People & Publishing Roundup, March 2025
ISABEL ALLENDE won the 2025 Bodley Medal, awarded annually by the Bodleian Libraries at Oxford University to “individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the worlds of books and literature, libraries, media and communications, science and philanthropy,” in a ceremony on February 12, 2025 at the Morgan Library and Museum in New York.
C.J. LAVIGNE won the 2025 Kevin O’Donnell, Jr. Service to SFWA Award, presented to “a volunteer of SFWA who best exemplifies the ideal of service” by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association. Lavigne will be honored at the 60th Nebula Awards Ceremony in Kansas City MO, to be held June 5-9, 2025.
SHARON LEE is the winner of the 2025 Robert A. Heinlein Award, given for “outstanding published works in science fiction and technical writings that inspire the human exploration of space.” Winners receive a certificate plaque, a sterling silver medallion, and two lapel pins, all featuring the likeness of Robert A. Heinlein, to be presented at Balticon in Maryland on May 23, 2025.
FLORE PICARD is the winner of the Speculative Literature Foundation’s 2025 Illustration of the Year. Picard’s artwork will be used on the SLF site, “as well as future SLF newsletters, promo, and other content!” See the artwork here: <speculativeliterature.org/2025/02/24/2025-illustration-of-the-year-winner-flore-picard>.
The late VONDA N. MCINTYRE’s final novel, The Curve of the World, sold to L. Timmel Duchamp at Aqueduct via Jennie Goloboy of the Donald Maass Literary Agency for rights holder Clarion West.
ANDRZEJ SAPKOWSKI sold standalone Witcher novel Crossroads of Ravens, translated by David French, to Tim Holman at Orbit in the US and to Marcus Gipps at Gollancz in the UK for seven figures via Patricia Pasqualini of Patricia Pasqualini Literary Agency.
CHUCK WENDIG sold horror-fantasy duology The Calamities and Chaos Reigns to Tricia Narwani at Del Rey via Stacia Decker of Dunow, Carlson & Lerner.
JOHN WISWELL sold fantasy novel The Dragon Has Some Complaints and a second title to Aranya Jain at DAW via Hannah Bowman of Liza Dawson Associates.
RACHEL HARRISON sold time-loop horror novel Kiss Slay Replay and a second book to Jessica Wade at Berkley via Lucy Carson of Friedrich Agency.
SIMON R. GREEN sold For Better Or Murder and A Cold Night’s Dying, fourth and fifth in the Holy Terrors mystery series, to Rachel Slatter at Severn House via John Berlyne of Zeno Agency on behalf of JABberwocky Literary Agency.
LEXI RYAN sold the gothic romantasy Night Tide trilogy to Julia Elliott at Avon in a pre-empt via Dan Mandel of Sanford J. Greenburger Associates. UK rights went to Natasha Bardon at Voyager UK.
NUZO ONOH sold fantasy novel Futility to Cath Trechman at Titan Books via Bieke van Aggelen of African Literary Agency.
CHAZ BRENCHLEY sold Of the Emperor’s Kindness and Of the City’s Charity to Cheryl Morgan at Wizard’s Tower via John Jarrold.
TEAGAN OLIVIA KING’s horror romantasy Bitterbloom sold to Amanda Chiu Krohn at Keylight via Amy Giuffrida of Belcastro Agency.
JOSH WINNING sold cozy queer fantasy mystery Be Still My Unbeating Heart to Daphne Durham at Putnam via Kristina Pérez of Pérez Literary & Entertainment.
JAY KRISTOFF sold an untitled trilogy – Suicide Squad meets Game of Thrones – plus a standalone fantasy novel to Peter Wolverton at St. Martin’s for seven figures via Josh Adams at Adams Literary. UK rights went to Natasha Bardon at Voyager UK via Caroline Walsh of David Higham Associates on behalf of Adams.
JIMMY JULIANO sold literary horror novel 13 Months Haunted to Lindsey Rose at Dutton via Liz Parker of Verve Talent & Literary.
KATALINA WATT’s Saltswept, “based on Southeast Asian mythology,” and a second book sold to Calah Singleton at Hodderscape via Robbie Guillory of Underline Literary Agency.
ERIN L. MCCOY sold Underlake to Lee Boudreaux at Doubleday, in a pre-empt via Marya Spence of Janklow & Nesbit.
NORIKO OONUMA sold two books in the Midnight Bakery fantasy series to Edie Astley at Harper on behalf of Poplar Publishing.
LEE ONHWA sold fantasy novel The Midnight Pastry Shop Called Hwawoldang to Rachel Kahan at William Morrow at auction via Emily Randle of Randle Editorial & Literary Consultancy on behalf of Eric Yang Agency and Big Fish Books; and to Madeleine Woodfield at Michael Joseph in the UK.
LEXIE AXON sold Viper & Lilies and two more in a romantasy trilogy to Kirsiah Depp at Grand Central via Aurora Fernandez of Trident Media Group.
MÁIRE ROCHE’s humorous fantasy Bromantasy and a second book sold to Ruoxi Chen at Putnam at auction via Claire Friedman of Inkwell Management.
LUKE SMITHERD sold I’ll Quit When I’m Dead to Liv Ryan at Mulholland Books via Kristin Nelson at Nelson Literary Agency
ASHLEY TROPEA sold historical fantasy The Shrouded Queen and a second title to Abby Zidle at Gallery at auction via Jenna Satterthwaite of Storm Literary Agency.
BRIDGET MORRISSEY sold In What World, “a queer contemporary with a speculative element,” plus a second title to Kerry Donovan at Berkley via Taylor Haggerty of Root Literary.
NATHAN TAVARES sold SF romance The Disco at the End of the World to George Sandison at Titan Books via Naomi Davis of BookEnds.
MAURENE GOO sold One & Only, about a matchmaker who can see into clients’ past lives, and a second book to Tara Singh Carlson at Putnam at auction.
KELSEY IMPICCICHE’s fantasy Heart of the Moon went to Marilyn Kretzer at Blackstone Publishing via Mark Gottlieb of Trident Media Group.
CELESTINE MARTIN sold three books in a cozy paranormal series to Madeleine Colavita at Forever via Lauren Bieker of FinePrint Literary Management.
MARC LEVY’s fantasy novel Ghost in Love went to Alexandra Torrealba at Amazon Crossing via Susanna Lea of Susanna Lea Associates.
JENDIA GAMMON’s collection To Wonder and Starshine sold to Christopher Payne at Trepidatio. Scarlett Algee will edit.
JOSEPH ECKERT sold time-travel novel The Traveler to Lindsey Hall at Tor in a pre-empt via Rikki Bergman of William Morris Endeavor. UK rights went to Michael Beale at Tor UK in a pre-empt via Francesca Ali of William Morris Endeavor.
MEGAN CRANE sold postapocalyptic paranormal romance The Reveal and a second title to Selena James at Montlake via Holly Root of Root Literary.
JOHANNA VAN VEEN sold sapphic folk horror novel Saint, Sinner, Skull and two more books to Jenna Jankowski at Sourcebooks via Kristina Pérez of Pérez Literary & Entertainment.
YUDHANJAYA WIJERATNE, writing as VICTOR KONARA, sold humorous fantasy novel A Sorcerer’s Tail and two more titles to Diana M. Pho at Erewhon Books. UK rights went to Michael Beale at Tor UK via Stevie Finegan of Zeno Agency.
KELLY YANG sold The Take and a second book to Jen Monroe at Berkley via Faye Bender of The Book Group. UK rights sold to Hannah Wann at Constable & Robinson via Jenny Meyer of Jenny Meyer Literary Agency.
A.K. MULFORD sold Dreamslayer and two more books in a dark sapphic fantasy trilogy to David Pomerico at Voyager via Jessica Watterson of Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency.
EHIGBOR OKOSUN’s romantasy Greater than the Sea and another title went to David Pomerico at Voyager and Elizabeth Vaziri at Voyager UK via Jessica Regel of Helm Literary.
SHEN TAO’s fantasy The Poet Empress and another book went to Monique Patterson at Bramble for seven figures at auction via Jennifer Azantian of Azantian Literary Agency. UK rights went to Brendan Durkin at Gollancz at auction via Azantian.
KENNETH JOHNSON sold The Face in the Mirror to Richard Chizmar at Cemetery Dance via Italia Gandolfo of Gandolfo Helin and Fountain Literary Management.
MAXIE DARA sold the third and fourth books in the cozy paranormal S.C.Y.T.H.E. series to Tracy Bernstein at Berkley via Melissa Edwards of Stonesong.
RACHEL SCHNEIDER resold self-published romantasy Metal Slinger and sold two more books to Sara Goodman at Saturday Books for seven figures at auction via Emily Forney of BookEnds. UK rights sold to Millie Prestidge at Gollancz at auction.
LAUREN BLACKWOOD sold fantasy romance The Queen’s Bodyguard and a second title to Mae Martinez at Bantam Dell via Samantha Fabien and Holly Root of Root Literary.
JORDAN LYNDE resold self-published romantasy Until the World Falls Down and sold two more books to Priyanka Krishnan at Avon via Emily Forney of BookEnds. UK rights went to Kate Byrne at HQ.
SARAH GLENN MARSH sold romantasy We Could Be (Anti)Heroes, – “gay Lord of the Rings” – to Melissa Rechter at Alcove Press via Katelyn Detweiler of Jill Grinberg Literary Management.
HANNAH MATHEWSON’s fantasy The Age of Blood and Magic, “in the vein of a fantastical Succession,” sold to Natasha Bardon at Voyager UK via Zoë Plant at The Bent Agency. US rights went to Julia Elliott at William Morrow in a pre-empt via Jenny Bent of The Bent Agency on behalf of Plant.
T.C. KRAVEN sold Of Prophecies & Pomegranates, first in the Dark Fates series; vampire novel Blood & Bedlam; and shifter romance Mists & Moonlight in the NOLA After Dark series, all to Toni Kirkpatrick at Diversion Books via Amy A. Collins of Talcott Notch Literary Services.
AVA MORGYN sold horror novel Only Spell Deep to Vicki Lame at St. Martin’s via Thao Le of Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency.
WESLEY KING sold supernatural detective novel Wolf Season and another title to Sarah Grill at Emily Bestler Books via Joelle Hobeika and Kat Jagai of Alloy Entertainment on behalf of Brianne Johnson of HG Literary.
KALI FAJARDO-ANSTINE sold SF novel Mountains South and a second book to Nicole Counts at One World via Julia Masnik of Watkins Loomis.
EVELYN SKYE’s literary fantasies The Incredible Kindness of Paper and Ideal Life sold to Lara Jones at Emily Bestler Books at auction via Thao Le of Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency.
MARVELLOUS MICHAEL ANSON sold epic fantasy trilogy Firstborn of the Sun to Rebecca Hilsdon at Michael Joseph for six figures in a pre-empt via Kesia Lupo while at The Bindery.
M.E. BOOTHBY’s “speculative ecological epic” Entanglements for Hopeless Planets went to Lara Hinchberger at Penguin Canada via Cody Caetano of CookeMcDermid.
MATTHEW GASDA sold SF novel Stranger Beauty to Stephan Zguta at Arcade via Michael Mungiello of Inkwell Management.
SHANNON SANDERS sold ghost novel The Great Wherever to Emily Griffin at Holt in a pre-empt via Reiko Davis of DeFiore and Company. UK rights sold to Poppy Hampson at Viking UK at auction via Michael Dean of Andrew Nurnberg Associates.
LUKE LARKIN’s House of Hands, “an atmospheric Western with a paranormal twist,” plus a second book sold to Chelsea Cutchens at Hyperion Avenue at auction via Eloy Bleifuss of Neon Literary.
GWENDOLYN WOMACK sold SF romance Lady of the Labyrinth to Elizabeth Agyemang at 47North via Alec Shane of Writers House.
EMILY JANE sold novel American Werewolves and two more books to Adam Wilson at Hyperion Avenue via Holly Root of Root Literary.
IVY GRIMES sold coming-of-age folk horror novel The Cellar Under the Cellar to Marissa van Uden at Violet Lichen.
MEG DONOHUE sold fantasy novel The Memory Gardener to Carrie Feron at Gallery at auction via Elisabeth Weed of The Book Group.
DANA GRICKEN’s SF novel Coming of Age, first in the Astrid trilogy, went to Jane Bonander at Satin Romance.
C.J. BURRIGHT sold fantasy novel Druid Cursed to Lydia Sharp at Amara via Brittany Booker Carter of Booker Albert Agency.
LEE MAYES sold The Kings of Yellow Street – described as “Lovecraft’s Addams family” – to In Churl Yo at Castle Bridge Media. Jason Henderson will edit.
LEILA SIDDIQUI sold The Glowing Hours, “a gothic retelling” of Mary & Percy Shelley’s summer with Lord Byron, to Nick Whitney at Soho Press at auction via Lane Clarke of Ultra Literary.
ISABELLE TAYLOR resold self-published cozy fantasy romance Accidentally Wedded to a Werewolf and sold three more books to Stephanie Doig at Harlequin.
JEFF WHEELER sold a fantasy series which includes titles Queen Mother, Tyrant Queen, and Dark Queen to Tanya Anne Crosby at Primera.
CHRISTOPHER MCGINLEY’s “gothic historical horror-thriller” Hail Holy Queens went to Lee Matthew Goldberg and Zoe Quinton at Fringe.
BRIAN ALLEN CARR sold horror novels South of the Dogs and Motherfucking Sharks to Christoph Paul at Clash via Michael Mungiello of Inkwell Management.
SARATOGA SCHAEFER sold horror novel Traditional Wife to Rebecca Nelson at Crooked Lane via Amy Giuffrida of Belcastro Agency.
NIKKI R. LEIGH’s Tracking Death – Final Destination meets Sinister – went to Alan Lastufka at Shortwave.
ERIC T. EICHINGER sold horror novel Blood of the Mazzaroth to In Churl Yo at Castle Bridge Media. Jason Henderson will edit.
MIA V. MOSS sold The Heresy of Thieves and two more in the Spellfall series to Rob Carroll at Dark Matter Ink.
SHELDON HIGDON sold Dark Roots to Christopher Payne at JournalStone. Scarlett Algee will edit.
DARBY MCDEVITT’s SF noir novel This Little World and a second book went to Toni Kirkpatrick at Diversion Books via Charles Serabian of Global Lion Intellectual Property Management.
H.R. BOLDWOOD sold paranormal novels Corpse Whisperer Rising, Corpse Whisperer Magick, Corpse Whisperer The Affliction, and Corpse Whisperer Grave Undertaking, and “modern-day noir” novels Going All-In, Dead or Alive, Sweet Promises, and Sin City Blues to Kim Ostrom at Primera.
DAKOTA JACKSON sold The Curse of Aldebaran, second in the Construction of Shadows series, to Dreamsphere.
MATHIAS G.B. COLWELL sold fantasy A Gathering of Angels to Nancy Schumacher at Satin Romance. Jane Bonander will edit.
MARY SHOTWELL’s SF novel The Romance Loop sold to Tee Tate at City Owl Press via Dani Sanchez of SBR Media.
ROSHANI CHOKSHI sold YA novel The Swan’s Daughter: A Possibly Doomed Love Story to Eileen Rothschild at Wednesday Books via Thao Le of Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency. Chokshi is now represented by Jordan Hill of New Leaf Literary and Media.
KELLY ANDREW sold supernatural YA novel The Gravewood and book two in the duology to Mallory Kass at Scholastic for six figures via Josh Adams of Adams Literary.
KATE FRANCIS sold YA horror novel Every Last Liar to Annie Berger at Sourcebooks Fire via Ludo Cinelli of Eve White Literary Agency.
TESSONJA ODETTE sold the A Song for the Sinless trilogy – The Lies that Summon the Night, The Words that Weave the Dark, and The Blade that Devours the Light – to Alicia Clancy at Delacorte Press via Kimberly Whalen at The Whalen Agency. UK rights sold to Kelly Smith at Zaffre in a six-figure pre-empt via Whalen.
DANA GRICKEN’s YA fantasy Wandersky went to Stacey Adderley at Evernight Teen.
ANDREA L. ROGERS’s YA vampire romantasy 13 Moons sold to Tiffany Colon at Scholastic via Emily Sylvan Kim of Prospect Agency.
KRISTIN O’DONNELL TUBB sold YA novel The Spiritualists to Nicole Ellul at Simon & Schuster Children’s via Josh Adams of Adams Literary.
J.A. MORGENSTEIN sold YA adventure The League of Dangerous Young Ladies, about Professor Moriarty’s daughter fighting vampires and demons, and a second title to Ben Rosenthal at Sourcebooks Fire via Gemma Cooper while at The Bent Agency.
RACHAEL KING sold YA folk horror novel Song of the Saltings and middle-grade fantasy The Grimmelings to Karen Wojtyla at Margaret K. McElderry Books via Gaia Banks of Sheil Land Associates. UK rights went to Guppy, and Australia and New Zealand rights to Allen & Unwin.
ELIZABETH HART sold YA fantasy thriller Red as Royal Blood to Erica Sussman at Harper Children’s via Viana Siniscalchi and Lanie Davis of Alloy Entertainment on behalf of Pam Gruber of High Line Literary Collective.
CLARE EDGE sold “horror-tinged speculative thriller” YA Natural Selection and a second book to Krista Marino at Delacorte via Jennifer Azantian of Azantian Literary Agency. UK rights sold to Alexandra Antscherl at Bloomsbury UK at auction via Kiya Evans of Mushens Entertainment.
KENDALL KULPER’s YA SF novel A Time Traveler’s History of Tomorrow sold to Sally Morgridge at Holiday House via Sara Crowe of Sara Crowe Literary.
TRANG THANH TRAN’s YA horror novel The Summoning of Tess Pham went to Mary Kate Castellani at Bloomsbury Children’s via Katelyn Detweiler of Jill Grinberg Literary Management.
AMBER CHEN’s YA fantasy An Auction of Souls and another book went to Kelsey Murphy at Viking Children’s via Laura Crockett of TriadaUS Literary Agency.
DEMRI REDMON sold The Legacy of Poe YA duology and (in a separate deal) horror novel The Curse of Waverly Hills to Staci Troilo at Rogue River via by Caroline Trussell at Metamorphosis Literary Agency.
APRIL MARCOM’s YA fantasy romance Fairytale Demented went to Jane Bonander at Satin Romance.
MELODY ROBINETTE’s first novel These Vile Hearts and book two in the duology went to Daphne Durham at Putnam in a pre-empt via Pete Knapp and Stuti Telidevara of Park, Fine & Brower Literary Management.
NATALIE ADLER’s first novel, ghost story Waiting on a Friend, went to David Ebershoff at Hogarth at auction via Julie Barer of The Book Group.
TAMIKA THOMPSON’s debut The Curse of Hester Gardens and another book sold to Diana M. Pho at Erewhon Books via Rebecca Podos of The Rees Agency.
First novelist C.C. FOSTER sold fantasy What Lies Between and another book to Shannon Plackis at Voyager at auction via Alex Brown of Mad Woman Literary Agency.
RACHEL CALNEK-SUGIN’s debut novel Universe of Grace went to Andy Tan-Delli Cicchi at Holt at auction via Rayhane Sanders of Massie McQuilkin & Altman.
SAMANTHA JOSEPHS sold first novel Carrying to Ruoxi Chen at Putnam at auction via Dan Milaschewski and Ethan Schlatter of UTA.
Debut novelist SHAILEE THOMPSON sold horror romance How to Kill a Guy in 10 Dates and a second book to Molly Gregory at Gallery in a pre-empt via Hana El Niwairi of CookeMcDermid.
CHRIS VANJONACK sold literary horror debut Still Dead and speculative story collection Out of Body to Nate Lanman at William Morrow in a pre-empt via Ian Bonaparte of Janklow & Nesbit.
MACKENZIE REED’s debut novel I Hope This Email Finds You in Hell and a second title sold to Jen Monroe at Berkley at auction via Amy Bishop-Wycisk of Trellis Literary Management. UK rights sold to Sophie Keefe at Headline Eternal at auction via Allison Malecha of Trellis Literary Management.
LEXIE SHARABIANLOU’s debut sapphic paranormal romance novel The Blue Moon Cafe and 24-Hour Occult Emporium and a second title went to Alicia Clancy at Bantam Dell via Jessica Faust of BookEnds.
First novelist ELIANA RAMAGE sold To the Moon and Back to Margo Shickmanter at Avid Reader Press at auction via Meredith Kaffel Simonoff of The Gernert Company. UK rights went to Bobby Mostyn-Owen at Doubleday UK at auction via Caspian Dennis of Abner Stein on behalf of Meredith Kaffel Simonoff, and Canadian rights to Katherena Vermette at Simon & Schuster Canada.
JESSE ARAGON’s debut SF novel The Demon Star and a second book sold to Aranya Jain at DAW in a pre-empt via John Baker and Julie Gourinchas of Bell Lomax Moreton Agency.
REBECCA LEHMANN’s historical horror debut novel The Beheading Game went to Amy Einhorn at Crown in a pre-empt via Renee Zuckerbrot of Massie & McQuilkin.
AMY ARCHER’s first novel Nemesis Mine, a queer fantasy rom-com, sold to Julia Elliott at Voyager in a pre-empt via Rebecca Wearmouth of PFD on behalf of Lucy Irvine. UK rights went to Elizabeth Vaziri at Magpie at auction.
Debut author ISABELA LIVINO sold gothic horror novel Shadows Falsely Seen to Cassidy Sachs at Dutton in a pre-empt via Caitlin Mahony of William Morris Endeavor. UK rights went to Millie Prestidge and Bethan Morgan at Gollancz via Suzannah Ball of William Morris Endeavor.
Debut author RYAN BURRUSS sold horror novel American Crow to Harry Kirchner at Counterpoint via Arielle Datz of Dunow, Carlson & Lerner.
SADIE TURNER’s debut YA fantasy duology Tidespeaker sold to Lydia Gregovic at Delacorte at auction via Stuti Telidevara and Pete Knapp of Park, Fine & Brower Literary Management on behalf of Marina de Pass of the Soho Agency. UK rights went to Katie Jennings at Oneworld via de Pass.
MEG ELISON sold satirical novella Foundling Fathers, “about young clones of Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, George Washington, and Benjamin Franklin, created by a right-wing cabal and raised in isolation,” to Jacob Weisman at Tachyon Publications via Arley Sorg of kt literary. Rick Klaw to edit.
JUSTINE NORTON-KERTSON sold horror novella Gutterspace to Jendia Gammon & Gareth L. Powell at Stars and Sabers Publishing.
JONATHAN STRAHAN will edit Revolution in the Heart, with stories inspired by the works of Ursula K. Le Guin, for Cath Trechman at Titan Books via Howard Morhaim of Howard Morhaim Literary Agency.
CHUCK PALAHNIUK & MICHAEL BAILEY will edit holiday horror anthology Silent Nightmares, with stories inspired by “A Christmas Carol” by CHARLES DICKENS, for Caroline Tew at Saga Press via Lane Heymont of The Tobias Literary Agency.
EUGEN BACON, CHERYL NTUMY, and STEPHEN EMBLETON will edit two volumes of Sauúti Terrors: The Dark Side, set in the Afrocentric Sauútiverse shared world, with illustrations by Embleton, for Nick Wells at Flame Tree Press via Bieke van Aggelen of African Literary Agency.
SHANNON MARZELLA’s poetry collection The Uterus Is an Impossible Forest sold to Jennifer Barnes at Raw Dog Screaming Press. Stephanie Wytovich will edit.
FALENCIA JEAN-FRANCOIS resold Devil of the Deep to Michael LaBorn at Bindery Books.
This report and more like it in the March 2025 issue of Locus.
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