After she was dropped by her agent, Alex Aster turned to a books-obsessed corner of TikTok to gauge interest in her YA novel … and now Lightlark is one of the most eagerly anticipated releases of the yearHaving finally published her first novel, Alex Aster was feeling disheartened. The book had tanked during the pandemic and she had been dropped by her literary agent. Then, on 13 March 2021, she decided to take to TikTok, asking her followers if they would: “read a book about a cursed island that only appears once every 100 years to host a game that gives the six rulers of the realm a chance to break their curses.” One of the rulers must die, the short video revealed, “even as love complicates everything” for the heroine, Isla Crown.Aster didn’t expect much, especially when she checked in a few hours later to see that her post had only clocked up about 1,000 views. Maybe the books world was right, she thought. Maybe there wasn’t a market for Lightlark, a young adult story she had been writing and rewriting for years, to no interest from publishers. The next day, however, she woke up to see her video had been viewed more than a million times. A week later, Lightlark had gone to auction and she had a six-figure deal with Amulet Books. Last month, Universal preemptively bought the film rights for, in her words, “more zeros than I’ve seen in my life”. Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'
[ The Guardian | 2022-08-16 13:32:30 UTC ]
YA fantasy author Taran Matharu has signed a four-book, six-figure deal with his publisher, Hodder Children’s Books. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-10-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Debut novel Swan Song by Kelleigh Greenberg-Jephcott has been acquired by Hutchinson in a six-figure pre-empt. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-10-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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HQ has acquired two books by Melissa Hill, author of 13 novels including The Charm Bracelet, Something From Tiffany's and Before I Forget, for six-figures. Hill's previous books were published by Hodder. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-09-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman have optioned the film rights to Liane Moriarty's novel Truly Madly Guilty (Michael Joseph). Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-08-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Sphere Fiction has acquired two psychological thrillers from debut author Laura Marshall in a six-figure pre-empt. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-08-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Orion Fiction’s senior commissioning editor Jemima Forrester is moving to David Higham Associates to become a literary agent. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-07-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Former Orion editor Julia Silk is forging a new career path as a literary agent in association with MBA Literary Agents. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-06-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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One literary agent's story at this fourth iteration of the international conference was about selling 2,000 English-language titles into the Chinese market. Going the other direction? Not so easy. The post Illustrations, Design, and Above All Stories: China’s StoryDrive Asia 2016, Part 2... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2016-06-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The books community that my site joined was driven by enthusiasm not clicks, goodwill and not money – and that culture has goneI miss the internet. I know that, technically, the internet still exists. It’s the Facebook-, Twitter-filtered series of algorithms designed to put cat videos, think... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2016-05-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A discussion on Wednesday between two publishers, a literary agent, and the executive director of the Authors Guild floated the possibility of a single royalty rate across book formats. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-05-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Chronicle Books has paid a six-figure advance for a picture book by debut author and illustrator Brendan Wenzel, following an eight-publisher auction. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-04-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Borough Press is to publish the second novel by Joanna Cannon, author of bestselling The Trouble with Goats and Sheep, after acquiring rights in a six-figure deal. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-03-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Dissident tales from pseudonymous author Bandi, still living in the country, are very rare fiction to emerge from the secretive dictatorshipA collection of short stories written under a pseudonym and smuggled out of North Korea is on its way to becoming an international literary sensation, with... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2016-02-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Kalem Literary Agency remembers legendary Spanish literary agent Carmel Balcells and her contributions to international authors, writing and agenting. The post On Carmen Balcells: Remembering the Role of a Literary Agent appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2016-01-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Omaira Rodríguez is Uruguay's only literary agent, tasked with selling rights abroad and increasing the international awareness of authors from her country. The post Omaira Rodríguez is Uruguay’s Lone Literary Agent appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-12-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Clark, a literary agent at Curtis Brown Ltd. and speaker at PW’s upcoming Global Kids Connect Summit, talked us about what U.S. children's titles seem to be working well abroad right now, and the biggest mistakes publishers make in their approach to their foreign rights business. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-11-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Pushkin Press has sold US rights for The Red Abbey Chronicles by Finnish author Maria Turtschaninoff to Abrams Books in a six-figure deal. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2015-11-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Curtis Brown and Conville and Walsh are to host a Twitter based event dedicated to "de-mystifying" the publishing process for prospective authors, called Discovery Day Online. Following the literary agencies’ Discovery Days in 2012 and 2013, held at Foyles Charing Cross Road, Discovery Day... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2015-10-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Describe your role It’s my job to support the authors I represent through the whole publishing process. This includes everything from working with them editorially and pitching their work to editors, to negotiating contracts on their behalf. What do you like best about your role? As a brand... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2015-10-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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