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'


Paver and Seuss among new Bologna deals

Written By: Benedicte Page and Graeme Neill Publication Date: Tue, 29/03/2011 - 15:32 Penguin's international deals for Michelle Paver, HarperCollins' new collection of stories from Dr Seuss and Simon & Schuster paying six figures for a young adult trilogy were among the day two deals... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #michelle paver #dr seuss #benedicte page #international deals


WH Smith reopens shops under British Bookshops deal

Written By: Lisa Campbell Publication Date: Mon, 28/03/2011 - 08:54 Seventeen former British Bookshop & Stationers stores have held their first weekend of trade under WH Smith ownership. Nine venues opened their doors as WH Smith stores and eight re-opened under their original name of... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #15% discount #half price


Catherine Cookson estate goes direct in ebook deal

Written By: Bookseller staff Publication Date: Mon, 28/03/2011 - 08:53 Catherine Cookson's estate has signed a deal to release 100 of her novels as ebooks directly through Amazon, cutting out her publishers Transworld and Simon & Schuster. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #ebook deal #ebooks directly #simon schuster


Profit up at Jonathan Goodman Publishing

Written By: Katie Allen Publication Date: Mon, 28/03/2011 - 15:31 Profit before tax at Jonathan Goodman Publishing, the parent company of Carlton Books Ltd and Andre Deutsch Ltd, has increased by 72% to £1.6m. The figures, for the year to end December 2010, also show turnover is up 6% to... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #carlton books #good year #andre deutsch


HarperCollins signs two pre-Bologna deals

Written By: Katie Allen Publication Date: Mon, 28/03/2011 - 08:36 read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #harpercollins signs


RHCB acquires Simon Mayo debut

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Fri, 25/03/2011 - 11:55 Random House Children's Books has acquired a debut children's novel by BBC Radio 2 presenter Simon Mayo. Editorial director Kelly Hurst acquired world all language rights in the two-book deal through Sam Copeland at... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #debut children #language rights #sam copeland #dangerous places #periodic table


HarperCollins signs exclusive deal with Chichester Clark

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Thu, 24/03/2011 - 08:50 HarperCollins has signed a five book exclusive deal with Emma Chichester Clark to become her worldwide publisher. The deal with Chicester Clark, who has also had titles published recently by Andersen Press, was signed by... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #andersen press #gift books


Stacey International and Capuchin relaunch as Stacey Publishing

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Thu, 24/03/2011 - 15:31 Independent publisher Stacey International and its imprint Capuchin Classics have launched a new company, Stacey Publishing, with fresh financial backing. It will be headed by m.d. Patrick Kelly, previously part-time... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Trade publishers say ebook sales will not reach 10% until 2012

Written By: Philip Jones Publication Date: Wed, 23/03/2011 - 11:58 A third of UK trade publishers think that over 10% of their total book revenue will come from ebooks by 2012, according to new research released by Publishing Technology at BML’s annual Books & Consumers Conference. The... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #trade publishers #ebook sales #research released #publishing technology #top publishers


E-book sharing: Amazon and book publishers' stupid attempts to curtail lending sites.

As convenient as they are, I've long worried about the many ways in which ebook purveyors restrict readers' rights. You can't resell the books you purchase for the Amazon Kindle, and you can't read them on most other e-readers. We also don't really own ebooks in the same way we own... Continue reading at Slate

[ Slate | 2011-03-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #amazon kindle #book publishers


Implementing a Mobile Strategy as an Independent Publisher

A b-to-b publisher shares lessons from its first app launch including mobilizing Web sites and implementing QR codes. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-03-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #mobile strategy #independent publisher


Hachette to bring French out of copyright titles into print

Written By: Barbara Casassus Publication Date: Tue, 22/03/2011 - 16:45 Hachette Livre and the French National Library (BnF) have signed a print-on-demand agreement for the publisher to sell through bookshops out-of-copyright works from the BnF’s online library Gallica. An initial 15,000 titles... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #hachette livre #physical books #joint statement


Cader and Shatzkin ready Publishers Launch

Written By: Bookseller Staff Publication Date: Tue, 22/03/2011 - 16:40 Two of US publishing's leading commentators are moving into the conference business with Publishers Launch Conferences, which will "convene up to eight events in four cities over the next year", including New York, San... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


New S&S deal for Aliens Love Underpants duo

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Mon, 21/03/2011 - 15:15 Simon & Schuster has signed a new picture book deal with the creative duo behind the Aliens Love Underpants series. Emma Blackburn, picture book editorial director at S&S, bought world rights to Monstersaurus from... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #ss deal #creative duo


Five-figure deal to indie Inside Pocket

Publication Date: Fri, 18/03/2011 - 10:17 Independent children's publisher Inside Pocket has signed a five-figure four-book deal with Roald Dahl Funny Prize-winner Ursula Jones. Director of Inside Pocket, Sarah Harrop, acquired world rights, including audio and ebook, to the titles from Celia... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #including audio #strange world


Mitterrand slams EC raids on publishers as as 'out of proportion'

Written By: Barbara Casassus Publication Date: Fri, 18/03/2011 - 11:32 French culture minister Frédéric Mitterrand has said that he would not intervene in the dispute between publishers and authors over electronic rights for the moment. Mitterrand also hit out a the recent European Commission... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #french publishers #electronic rights


No breakthrough over author ebook rights in France ahead of fair

Written By: Barbara Casassus Publication Date: Thu, 17/03/2011 - 06:39 French authors have urged culture minister Frédéric Mitterrand to intecede in order to break the deadlock in their negotiations with publishers over electronic rights. For the second year running, the Permanent Council of... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #electronic rights #year running


Library bodies warn publishers off 'retrenchment' over ebook lending

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Thu, 17/03/2011 - 09:23 The Society of Chief Librarians and the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council have signed a joint position on ebook lending in libraries, saying the Publisher Association's baseline position has "limited practical use"... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #ebook lending #chief librarians #archives council #publisher association #remote downloading


Apple May Release Publishing Tool

It looks as if Apple will be in the digital mag game with more than just subscription apps. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-03-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Media Decoder: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publisher Steps Down

Barry O'Callaghan, the chief executive of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, resigned on Tuesday after less than two years on the job. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2011-03-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #media decoder