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'


Laurie Kellogg: Portrait of a Self-Published Romance Writer

Laurie Kellogg has self-published nine romance novels since February 2012 and says she's making more money and having more fun than ever before in her life. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-07-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #romance novels


Apple’s $450M ebooks settlement deal questioned by judge

The judge presiding over the antitrust case involving Apple Inc.’s $450 million offer to settle an ebook price-fixing lawsuit is said some provisions of the deal could reduce consumers' recovery, Reuters reported. U.S. District Judge Denise Cote said Thursday during a teleconference that she is... Continue reading at Silicon Valley Business Journal

[ Silicon Valley Business Journal | 2014-07-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #reuters reported


Nerd Machine Brings Nerd HQ to San Diego

Not all the action in San Diego is taking place in the city's convention center. Just a short walk away at Petco Park, Nerd Machine is hosting Nerd HQ, a free extravaganza that's also a hotbed for experiential marketing. Though the organization works in partnership with San Diego Comic Con, it... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2014-07-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #raising money #foreseeable future #comic con


Dublin-set debut for Bloomsbury

Bloomsbury Publishing has acquired Irish writer Rob Doyle’s debut novel Here Are the Young... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-07-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #bloomsbury publishing


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


The Personal Touch It’s not only sales that publishers look for in a distributor

While publisher Roger Jänecke of Visible Ink says that the “first thing is sales and the second thing is sales” when considering distributors, it’s clear from speaking with him and other independent presses that the connection between a publisher and its distributor isn’t just a business... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-07-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #independent presses #personal relationship


Comixology now offers DRM-free comic backups, but only from select publishers

When Amazon purchased Comixology, it was a herald of change: iOS users lost the ability to purchase comics in-app, Android users were gifted with a new purchasing system and, now,the digital book seller is going DRM-free. Sort of. Comixology CEO... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2014-07-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #select publishers #android users


Authors on the Air July 25, 2014: Stanley B. Prusiner

Stanley B. Prusiner, MD, author of “Madness and Memory: The Discovery of Prions—A New Biological Principle of Disease” (Yale University Press, 9780300191141), will appear on “Tavis Smiley” on PBS on Friday, July 25. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-07-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #tavis smiley


Make the logo bigger? Publishers downsize

Facebook and Twitter may be giving publishers bigger audiences, but they're having the opposite effect on publishers' branding. The post Make the logo bigger? Publishers downsize appeared first on Digiday. Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2014-07-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #opposite effect


Author Chuck Palahniuk reveals more details about his 'Fight Club' sequel

Palahniuk is writing a sequel to his 1996 novel that will be in graphic novel form and released in 10 parts. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-07-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #fight club


Egmont signs two-book deal with Sparkes

Egmont has acquired two books from Amy Sparkes, author of Do Not Enter the Monster Zoo (Red Fox... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-07-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #amy sparkes


J.D. Salinger: Three early short stories are released by Devault-Graves Agency

Three stories by Salinger printed in 1940s magazines have now been collected into print, ebook, and audio format. Devault-Graves Agency co-founder Tom Graves says it's the first time a Salinger work has legally appeared in electronic format. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-07-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #salinger work #devault-graves agency #audio format #electronic format


Start Publishing Buys Whiskey Creek Press

A week after adding 795 titles in a deal with Mason Crest, Start Publishing has acquired Whiskey Creek Press and its main romance imprint, Torrid. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-07-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #mason crest #start publishing


'Fault' breaks 2014 longest-running number one record

With six weeks at the top of the official Top 50 chart John Green's The Fault in Our Stars (... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-07-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Short Takes: Religion Publishing News Briefs, July 23, 2014

New partnership for a new house; book award nominations open; indie honors for two publishers. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-07-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #short takes


Top-Authors Lobby for Long-Term Strategy Against Amazon

Numerous top authors are enlisting fellow writers to formulate a "long-term" strategy to combat Amazon's dominance of the market, writes The Bookseller. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-07-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #long-term strategy #combat amazon


Authors on the Air July 22, 2014: Dr. Wendy Sue Swanson

Dr. Wendy Sue Swanson, author of "Mama Doc Medicine: Finding Calm and Confidence in Parenting, Child Health, and Work-Life Balance" (American Academy of Pediatrics, 9781581108378), will appear on "Katie" on Tuesday, July 22. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-07-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #finding calm #work-life balance #american academy


Doubts raised by indie authors over KU terms

Independently published authors have responded with caution to Amazon’s launch of its new... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-07-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #indie authors


Obituary: Publishing Exec Malcolm Magruder, 89

Malcolm Magruder was William Morrow and Company's director of sales for nearly 10 years and the Southeastern rep for 12 years until his retirement in 1990. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-07-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #william morrow


Accent Press signs deal at RNA conference

Accent Press has signed a four-book deal with Edinburgh-based writer Jenny Harper, who has self-... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-07-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #accent press #four-book deal