Story of ‘bloodthirsty unicorns’ brings debut author record publishing deal

Annabel Steadman’s fantasy series Skandar and the Unicorn Thief has won a seven-figure book contract, with film rights also sold to Sony PicturesA 28-year-old first-time author from Canterbury has landed what is believed to be the world’s largest ever book advance for a debut children’s writer, with a fantasy series about “bloodthirsty unicorns”.Annabel Steadman, writing as AF Steadman, was paid a “major” seven-figure sum by Simon & Schuster this week, following a hotly contested multi-publisher auction for three books in her fantasy adventure series for children, Skandar and the Unicorn Thief. Set in a world where unicorns are deadly, and can only be tamed by the rider who hatches them, the series follows Skandar Smith, who is preparing to become a unicorn rider. When the most powerful unicorn in the world is stolen by a mysterious figure, becoming a rider becomes a lot more complicated than Skandar ancitipated. Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2020-09-16 13:34:54 UTC ]
News tagged with: #debut children #fantasy series #bloodthirsty unicorns #annabel steadman #unicorn thief #film rights #first-time author #simon schuster #debut author

Other Publishing stories related to: 'Story of ‘bloodthirsty unicorns’ brings debut author record publishing deal'

Bringing Tools of the Trade to Self-Publishing

In Publishing Perspectives' Issues on the Ether, Porter Anderson asks #EtherIssue participants to focus on tools needed by entrepreneurial authors. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-02-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |

5th Festival Neue Literatur to Bring German Authors to NYC

The fifth annual Festival Neue Literatur begins in NYC on February 28 with a series of readings and discussions with German-language authors. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-02-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #german-language authors

Two Authors Launch Brown Girls Publishing

Bestselling Simon & Schuster authors Victoria Christopher Murray and ReShonda Tate Billingsley are now teaming up on the business side: the two writers are launching Brown Girls Publishing, a new digital publishing venture that debuts today. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-02-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #business side

Book the Writer service brings authors to book clubs – for a fee

While authors have appeared in person, via Skype or via telephone at book clubs before, Book the Writer has the clubs pay for the author's appearance. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-02-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book clubs

Does digital publishing mean the death of the author? | Richard Lea

We used to know what it took to be a writer – you had to publish a book. But electronic publishing is piling pressure on myths of the author's lifeWhat's the difference between making money out of books and writing books that people want to buy? Turns out it's about 40% – if, that is, you... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-01-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #digital revolution

Byliner Publishes New Elmore Leonard Stories

The two stories were written in 1958 while the late writer was working at a Detroit-based advertising agency. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-12-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #late writer

Independent bookstores and self-published authors are increasingly teaming up

Previously, independent bookstores tended to stay away from marketing self-published authors, but in the age of Amazon, some are embracing local authors no matter how they released their work. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-12-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #independent bookstores #self-published authors

Reddit Draws Readers, Authors, Publishers

For anyone struggling with choosing the perfect literary present this holiday season, there’s a large, vocal, and opinionated group that just might be able to help: the more than one million subscribers to the Books category on Reddit, the popular social media Web site. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-12-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #holiday season #million subscribers #books category

FEP records 2012 publisher revenue decline

Publishers across Europe saw a decline in total revenue in 2012, despite a rise in the number of... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-12-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #total revenue

Pocket Reveals Top Stories, Publishers of 2013

The save-it-for-later software service Pocket has released a list of the "best" content from 2013. Pocket's 10 million users saved more than 450 million items (from articles and videos to memes and gifs) from across the Web this year, and Pocket looked at which were saved most, as well as which... Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2013-12-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |

Amazon's new imprint StoryFront will publish short stories

The new imprint of the online bookseller has already released works by authors including William Lashner and Rebecca Adams Wright. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-12-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #online bookseller

GameStick lands first major publisher deal with Ubisoft

When we reviewed the GameStick Android console, one of our main concerns was how the library of titles on offer would pan out over time. Today, it's just been announced that Ubisoft will be bringing its Prince of Persia franchise to the platform. .. Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2013-12-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #main concerns

Medium brings design and photo improvements to its social publishing platform

Medium is debuting a slew of new look-and-feel tweaks designed to let would-be columnists pretend they're working for a well-designed print publication. The site says that one of its initial goals was to empower writers with "dead simple" tools to ... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2013-12-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |

From Crowdfunding to Author Advances: German Self-Publishing Experimentation

The self-publishing ecosystem in Germany is expanding into more dramatic experimentation, from crowdsourcing to offering author advances. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-11-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |

Will US Publishers Risk Dealing with a Russian Ebook Service?

Bookmate, a Russian ebook subscription service, wants to attract English language publishers to its platform to cater to developing markets. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-11-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #developing markets

Ether for Authors: Can Turning Publishing Into a Competition Pay?

Our weekly round-up of web buzz looks at Italy's RCS Libri / Rizzoli Lab effort in co-publishing; self-publishing in Germany; author contracts; and more. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-11-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #weekly round- #web buzz #author contracts

Ether for Authors: Where Is Publishing’s Jetpack?

A look at a the week's round of web musing on the future of publishing in concept, creative work, and technical production, after Frankfurt Book Fair. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-10-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #creative work

Ether for Authors: Is It Time for Publishing to Call a Truce?

Porter Anderson looks at the Frankfurt Book Fair, at Sprint Beyond the Book and Book Sprints, at pen names, and more in Ether for Authors this week. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-10-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #porter anderson

Frankfurt Book Fair 2013: Debut From Joshua Ferris’s Wife Draws Buzz, Along With Co-Authored Iraq War Novel

Two more books drawing buzz at the fair include a debut novel by Joshua Ferris's wife, and a co-authored book about friendship and the Iraq war. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-10-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #joshua ferris #iraq war