‘More zeros than I’ve seen in my life’: the author who got a six-figure deal via ‘BookTok’

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 ]
News tagged with: #literary agent #six-figure deal #books world #million times #film rights #ya novel

Other Publishing stories related to: '‘More zeros than I’ve seen in my life’: the author who got a six-figure deal via ‘BookTok’'

Transworld in six-figure deal for Wild

Transworld has bought five books by Meredith Wild, who was originally self-published, in a “significant six-figure deal”. Editorial director Harriet Bourton acquired British Commonwealth rights to all five books in the Hacker series from Grand Central Publishing in the US. The first four books... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-04-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #six-figure deal #originally self-published

Self-published star Jasinda Wilder lands seven-figure deal with traditional imprint

After selling more than 2m ebooks under her own steam, the DIY star has now sold ‘dark, sexy’ Madame X trilogy to Berkley BooksRomance novelist Jasinda Wilder has become the latest self-published writer to land a major deal with a mainstream publisher, after her “dark, sexy” Madame X trilogy was... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-04-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #2m ebooks #major deal

Is self-publishing a good idea? I can’t get a deal for the novel I’ve written

I’m worried it will cost too much and don’t know what cover price to chargeEvery week a Guardian Money reader submits a question, and it’s up to you to help him or her out – a selection of the best answers will appear in next Saturday’s paper.This week’s question Continue reading... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-01-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #good idea #ve written #cover price

Moonves: Amazon Deal Better for S&S, Authors

In a presentation to analysts on December 9, at the UBS Media Conference, CBS CEO Leslie Moonves said Simon & Schuster’s new sales agreement with Amazon is better for both S&S, and authors. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-12-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #amazon deal #simon schuster #sales agreement

Yellow Kite signs Whole30 title in six-figure deal

Hodder imprint Yellow Kite has acquired a book about The Whole30 programme. Publisher Liz Gough bought UK and Commonwealth rights to The Whole30: The 30-day Food Programme to Transform Your Health and Your Life by Melissa Hartwig and Dallas Hartwig. Gough pre-empted rights in a six-figure deal... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-12-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #six-figure deal #dallas hartwig

Big Rights Deals for Barcelona Author’s Debut Novel

The 26 rights deals for Milena Busquets' short debut novel have raised eyebrows — but looking at the author's passion and personal history, it makes sense The post Big Rights Deals for Barcelona Author’s Debut Novel appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-12-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #personal history #makes sense

Chu re-signs with Angry Robot in six-figure deal

Angry Robot has signed a six-figure deal for three more novels by Wesley Chu. The deal is the biggest that the sci-fi publisher has done. World English rights to the the new series, beginning with The Rise of Io, were signed from agent Russell Galen, Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-11-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #six-figure deal #angry robot

HC signs O'Porter in six-figure deal for adult novels

HarperCollins has signed a six-figure deal for two novels by TV presenter Dawn O'Porter. Commercial women's fiction director Kimberley Young signed a deal for world rights in all languages with Adrian Sington at Sington & Co Ltd. The books will be O'Porter's first adult novels. She has... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-10-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #six-figure deal #adult novels #hc signs #commercial women #world rights

Howard Books Signs 'Shack' Author to New Deal

Howard Books, the Christian imprint of Simon & Schuster, will publish two new books by William Paul Young, author of the bestseller 'The Shack.' Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-10-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #howard books #simon schuster

Tor signs Lam in six-figure deal

Tor UK’s Julie Crisp has pre-empted World English Language rights for a new novel called... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-07-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #six-figure deal #tor uk #julie crisp

Young adult books: 'The Secret Life of Walter Mitty' author James Thurber picks the best YA titles

Beyond John Green and Veronica Roth: James Thurber compiled his own list of books that he thought young adults might enjoy, and his picks still hold up today. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-07-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #secret life #ya titles #john green #veronica roth

Kobo Writing Life Now Carries 250,000 titles by 30,000 Authors

Two years after its launch, Kobo Writing Life (KWL), ebook retailer Kobo’s self-publishing channel, carries more than 250,000 self-published digital titles by over 30,000 authors who publish regularly through KWL. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-06-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |

Authors on the Air Friday June 13, 2014: Rick Rinehart and Ron Deal

Taylor Trade’s editorial director, Rick Rinehart, will appear on "Weekend Edition Sunday" on Sunday, June 15, to discuss his grandmother, the mystery author Mary Roberts Rinehart. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-06-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |

One Direction fanfic author inks worldwide book deal

Following the success of Anna Todd's After series, the wildly popular stories starring the boy band will be published at the end of the year Is fan fiction something to be feared? And where did it all begin?Simon & Schuster have inked a deal for worldwide rights to One Direction fanfic.... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-06-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #simon schuster #worldwide rights #wildly popular #jane austen

Choc Lit deal for self-published author

Choc Lit has bought world rights in self-published author Kirsty Ferry’s adult fantasy The... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-12-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #self-published author #choc lit

Six-figure deal for 900-page first novel

Garth Risk Hallberg's City on Fire described by publisher as 'best American novel I've ever read'Fresh from selling film rights to Scott Rudin and signing a $2m publishing deal in the US, the novelist Garth Risk Hallberg has struck a "substantial" six-figure deal with Jonathan Cape in the UK for... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2013-11-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #matthew thomas #editor called #fine tuning

Pan Macmillan deal for self-published author

Pan Macmillan has acquired five self-published and two unpublished novels by bestselling ebook... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-11-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #self-published author #pan macmillan #unpublished novels #bestselling ebook

5 Tips for Self-published Authors to Maximize Rights and Licensing Deals

Hannah Sheppard, creative director at IPR License, reminds self-publishers that getting the basics right are key when pursuing international rights deals. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-04-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #self-published authors #licensing deals #hannah sheppard #creative director #ipr license