People & Publishing Roundup, July 2024
EUGEN BACON is the 2024 Hedberg Writer-In-Residence at the University of Tasmania in Hobart, Australia, and will spend three months writing, teaching, and “taking part in community conversations.”
TED CHIANG is the winner of the 2024 PEN/Malamud Award for Excellence in the Short Story, which “recognizes writers who have demonstrated exceptional achievement in the short story form.” Chiang will be honored at the annual PEN/Malamud Award Ceremony on December 1, 2024.
DAVID BRIN has received a Caltech Distinguished Alumni Award, the university’s highest honor for its graduates, “for his enduring excellence in storytelling, examining how change, science, and technology affect the human condition in his New York Times-bestselling science fiction novels; for his support of revolutionary ideas in space science and engineering through NASA’s Innovative and Advanced Concepts Program.”
TANANARIVE DUE’s The Reformatory (Saga) won the $7,500 Chautauqua Prize for “a book of fiction or literary/narrative nonfiction that provides a richly rewarding reading experience and honors the author for a significant contribution to the literary arts,” presented by the Chautauqua Institution. Due will be honored during a celebratory event on August 19, 2024 in Chautauqua NY.
MIRCEA CĂRTĂRESCU’s Solenoid won the €100,000 Dublin Literary Award, chosen from a longlist of 70 titles from 35 countries, announced at the International literature festival Dublin on May 23, 2024. Nominees are chosen by librarians, and the winner by a jury.
BEA FITZGERALD’s Girl, Goddess, Queen (Penguin) won the 2024 Romantic Novel Award in the Fantasy Romantic Novel category, presented by the Romantic Novelists’ Association on May 20, 2024 in London.
SUZANNE COLLINS sold Sunrise on the Reaping, the fifth book in the Hunger Games series, to David Levithan at Scholastic via Rosemary Stimola of the Stimola Literary Studio.
JOYCE CAROL OATES sold novel Fox and a story collection to David Ebershoff at Hogarth via Warren Frazier of John Hawkins & Associates.
V.E. SCHWAB sold Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil to Miriam Weinberg at Tor for a reported seven figures via Holly Root of Root Literary.
ANDY WEIR sold his next book to Julian Pavia at Ballantine for seven figures via David Fugate of LaunchBooks Literary Agency; UK rights went to Del Rey UK.
PAT MURPHY sold The Adventures of Mary Darling, “a feminist twist on the tale of Peter Pan” that also features Sherlock Holmes, to Jacob Weisman at Tachyon Publications via Jennifer Weltz of Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency. Jaymee Goh will edit.
ALAN DEAN FOSTER sold SF novel Lost on Paradise to Brendan Deneen at Blackstone Publishing via Vaughne Hansen of the Virginia Kidd Agency.
CHLOE GONG sold Coldwire, first in a near-future YA dystopian trilogy, and two more books to Sarah McCabe at Margaret K. McElderry Books via Laura Crockett of TriadaUS Literary Agency. UK rights sold to Molly Powell at Hodderscape. Film rights went to Steven Salpeter at Assemble Media via Joe Harr of IPG on behalf of Uwe Stender of Triada US.
CLAY MCLEOD CHAPMAN’s collection Acquired Taste went to Daniel Carpenter at Titan Books via Nick McCabe of the Gotham Group.
RAQUEL ABEND sold SF novel Las Mercedes, translated by Lizzie Davis, to Carmen Gimenez and Brittany Torres Rivera at Graywolf via Allison Devereux of Trellis Literary Management.
REBECCA IDE sold queer historical fantasy The Gentleman and His Vowsmith and a second book to Nivia Evans at Saga Press via Julie Crisp at Julie Crisp Literary Agency. UK rights went to Sophie Robinson at Tor UK.
HEATHER FAWCETT sold historical fantasy Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter and two more books to Tricia Narwani at Del Rey via Brianne Johnson of HG Literary. UK rights went to Nadia Saward at Orbit UK via Rachel Clements of Abner Stein on behalf of Alex Reubert and Brianne Johnson of HG Literary.
ED CROCKER’s Lightfall, first in the Everlands trilogy, and two more books sold to Peter Wolverton at St. Martin’s via Helen Edwards of Helen Edwards Rights Agency on behalf of Harry Illingworth at DHH Literary Agency.
A.M. STRICKLAND, writing as ADRIANNE MAY, sold first adult romantasy Exquisite Ruin and sequel Divine Descent to Abby Zidle at Gallery via Hannah Bowman of Liza Dawson Associates.
HAILEY PIPER sold horror novel A Game in Yellow – “’The King in Yellow’ meets Euphoria for adults” – and a second book to Joe Monti at Saga Press via Lane Heymont of the Tobias Literary Agency.
ALEXIS BROOKS DE VITA sold SF novel The Brandeis-Locke Theory to Somto Ihezue at Android.
HARLEY LAROUX’s “sapphic gothic romance” House of Rayne and a second book went to Elizabeth May at Kensington via Bethany Weaver of Weaver Literary Agency.
BREANNE RANDALL’s fantasy Spells, Strings, and Forgotten Things and another book went to Natalie Hallak at Bantam Dell in in a pre-empt via Natalie Lakosil of Looking Glass Literary & Media. UK rights went to Aria.
REMY LAI, writing as CECILIA EDWARD, sold An Ancient Witch’s Guide to Modern Dating to Amara Hoshijo at Saga Press via Jim McCarthy of Dystel, Goderich & Bourret.
ALYSHA RAMEERA sold fantasy romance Her Soul for a Crown and a second book to Jocelyn Travis at Sourcebooks Casablanca via Samantha Fabien of Root Literary.
MELISSA DE LA CRUZ sold Rings of Fate – “The Princess Bride meets The Wheel of Time” – to Liz Pelletier at Red Tower via Richard Abate of 3 Arts Entertainment.
LINDZ MCLEOD’s SF novel We, The Drowning sold to Justine Norton-Kertson at Android; McLeod’s sapphic pirate adventure Queen O’Nine Tails went to Caitlin Marceau at DarkLit; and McLeod will edit the first three volumes in erotic horror anthology series Monster Lovers for Caitlin Marceau at Hedone, all via Laura Zats of Headwater Literary Management.
KEITH ROSSON’s horror novel Coffin Moon sold to Caitlin McKenna at Random House via Chad Luibl of Janklow & Nesbit.
WILL SHINDLER sold fantasy novel The Bone Queen and a second book to Michael Homler at Minotaur via Hayley Steed and Chad Luibl of Janklow & Nesbit.
STACIA STARK’s high fantasy novel We Who Will Die and two more books went to Rebecca Hildson at Michael Joseph via Kimberly Whalen of the Whalen Agency.
LIM SUNWOO sold ghost story collection With the Heart of the Ghost, translated by Chi-Young Kim, to Allison Miriam Woodnutt at Unnamed Press via Marina Penalva of Casanovas & Lynch Agency on behalf of Minumsa Publishing.
PATRICK BARB’s Night of the Witch-Hunter sold to Alan Lastufka at Shortwave.
ERRICK NUNNALLY sold The Queen of Saturn and the Prince in Waiting to Christoph Paul at Clash.
ERICA ROSE EBERHART sold Diminished and Vanquished, sequels to Tarnished, to Jean Lowd at Creative James.
DANIEL LAWRENCE ABRAMS sold SF novel Immortality Bytes to Melissa Miller at Solstice; Paige Etheridge will edit.
ANDREW K. CLARK’s shifter novel Where Dark Things Rise, prequel to Where Dark Things Grow, sold to Cassandra Thompson at Quill & Crow.
DAMIEN CASEY’s erotic horror novel Year of the Fox went to Caitlin Marceau at Hedone.
ASHLEY MICHELE sold horror novel Forgive Me, Father to Caitlin Marceau at Hedone.
JAN PRIDDY’s postapocalyptic novel All the Daughters Sing went to Angela Griffin and Emmily Tomulet at Ooligan Press; Rin Kane and Rebecca Moss will edit.
WENDY DALRYMPLE sold Feed the Tree to Caitlin Marceau at Hedone.
SCOTT LAMBRIDIS’s dark comedy fantasy St. Isabelle’s Dead went to Jaynie Royal at Regal House.
T.J. MARTINSON’s SF novel Her New Eyes sold to Leza Cantoral at Clash.
S.M. HALLOW’s fantasy novel How To Survive This Fairytale sold to Caitlin Marceau at Hedone.
JAMES BLAKEY sold Superstition to Danielle DeVor at City Owl Press.
LESLIE O’SULLIVAN’s fantasy novel A Kingdom of Deceit and Desire sold to Lisa Green at City Owl Press.
T.K. REX’s linked story collection The Wildcraft Drones, with work set in the world of “A Holdout in the Northern California Designated Wildcraft Zone,” sold to Selena Middleton at Stelliform Press.
SCOTT CRAVEN’s vampire novel Upton Arms went to Danielle DeVor at City Owl Press.
JACY MORRIS sold Indigenous eco-horror novel We Like It Cherry to Matt Blairstone at Tenebrous Press. Alex Woodroe will edit.
MARTHA CONWAY’s speculative historical novel We Meet Apart sold to Jaynie Royal at Regal House.
SJ TOWNEND’s horror collection Sick Girl Screams, illustrated by DANIELLA BATSHEVA, went to S.D. Vassallo at Brigids Gate.
JADE PRESLEY’s romantasy The Never List and two more books sold to Liz Pelletier at Red Tower via Beth Davey of Davey Literary & Media.
ABIGAIL KEYES’s historical fantasy series starter Daughter of Sekhmet and two more books sold to Judith Bailey at Thousand Acres.
BEVERLEY LEE & KEITH ANTHONY BAIRD’s vampire novel A Light of Little Radiance, illustrated by DANIELLA BATSHEVA, sold to S.D. Vassallo at Brigids Gate.
TIM RAYBORN sold high fantasy The Forbidden Summoning, plus three more books, in the Dark Renewal series to Judith Bailey at Thousand Acres.
HELEN L. BRADY sold three books in the Rag and Boyd series to Cheryl Morgan at Wizard’s Tower Press.
RAE KNOWLES sold I Can Fix Her to Christoph Paul at Clash.
CAROL WOLF’s romantasy Realm of Night and Savage Island sold to Danielle DeVor at City Owl Press via Laurie McLean of Fuse Literary.
ROSS JEFFERY sold horror novel Metamorphosis to Kristina Osborn at TruBorn Press.
BETSY JAMES sold fantasy Practicing to Be Lightning to Andrew Gifford at Santa Fe Writers Project via Susan Schulman and Emelie Burl of Susan Schulman Literary Agency.
KYLIE LEE BAKER sold I’ll Find You Where the Timeline Ends – “The Umbrella Academy meets K-drama” – to Holly West at Feiwel and Friends at auction via Mary C. Moore of Aevitas Creative Management.
ELLE TESCH sold YA dark fantasy The Hanging Bones to Emily Settle at Feiwel and Friends via Stuti Telidevara and Pete Knapp of Park & Fine Literary and Media.
MINDEE ARNETT sold YA fantasy Sisters of Reap, Daughters of Ruin to Jordan Brown at Harper Children’s via Suzie Townsend of New Leaf Literary & Media.
CALE PLETT sold queer YA novel The Saw Mouth to Alison Romig at Delacorte in a pre-empt via Amy Tompkins of Transatlantic Literary Agency.
MORGAN THOMPSON’s YA fantasy How to Be a Heartbreaker sold to Maya Marlette at Scholastic via Linda Camacho of Gallt and Zacker Literary Agency.
JILL TEW’s YA dystopia An Ocean Apart, prequel to The Dividing Sky, went to Bria Ragin, David Yoon, and Nicola Yoon at Joy Revolution via Jennifer Azantian of Azantian Literary Agency. MELINDA GONG sold YA romantasy This Wretched Dawn to Amanda Chiu Krohn at Keylight via Esty Loveing-Downes of ArtHouse Literary Agency.
KELLI STORM sold a YA “witchy fantasy” Desolate to Tiny Fox Press.
GRACE BYRON’s debut novel Herculine sold to Sareena Kamath at Saga Press via Julia Masnik of Watkins Loomis.
New writer ALEXANDRA KENNINGTON sold Blood Beneath the Snow and a second book in a romantasy duology to Gabrielle Pachon at Ace in a pre-empt via Bethany Hendrix and Nikki Terpilowski of Holloway Literary.
EMILY PAXMAN’s first fantasy crime novel Death on the Caldera went to Rufus Purdy at Titan Books via Penelope Burns of Gelfman Schneider.
New writer LINDSEY BYRD’s queer romantasy debut The Sun Blessed Prince and The Moon Blessed King went to Bella Pagan at Tor UK and Amanda Ferreira at Random House Canada via Maddy Belton of Madeleine Milburn Literary Agency.
ELIZABETH BECKER’s debut fantasy The Moonlight Healers sold to Melanie Fried at Graydon House via Jessica Felleman of Jennifer Lyons Literary Agency.
First novelist EMMA MACDONALD’s queer dark academia fantasy Whispers Most Foul and a second book sold to Shahid Mahmud at Caezik SF & Fantasy via Nina Leon of Perez Literary & Entertainment. UK rights sold to Ruth Atkins at Michael Joseph.
CAROLINE STOWE’s debut holiday fantasy The Christmas Wish sold to Jenny Hale at Harpeth Road Press.
DORI LUMPKIN’s debut horror collection Good Suffering went to Caitlin Marceau at Hedone.
SELMA SOREN’s first novel The Lost Gods of Duat, a YA fantasy, sold to Anum Shafqat at Margaret K. McElderry Books via Chelsea Hensley of kt literary.
PEYTON JUNE’s first YA fantasy novel Bad Creek went to Kristin Allard at Norton Children’s at auction.
JORDAN GRAY’s debut YA paranormal romantasy Bitten and a second book sold to Ruqayyah Daud at Little, Brown Children’s via Gina Maccoby of Gina Maccoby Literary Agency.
S.E. BERKELEY’s debut novel A Game of Fallen Stars went to Jessica Shearer at City Owl Press.
CALEB SIERRA sold horror novella The Wetworks Miracle to Selena Middleton at Stelliform Press.
SHELLEY LAVIGNE’s sapphic horror Enamoured: A Novella in Fragments sold to Caitlin Marceau at Hedone.
BECKY SPRATFORD will edit Why I Love Horror and You Should Too, an anthology of essays with pieces by Tananarive Due, Gabino Iglesias, Stephen Graham Jones, Alma Katsu, Victor LaValle, Cynthia Pelayo, Hailey Piper, Paul Tremblay, and more for Joe Monti at Saga Press via Lane Heymont and Ann Rose of the Tobias Literary Agency.
Z.K. ABRAHAM will edit Silk and Foxglove, “exploring the horror of eco-eroticism from BIPOC authors,” for Caitlin Marceau at Hedone via Carleen Geisler at ArtHouse Literary Agency.
SYLVESTER BARZEY will edit Undead Lovers for Caitlin Marceau at Hedone.
STEPHANIE BURGIS resold Wooing the Witch Queen, first in the Queens of Villainy trilogy, plus two more books to Gillian Green at Tor UK. Bramble is publishing in the US.
ANTONIA HODGSON’s epic fantasy The Raven Scholar and two more books resold to Nivia Evans while she was at Orbit via Rebecca Folland at Hodderscape on behalf of Clare Conville at C&W. Angelica Chong will edit.
MELISSA K. ROEHRICH resold five books in the self-published Lady of Darkness series to Cat Camacho at HQ via Katie Shea Boutillier of Donald Maass Literary Agency.
TONY EVANS resold self-published horror novel A Bad Case of Tinnitus to Kristina Osborn at TruBorn Press.
ALYSSA MCPHERSON has joined Berkley/Ace as an editorial assistant.
MAGGIE CURLEY has joined Orbit as marketing manager, and OLIVER WEHNER as associate publicist.
BETSY AOKI will take over as poetry editor at Uncanny starting with the October/November 2024 issue.
This report and more like it in the June 2024 issue of Locus.
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