People & Publishing Roundup, June 2024
SARAH GAILEY will be toastmaster at the 59th Annual Nebula Awards, to be presented June 8, 2024 in Pasadena CA.
ALI TROTTA is now represented by Eric Smith of P.S. Literary.
YIYUN LI’s Wednesday’s Child (Farrar, Straus, Giroux) and ED PARK’s Same Bed, Different Dreams (Random House) were finalists for the 2024 Pulitzer Prize in the Fiction category, given for “distinguished fiction published in book form during the year by an American author, preferably dealing with American life.”
BEN FOUNTAIN was awarded the Joyce Carol Oates Prize, a $50,000 award for mid-career fiction authors, presented by the New Literary Project.
ALEXIS WRIGHT’s Praiseworthy (Giramondo) won the AUD$50,000 2024 Stella Prize, which celebrates literature by Australian women and non-binary writers.
R.S.A. GARCIA’s “Philia, Eros, Storge, Agápe, Pragma” (Clarkesworld 1/21) won the 2023 Media Award, presented by The Machine Intelligence Foundation for Rights and Ethics to “identify and illuminate fictional creations that demonstrate societies where humans and conscious machines live, cooperate and thrive together.”
KATE HEARTFIELD sold Mercutio, “a prequel to Romeo and Juliet in which Mercutio teams up with Dante Alighieri to stop an incursion of Faerie into the real world,” to Jane Johnson at Voyager UK via Jennie Goloboy of Donald Maass Literary Agency.
BETH CATO’s fantasy The Cottage That Sways Between Sea and Sky sold to Marilyn Brigham at 47North via Rebecca Strauss of DeFiore and Company.
H.E. EDGMON sold adult horror novel Hollow Is the Heart and a second book to Ali Fisher at Nightfire via Victoria Marini of High Line Literary Collective and Lee O’Brien of Looking Glass Literary & Media.
NICK MAMATAS sold Kalivas!: Or, The Washed-Away, a “post-modern, post-Singularity, and post-genre retelling of Shakespeare’s The Tempest”, to Christoph Paul at Clash via Michael Curry of Donald Maass Literary Agency.
AUSTON HABERSHAW sold A Thousand Little Wishes to Jacob Weisman at Tachyon Publications via Joshua Bilmes of JABberwocky Literary Agency. Jaymee Goh will edit.
RYAN COLLETT sold queer literary fantasy George and the Dragon to Peter Kispert at William Morrow via Naomi Eisenbeiss of Inkwell Management on behalf of Hattie Grunewald of The Blair Partnership.
MICHAEL CISCO sold Black Brane to Christoph Paul at Clash.
DANA ELMENDORF’s fantasy Grave Birds went to Meredith Clark at Mira via Jill Marr of Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency.
EVERINA MAXWELL sold a sapphic fantasy novel and two more books to Ali Fisher at Tor via Tamara Kawar of DeFiore and Company.
LINDA D. ADDISON & JAMAL HODGE sold collaborative poetry collection Everything Endless to Jennifer Barnes at Raw Dog Screaming Press. Stephanie Wytovich will edit.
JOSH DENSLOW’s collection Magic Can’t Save Us went to University of New Orleans Press.
STU JONES & GARETH WORTHINGTON’s technothriller Omniviolence sold to LK Griffie at Vesuvian Books in a pre-empt.
KAYLA HARDY sold historical fantasy The Quarter Queen and a second book to Natalie Hallak at Ballantine in a pre-empt via Emma Kapson of Verve Talent & Literary.
EMILY RATH sold fantasy North Is the Night, first in a duology, to Sarah Guan at Erewhon via Susan Velazquez Colmant of JABberwocky Literary Agency as part of a seven-book deal. UK rights to North Is the Night sold to Anne Perry at Quercus via Stevie Finegan of Zeno Agency.
TOBI COVENTRY sold He’s the Devil to Zachary Knoll at Overlook at auction via Julie Flanagan of CAA on behalf of John Ash. UK rights went to Katie Bowden at Fourth Estate in a pre-empt via Ash.
NUZO ONOH’s supernatural thriller The Fake Ghost went to Steve Wands at Dead Sky Publishing.
LINDY RYAN sold Another Fine Mess, sequel to Bless Your Heart, to Alexandra Sehulster at Minotaur via Italia Gandolfo of Gandolfo Helin and Fountain Literary Management.
LEIGH RADFORD sold zombie novel One Yellow Eye to Kimberly Laws at Gallery in a pre-empt via Kirby Kim of Janklow & Nesbit. UK rights sold to Sophie Robinson at Pan Macmillan via Hayley Steed of Janklow & Nesbit UK.
H.G. PARRY’s A Far Better Thing, “a reimagining of Charles Dickens’s A Tale of Two Cities with faeries and changelings,” sold to Jennifer Gunnels at Tor at auction via Hannah Bowman of Liza Dawson Associates.
RILEY AUGUST sold The Last Gifts of the Universe to Peter Joseph at Hanover Square Press via Valentina Sainato of JABberwocky Literary Agency. UK rights went to Kate McHale at Del Rey UK.
JULIA ELLIOTT’s collection Hellions went to Elizabeth DeMeo at Tin House Books via Madeline Ticknor of Janklow & Nesbit.
LYNDSAY ELY’s queer fantasy novel The Lost Reliquary and a second title sold to Nivia Evans at Saga Press via Laura Zats of Headwater Literary Management.
Japanese author HIYOKO KURISU’s fantasy novel The Amberglow Candy Store went to Aranya Jain at Putnam in a pre-empt via Li Kangqin of New River Literary on behalf of Kohei Hattori of the English Agency and Poplar. UK rights went to Michael Joseph.
SARIAH WILSON’s romantasy A Tribute of Fire and two more books sold to Alison Dasho at Montlake via Sarah Younger of Nancy Yost Literary Agency. Lauren Plude will edit.
ALEXIS LAMPLEY will write and illustrate Pride & Prejudice in Space for Mika Kasuga at Union Square & Co.
YUTA TAKAHASHI’s fantasy novel The Curious Kitten at the Chibineko Kitchen, translated by Cat Anderson, and a second book went to John Siciliano at Penguin in a pre-empt via Rebecca Folland of John Murray on behalf of Bruno Onuki Reynell of New River Literary, Kohei Hattori of the English Agency, and Kobunsha.
AURALEE WALLACE sold vampire novel The Late Night Witches and a second book to Mary Baker at Ace via Natalie Lakosil of Looking Glass Literary & Media.
STACEY MCEWAN’s romantasy duology A Forbidden Alchemy sold to Amara Hoshijo at Saga Press via Amy A. Collins of Talcott Notch Literary Services. Australian rights sold to Anthea Bariamis at Simon & Schuster Australia and UK rights to Charlotte Trumble at Simon & Schuster UK.
MATT DINNIMAN sold SF novel Operation: Bounce House in a pre-empt to Jessica Wade at Ace, who also acquired print rights to the self-published books Dungeon Crawler Carl, Carl’s Doomsday Scenario, and The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook, via Seth Fishman of the Gernert Company.
SARAH A. PARKER resold self-published fantasy romance When the Moon Hatched and sold a second book in the Moonfall series to Julia Elliott at Avon in a pre-empt via Caitlin Mahony of William Morris Endeavor. UK rights went to Rachel Winterbottom at Voyager UK at auction via Suzannah Ball of William Morris Endeavor on behalf of Caitlin Mahony.
M.K. DEORADHAN sold three books in the romantasy Trial of Bronze and Blood series to Rhett Bruno at Aethon.
NADIA AFIFI’s SF novel A Rebel’s History of Mars and a second book sold to Don D’Auria at Flame Tree Press via Naomi Davis of BookEnds.
MICHAEL THOMPSON sold All the Perfect Days to Deb Werksman at Sourcebooks via Catherine Drayton of Inkwell Management.
KRISTEN VALE‘s queer fantasy A Tale of Mirth and Magic and another title sold to Leah Hultenschmidt at Forever in a pre-empt via Brent Taylor of TriadaUS Literary Agency.
DANA GRICKEN’s vampire novel Kingdom of V and two more titles sold to Nancy Schumacher at Fire & Ice.
ELAINE U. CHO sold SF novel Teo’s Durumi, sequel to Ocean’s Godori, to Lexy Cassola at Hillman Grad Books via Amy Bishop-Wycisk of Trellis Literary Management,
HWANG JUNGEUN sold magical realist novel One Hundred Shadows, translated by Jung Yewon, to Sarah Guan at Erewhon via Chiara Tognetti of Chiara Tognetti Rights Agency on behalf of Changbi. Viengsamai Fetters will edit.
CJ RIVERA’s SF novel The Final Orchard went to Gemma Creffield at Angry Robot via John Baker of Bell Lomax Moreton Agency.
BARBARA TRUELOVE’s queer paranormal SF novel Of Monsters and Mainframes sold to Jaysen Headley at Bindery Books via Allegra Martschenko at Ladderbird Literary Agency.
PATRICK TARR’s ghost novel The Guest Children went to Janice Zawerbny at Harper Canada via Samantha Haywood of Transatlantic Literary Agency.
MELISSA LANDERS sold fantasy romance The Half King to Transworld UK in a pre-empt, and to Liz Pelletier at Red Tower, via Nicole Resciniti of the Seymour Agency.
TRICIA LEVENSELLER’s adult romantasy Hell Hath No Fury sold to Holly West at Feiwel and Friends for six figures via Rachel Brooks of BookEnds.
YUME KITASEI’s Sisters at Sea sold to Maxine Charles at Flatiron Books via Mary C. Moore at Aevitas Creative Management.
MARIA TUREAUD’s historical horror novel This House Will Feed and a second book went to Elizabeth Trout at Kensington via Amy Giuffrida of Belcastro Agency.
SOPHIE H. MORGAN sold book three in The Witch is Back fantasy romance series to Stephanie Doig at Harlequin via Cole Lanahan of the Seymour Agency.
JOHN PALISANO’s SF horror novel Requiem went to Don D’Auria at Flame Tree Press via Becky LeJeune of Bond Literary Agency.
PAOLA FERRANTE’s collection Her Body Among Animals sold to Gary Budden at Influx Press via Marilyn Biderman and Amanda Orozco of Transatlantic Literary Agency.
KELLY ANN JACOBSON’s The Lies of a Toymaker, a “gender-bent queer retelling” of Pinocchio, went to Peter Carlaftes at Three Rooms Press via Anne Tibbets of Donald Maass Literary Agency. Kat Georges will edit.
VALKYRIE LOUGHCREWE sold Puppet’s Banquet to Matt Blairstone at Tenebrous Press. Alex Woodroe will edit.
MAREN CHASE sold Crueler Mercies to Zoranne Host at Bindery Books.
JOHN HAYDEN HOWARD’s Reawakened World Volume Two: More Vintage Dystopian and Sci-Fi Stories by a Master Storyteller, compiled by Laurie Winslow Sargent, sold to WildBlue Press.
YSABELLE CHEUNG sold speculative collection Please Get Out and Dance to Robin Miura at Blair via Jade Wong-Baxter of Frances Goldin Literary Agency.
B.A. RICHARDS sold fantasy A Happy Beginning to Jessica Shearer at City Owl Press.
V.I. DAVIS sold vampire nov els Josephine’s Tear, Sophie’s Ruin, and Isabelle’s Promise to Kim Ostrom at Primera.
CAITLYN MCFARLAND’s fantasies Songbird and Storm, Dusk and Blood, Rune and Flesh, Briar and Bone, and Lament and Eternity went to Tanya Anne Crosby at Primera.
JENDIA GAMMON sold horror novel Doomflower to Encyclopocalypse Publications.
JO MORGAN SLOAN’s Stableshoes, an LGBT+ take on “Cinderella”, went to Cal Fable at Midnight Meadow.
ANN DÁVILA CARDINAL sold YA horror novel You’ve Awoken Her to Claudia Gabel at HarperTeen via Linda Camacho of Gallt and Zacker Literary Agency. Carolina Ortiz will edit.
CASKEY RUSSELL’s YA novel The Door on the Sea, “a Tlingit answer to Tolkien,” plus two more books sold to Amy Borsuk at Solaris via Lauren Bajek of Liza Dawson Associates.
MIKAYLA BRIDGE’s YA fantasy Of Flame and Fury – “Fourth Wing meets Fast & Furious” – and a second book sold to Cate Augustin at First Ink in the UK in a pre-empt via John Baker of Bell Lomax Moreton Agency. US rights sold to Asia Harden at Farrar, Straus, Giroux Children’s, and Australian rights to Claire Craig at Pan Macmillan Australia.
R.M. GRAY sold YA fantasy Nightweaver and two more books to Alexandra Hightower at Little, Brown Children’s in a pre-empt via Gwen Beal and Peter Steinberg of UTA. UK rights went to Katie Sinfield at Penguin Children’s UK at auction.
MOLLY X. CHANG’s YA Immortal the Blood – “Mulan meets Helen of Troy with vampires” – and two more books sold to Tricia Lin at Random House Children’s via Thao Le of Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency.
MAYA MACGREGOR’s YA fantasy romance All the Stars in the Daylight Sky sold to Susan Dobinick at Astra Young Readers via Sara Megibow of kt literary.
AMY LEA sold romantic fantasy Something Like Fate to Carmen Johnson at Skyscape via Kim Lionetti of BookEnds.
MAR ROMASCO MOORE’s YA horror novel Deadstream, described as “Rear Window meets The Ring for the modern era,” sold to Jenny Bak at Viking Children’s via Jim McCarthy of Dystel, Goderich & Bourret.
DANA MELE sold YA horror novel Veronica and a second book to Annette Pollert-Morgan at Sourcebooks Fire in a pre-empt via Ginger Clark of Ginger Clark Literary.
L.L. MADRID’s feminist YA speculative thriller My Lips, Her Voice sold to Amanda Manns at Creature via Ellen Goff of HG Literary.
LESLIE LUTZ’s YA horror novel Sweetest Darkness went to Mora Couch at Holiday House via Amy Bishop-Wycisk of Dystel, Goderich & Bourret.
ELIAS COLD’s Regency fantasy The Duke Steals Hearts (And Other Body Parts) went to Tamara Grasty at Page Street via Allegra Martschenko of Ladderbird Literary Agency.
HAL SCHRIEVE’s YA vampire novel FAWN’S BLOOD sold to Ruth Weiner at Seven Stories via Sara Megibow of kt literary. Tal Mancini will edit.
E.G. YOUNG sold YA ghost novel A (Dead) Thing Like Me to Kade Dishmon at Holiday House via Linda Camacho of Gallt and Zacker Literary Agency.
ADI DENNER sold historical fantasy The Kiss of the Nightingale and another book to Lynne Missen at Tundra Books via Millie Hoskins of United Agents.
DAKOTA JACKSON’s YA fantasy The Construction of Shadows and four more titles sold to Deep Hearts.
CAMERON SULLIVAN’s debut historical fantasy The Red Winter and a second title went to Ali Fisher at Forge, Sophie Robinson at Tor UK, and Claire Craig at Pan Macmillan Australia in a pre-empt via Christabel McKinley of David Higham Associates.
New writer TONIA LAIRD’s fantasy novel Seventhblade sold to Jennifer Albert at ECW Press via Marilyn Biderman and Amanda Orozco of Transatlantic Literary Agency.
New writer JENNIFER CARROLL LUNDQUIST sold portal fantasy The Stars of Somewhere Else and a second title to Miriam Weinberg at Tor via Adria Goetz of kt literary.
DENISE S. ROBBINS’s debut The Unmapping went to Marines Alvarez at Bindery Books via Annie Romano at Olswanger Literary.
SAMANTHA BANSIL’s debut novel Such Cruel Skies, “a precolonial Filipino epic fantasy,” went to Kevin Norman at Bindery Books via Chelsea Hensley of kt literary.
LINDSAY FRENCH sold three books in the debut Eclipse series to Cassie Hanjian at Podium Publishing via Edward Kim of Fictopia.
First novelist JULIA BIANCO’s contemporary fantasy Broken Coven and a second book went to Alexandra Sehulster at St. Martin’s at auction via Alexandra Machinist of CAA.
KANAN GILL’s debut Acts of God sold to Daniel Ehrenhaft at Blackstone Publishing via Kanishka Gupta of Writer’s Side.
ANNIE SUMMERLEE’s first novel, paranormal romantasy The Book of Blood and Roses, and a second book sold to Rebecca Hilsdon at Michael Joseph in the UK in a pre-empt via Kiya Evans of Mushens Entertainment. US rights sold to Tricia Narwani at Del Rey via Ginger Clark of Ginger Clark Literary on behalf of Evans and Alba Arnau Prado of Mushens Entertainment.
VANESSA SANTOS sold debut horror novel In Your Heart a Devil and collection Make A Home of Me to Harriet Hirshman at Dead Ink Books via Seren Adams of United Agents.
First novelist SOPHIE CLARK sold romantasy Cruel Is the Light and a second title to Melanie Cecka Nolan at Knopf Children’s, to Penguin Children’s UK, and to Random House Australia in a six-figure co-publishing pre-empt via Josh Adams of Adams Literary and Christabel McKinley of David Higham Associates.
KELSEA YU sold gothic horror novella Demon Song to Daniel Carpenter at Titan Books via Jennifer Azantian of Azantian Literary Agency.
CYNTHIA PELAYO resold collection Lotería and novels Children of Chicago and The Shoemaker’s Magician in the Chicago Saga to Mika Kasuga at Union Square & Co. via Lane Heymont of the Tobias Literary Agency.
Sister authors KATHARINE CORR & ELIZABETH CORR resold YA romantasy trilogy The Witch’s Kiss, The Witch’s Tears, and The Witch’s Blood to Mara Anastas at Open Road via Kristina Perez of Perez Literary & Entertainment.
YEONG-GWANG YOU resold fantasy The Rainfall Market to Sareer Khader at Ace in a pre-empt via Sarah Scarlett at Penguin Random House UK.
Film rights to SHANNON MESSENGER’s Keeper of the Lost Cities series were optioned by WarnerBros via Joel Vanderkloot at Vanderkloot Law, Michelle Kroes of CAA, and Laura Rennert of Andrea Brown Literary Agency. Emma Watts will produce, and Messenger is executive producer.
D.G. COMPTON signed a shopping agreement for The Continuous Katherine Mortenhoe with Norman Reedus’s Bigbaldhead film production company, arranged by the Virginia Kidd Agency via Jon Levin
This report and more like it in the June 2024 issue of Locus.
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