Publishing Industry Lowdown (Dec. 19-23)

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!

We have very few deals this week since publishers are winding down for the holidays. Now let’s get started!!

Deals

NYT bestselling author of middle grade The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making Catherynne Valente’s three-book deal in the same series.

F.R. Hitchcock’s middle grade JUPITER AND OTHER BRILLIANT SHRINKINGS, about a boy who discovers he can shrink things, starting with the planet Jupiter, which he then loses, in a two-book deal, for publication in 2012 and 2013.

Kelly Hashway’s young adult TOUCH OF DEATH, about a teenage girl born under the thirteenth sign of the zodiac with a kiss that kills and a touch that can bring the dead back to life, pitched as Shatter Me meets The Walking Dead, in a two-book deal, for publication in January 2013.

Alyxandra Harvey’s young adult THE REGENCY WITCHES, in 1804, three cousins with an unknown family lineage of witchcraft awake to their magical powers; beyond the manicured gardens and ballrooms of Regency London, they must navigate the new underworld now open to them, learn to control their new talents, and unravel the secret of one cousin’s mother’s illness, all the while evading fortune seekers, marriage proposals, and a dangerous killer murdering young debutantes, for publication in 2012.

NYT bestselling author of THE MAZE RUNNER James Dashner’s middle grade INFINITY RING series, beginning with A MUTINY IN TIME, with subsequent books written by Carrie Ryan, Lisa McMann, Matt de la Peña, Matthew J. Kirby, and Jennifer A. Nielsen, an alternate-history time travel series combining books, “Hystorian’s Guide” collectible maps and interactive feature (named for a secret society featured in the books), and an online game where readers travel back in time to fix history, for publication beginning in September 2012 simultaneously in the US, UK, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada.

Alyxandra Harvey’s young adult BLOOD SISTERS, can a girl find her way back home again? And can she do it in time to save everyone she loves from vampire civil war, hunter attack, and each other? Because not everyone can survive the prophecy…not even her, and BLOOD MOON, for publication in 2012, in a three-book deal.

MY VERY UN-FAIRY TALE LIFE author Anna Staniszewski’s next two titles in the middle grade series, following an intrepid girl as she journeys through new magical kingdoms pursuing villains, righting wrongs, and unraveling the mystery of her parents’ disappearance.

(Source: Publisher’s Marketplace)

Other News

Like most of publishing, I’m heading home for the holidays…Er, actually, it’s more like: I’ll be traveling all over the USA, visiting various friends and family members in a whirlwind of plane rides, road trips, and nights spent in unknown beds. 🙂 But I’ll be back in January!

Until then, HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

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