, “a postmodern retelling of Norse myth,” sold to Stalking Horse Press.
CATELYN WILSON’s YA fantasy novel All the Devils and asecond book went to Rebecca Hilsdon at Michael Joseph via Susan Velazquez Colmant of JABberwocky Literary Agency and Stevie Finegan of Zeno Agency.
CALLIE C. MILLER’s YA The Return of the Hollower sold to Jessica Smith at Aladdin via Kelly Dyksterhouse of the Tobias Literary Agency.
ALYSSA VILLAIRE’s YA The Glittering Edge and a second book sold to Ruqayyah Daud at Little, Brown Children’s at auction via Pete Knapp and Stuti Telidevara of Park & Fine Literary and Media.
CLARE EDGE sold contemporary fantasy YA I Put a Spell on You to David Linker at Harper Children’s via Jennifer Azantian of Azantian Literary Agency.
SARAH LARIVIERE’s YA alternate history duology Riot Act sold to Kelly Delaney at Knopf Children’s via Susan Hawk of Upstart Crow Literary. Erin Clarke will edit.
AMY CHRISTINE PARKER’s YA fantasy You’re Dead to Me sold to Hannah Hill at Delacorte via Lucienne Diver of The Knight Agency.
JESS LOUREY’s YA novel A Whisper of Poison and two more books sold to Liz Pelletier at Entangled Teen via Jill Marsal of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency.
JUSTIN ARNOLD’s vampire romance Keep It in the Dark went to Joshua Dean Perry at Tiny Ghost Press.
JACOB STEVEN MOHR’s horror collection Bury Me Cold & More Last Words went to Cassandra Thompson at Quill & Crow. Damon Barret Roe will edit.
LAURA CREEDLE’s YA horror novel The Deep Well and a second book sold to Karen Chaplin at Quill Tree at auction via Jim McCarthy of Dystel, Goderich & Bourret.
First novelist BRYAN VANDYKE’s literary SF novel In Our Likeness sold to Laura van der Veer at Little A in a pre-empt via Elias Altman of Massie & McQuilkin.
JAYSON GREENE sold debut near-future SF novel Unworld to Jordan Pavlin at Knopf via Anna Sproul-Latimer of Neon Literary.
MONIKA KIM’s debut feminist horror novel The Eyes Are the Best Part and a second book sold to Diana Pho at Erewhon and to Romilly Morgan at Brazen Books in the UK via Nicola Barr and Jenny Bent of the Bent Agency.
JULES ARBEAUX’s debut SF novel Lord of the Empty Isles went to Molly Powell at Hodderscape at auction via Maddy Belton of Madeleine Milburn Literary Agency.
DEL SANDEEN sold debut Southern horror story This Cursed House to Anne Sowards at Berkley via Jim McCarthy of Dystel, Goderich & Bourret.
KIRK BUECKERT sold debut cyberpunk novel Darkly Through the Glass Place to Rob Carroll at Dark Matter Ink.
TIGEST GIRMA’s YA dark academia fantasy debut Immortal Dark and two more books sold to Ruqayyah Daud at Little, Brown Children’s at auction via Paige Terlip of Andrea Brown Literary Agency. UK rights sold to Nazima Abdillahi at Hachette Children’s, and Australian rights to Jeanmarie Morosin at Hachette Australia.
HOLLY DAVIS sold YA debut fantasy Diamond Tears to Zara Hoffman at Emerge.
Filmmaker and screenwriter JORDAN PEELE and editor JOHN JOSEPH ADAMS sold Out There Screaming: An Anthology of New Black Horror to Ben Greenberg at Random House at auction via Mollie Glick of CAA. It will include new stories by P. DJÈLÍ CLARK, TANANARIVE DUE, NALO HOPKINSON, N.K. JEMISIN, NNEDI OKORAFOR, TOCHI ONYEBUCHI, REBECCA ROANHORSE, CADWELL TURNBULL, and more.
EDEN ROYCE sold horror novella Hollow Tongue to Jennifer Barnes at Raw Dog Screaming Press. R.J. Joseph will edit.
L. MARIE WOOD sold novella 12 Hours to Jennifer Barnes at Raw Dog Screaming Press. R.J. Joseph will edit.
SONORA TAYLOR’s horror novella Errant Roots went to R.J. Joseph at Raw Dog Screaming Press. Jennifer Barnes will edit.
GEMMA AMOR will edit anthology Roots of My Fears: Terrifying Stories of Ancestral Horror for Daniel Carpenter at Titan Books via Mark Falkin of Falkin Literary.
JEREMY SZAL sold limited edition hardcover rights to Stormblood to Alex Berman at Phantasia Press via Alice Cottrell of Orion/Gollancz.
BREANNE RANDALL resold romantic fantasy The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic to Bianca Gillam at Aria in the UK via Stephanie Manova of US publisher Alcove Press.
JULIE KENNER’s Carpe Demon series is being adapted as a TV show by December Films and Paramount+ via Maggie Marr of Maggie Marr Legal PC. Emily Andras is showrunner, and is producing with December Films, Cineflix Studios, Gina Marcheschi, and Jon Brownby.
Film rights to BRYAN THOMAS SCHMIDT’s Shortcut were optioned by Hunt Lowry at Roserock Films.
This report and more like it in the August 2023 issue of Locus.
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