Publishing Industry Lowdown (Oct. 24-28)

It’s that day again–time for Sooz’s YA and MG Publishing Industry Lowdow. The general idea is that I share the biggest news in the young adult and middle grade publishing world each Friday–big deals, important changes, etc.

My source for deal news is Publishers Marketplace, which requires a paid subscription. As such I’m only sharing part of the information here–basically, just author names and pitches. If you want to know deal sizes (e.g. advances), editors, publishers, and agents, I highly recommend you sign up for PM–it’s totally worth the cost!

Now, let’s get started!!

Deals

 Ursula Poznanski’s young adult EREBOS, the story of a sixteen-year-old who gets drawn into a computer game with a life of its own, he soon realizes that Erebos is much more than a game when he finds himself totally under its control; the seemingly harmless tasks assigned to him become increasingly ominous, and when he refuses to accept a deadly mission, he is thrown out of the game; but that doesn’t stop him from trying to find out the truth about Erebos.

RIP THE PAGE! author Karen Benke’s middle grade LEAP WRITE IN, with even more creative writing inspiration for ages 8 and up, for publication in Spring 2013.

Ednah Walters’s young adult BETRAYED, in which a teenage demon-hunter must master her growing powers and figure out which world she belongs in before the people she loves are put in danger, in a four-book deal, for publication in 2012.

Malin Alegria’s new young adult series BORDER TOWN, about teens living in a Texas border town where life is filled with all kinds of borders, in a four-book deal, to be published in English and Spanish-language editions beginning in Summer 2012.

CONFETTI GIRL author Diana Lopez’s young adult CHOKE, about a teen who longs to change her life and encounters the new girl at school who wants to be her “breath sister” and play a dangerous game.

Corey Haydu’s young adult OCD LOVE STORY, in which a girl with OCD bonds with a boy from her group therapy program only to push their budding relationship beyond it limits when her further descent into Obsessive Compulsive Disorder leads her to stalk the objects of her obsession, and she must choose: confront her past or forever be controlled by it.

Jenna Black’s young adult REPLICA, featuring a 16-year-old girl whose arranged marriage goes wrong when her betrothed is murdered and brought back to life, via replication technology, with no memory of his murderer, in a three-book deal.

Three-time Hugo Award-winner Allen Steele’s young adult APOLLO’S OUTCASTS, in which earthbound politics go off-world and the narrator becomes embroiled in a political and military struggle stretching from Earth to the Moon.

Jus Accardo’s two young adult novellas in the Denazen series, in which an adrenaline junkie and her assassin boyfriend continue to take on the evil Denazen Corporation to save the life of Kiernan, a Six that’s been targeted for acquisition, for publication in Winter 2012.

Tiffany Trent’s next book in the Unnaturalists series, continuing the adventure of the motley band of heroes in a fairy realm where science is religion, Darwin is a saint, and Nikola Tesla is a prisoner of war.

18-year-old classical musician currently studying at the Zurich Conservatory Stefan Bachmann’s debut middle grade THE PECULIAR, about a changeling who suddenly finds himself at the center of a web of intrigue and danger when he is stalked by a sinister faery, in a major deal, at auction, in a two-book deal, for publication in 2012.

Author and illustrator Susan Nees’s debut middle grade MISSY’S SUPER DUPER ROYAL DELUXE, an early chapter book series featuring a girl and her not-so-cooperative co-stars, a cat and a quiet friend from school, in a four-book deal, for publication in Fall 2012.

Lauren McBrayer Miller’s young adult PARALLEL, about an 18 year-old who wakes up one morning to discover that a cosmic entanglement of parallel universes alters her everyday life in unimaginable ways, setting the many firsts of adolescence against a backdrop about fate and the role that decisions play in young lives,  in a two-book deal, for publication in 2013.

Emily White’s young adult FAE, the sequel to ELEMENTAL, the story of a girl who may save the world… or destroy it, for publication in 2012.

Laurie Boyle Crompton’s debut young adult FANGIRL, about a comic-obsessed girl who gets into an online war after her first major crush dumps her supervillain-style, in a two-book deal.

Sylvia Lewis’s young adultUNLIVING, where a teenaged outcast and viviomancer finally finds her soulmate in a half-trained necromancer, but first must face down his terrifying zombie mother and escape the evil underground corporation that wants to draft them both, for publication in Spring 2013.

Nicole McInnes’s young adult BRIANNA ON THE BRINK, in which a 16 year-old finds herself lost, alone, and pregnant after a one-night-stand (let’s just say it’s complicated), and just when she’s got nowhere left to turn, help arrives from the one person who is closest to her big mistake, but will leave her forced to choose between clinging to the ledge of fear and abandonment – or jumping into the unknown where a second chance at hope might just be waiting, for publication in Fall 2013.

(Source: Publisher’s Marketplace)

Other News

I’ve been total crap at accumulating news this week. It’s been one of those weeks, so if you know something I missed, let me know!

Audible (the audiobook peeps, in case you didn’t know) has announced a special line of audiobooks called “Neil Gaiman Presents”. These books are chosen by The Man, Neil Gaiman, himself. As a personal fan of Gaiman, I think this is pretty cool…

I read this thought-provoking take on book covers, and I gotta say–after reading agent Kristin Nelson’s rant on cover art–the suggestions in the article are pretty interesting. And worth considering.

You all may recall my complete adoration for Cynthia Hand’s Unearthly (oh the boys…the boys, the boys!). Well, imagine my elation to see that it might become a television show.

If you’re interested in winning a copy of House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski, then be sure to sign up for my giveaway. Winners will be announced on Halloween (and it’s open internationally)!

And finally, it doesn’t really have to do with publishing, but it IS a very inspiring post for anyone in a writing slump. Seeing as I have currently been battling a monster writing slump, I really appreciated Sarah’s insight.

You tell me: Is there any industry news-bite I missed? Do you have an significant news you want to share?

♥