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 ]
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... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2022-08-16 13:32:30 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Richard Charkin offers 'a heartfelt apology,' writing that he now finds literary agents 'trusted go-betweens and understanding partners.' The post Richard Charkin: Dear Literary Agent appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2022-08-10 17:00:17 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Allow a budget of £4,000 to do-it-yourself, from the editing and design through to marketing“A top-of-her-game literary agent tells us she receives about 3,000 submissions a year,” says Joe Sedgwick, the head of writing services at The Literary Consultancy. “Of those, she requests to see the... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2022-08-09 06:00:19 UTC ]
More news stories like this
In 2008, after 13 years together, my literary agent and I parted ways. (To preserve her anonymity, let’s call her Michael Ovitz.) Between 1995 and 2002, Michael Ovitz sold two of my novels, including my debut, Hunger Point. By any measure, our partnership was a terrific success. Michael Ovitz... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2022-08-05 08:53:09 UTC ]
More news stories like this
In a changing of the guard, the Association of American Literary Agents has named a new director, with Jennifer Weltz stepping into a role that Gail Hochman had occupied for 20 years. With the move, the Jean V Naggar Literary agent becomes the next president of the board of the professional... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-07-26 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Lio Min's 'Beating Heart Baby' follows two boys who meet online and ultimately grapples with the joys and perils of making public art. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2022-07-25 13:00:45 UTC ]
More news stories like this
The first time I read a book about a person who even minorly resembled me, I was 19 and teaching at a creative writing summer camp. My coworker Sophie Lee’s YA novel What Things Mean tells the story of a young Filipina girl named Olive who uses reading to cope with feelings of loneliness and... Continue reading at Electric Literature
[ Electric Literature | 2022-05-06 11:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
The MSNBC counter-terrorism expert and former US navy servicemember discusses his decision to take up arms in UkraineMalcolm Nance, MSNBC’S former military and counter-terrorism expert, is always fighting someone.As a personal and professional acquaintance of Nance, I wasn’t the least bit... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2022-04-29 10:00:38 UTC ]
More news stories like this
As Friday's opening of the 2022 in-person Festival du Livre de Paris approaches, Catherine Nabokov talks about nurturing 14 writers' work. The post France’s Catherine Nabokov: An Editor in Business as a Literary Agent appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2022-04-20 20:27:46 UTC ]
More news stories like this
The Barcelona-based literary agent Karolina Jaszecka heads for Bologna with a specialty in Polish literature for young readers. (Sponsored) The post Children’s Books Edition: Agent Karolina Jaszecka’s Outlook for Bologna appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2022-03-11 13:30:36 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Bloomsbury has acquired Peasants, the "extraordinary" non-fiction work by Dr Maryam Aslany, securing the debut in a hotly contested auction for a six-figure sum. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2022-01-31 15:25:14 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Charlotte Seymour has left Andrew Nurnberg Associates to join Johnson & Alcock as a literary agent, as part of a strategic expansion of the agency. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2022-01-05 09:36:50 UTC ]
More news stories like this
For decades, I sat in meetings with all-white teams. The industry needs an independent body to advise on equalityI’m a literary agent and at the height of last year’s Black Lives Matter protests I was sent a list, with accompanying photographs, of the top editors working across the major... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2022-01-01 10:00:46 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Over the course of her more than 20 years as a literary agent, Tanya McKinnon, founder of McKinnon Literary, has fought the good fight for the books and words of a long list of talented Black authors. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-12-17 05:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Adam Strange has joined Gleam Futures as head of publishing while Oscar Janson-Smith has been appointed as literary agent. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2021-12-15 14:45:09 UTC ]
More news stories like this
An author whose YA novel is getting banned across the country responds to the outrage. Continue reading at Slate
[ Slate | 2021-12-13 20:06:19 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Little, Brown imprint Atom has netted the debut YA novel from crime writer and Guardian critic Laura Wilson, writing under the name Jamie Costello. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2021-12-08 11:37:41 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Penguin Random House Children’s has scooped Baby Love, Jacqueline Wilson's "moving" YA novel about teen pregnancy, family trouble and unlikely friendships. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2021-11-18 08:07:12 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Propagate Content has bagged the film rights for Avni Doshi's Booker Prize-shortlisted novel Burnt Sugar (Hamish Hamilton). Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2021-11-06 05:42:15 UTC ]
More news stories like this
The Good Literary Agency (TGLA) has promoted Gyamfia Osei to junior literary agent to build a commercial and upmarket fiction list alongside one for non-fiction authors. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2021-11-02 05:38:45 UTC ]
More news stories like this