Scott Westerfeld (pictured, via), Margo Lanagan, and Deborah Biancotti will collaborate on a new young-adult trilogy. The trio of writers have devoted two years to developing the characters and crafting the story for this project.
Simon Pulse will release book one, entitled Zeroes, on September 29th. Publisher Mara Anastas negotiated the deal with Jill Grinberg of the Jill Grinberg Literary Management. Editorial director Liesa Abrams will edit the manuscript.
Here’s more from the press release: “Who are the Zeroes? There’s Ethan, aka Scam, who’s got a voice inside him that’ll say anything you want to hear, whether it’s true or not. There’s Chizara, aka Crash, who can bring technology to its knees; Riley, aka Flicker, who can see through anyone’s eyes but her own; Thibault, aka Anonymous, who’s out of sight, out of mind; Nataniel, aka Bellwether, who can focus any crowd’s energy on a single goal; and Kelsie, who can amp up or damp down a mob’s emotions. They were all born in the year 2000, and live in Cambria, California. Their abilities make them anything but heroes—until a high stakes crisis changes everything.”
Oh, my. Yes, painting old buildings in watercolor — not latex. You’ll want to see illustrator and fine-arts painter James Gurney dash off an urbanscape — before the time’s up on his parking meter. Former National Geographic magazine illustrator of archeological/historical subjects. Author-illustrator of books for children and adults. An exquisite, if occasionally quirky teacher of drawing and painting,... Read More
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Scott Westerfeld has landed a deal Pulse, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, for his new young adult novel, Afterworlds. The story follows Darcy Patel as she moves to New York City to establish her writing career; readers will follow both Darcy’s actual life story and the fictional one she hopes to publish.
Publisher Bethany Buck negotiated the deal with literary agent Jill Grinberg; Buck has secured North American, audio, and ebook rights. The book is scheduled to be released on September 23, 2014.
Westerfeld (pictured, via) had this statement in the press release: “Readers of YA are also lively and energetic producers – of fanfic, of original work, of reviews and blogs and manifestos. Afterworlds is an homage to all those who write to make themselves better readers, or the other way around.”
New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.
I have always marveled at the people who can point easily to the perfect days in their lives and say without pause, "That was the best day." I mean, I'm a writer. Ask me to point to a miserable day and I can deal out a dozen or so in a heartbeat.
But the game has changed because I now have that day, that PERFECT DAY, etched forever in my brain-box. It all began with a weekend trip to New York to visit with my editor, Liesa Abrams, at Aladdin. Apparently there were people in her office who had read MILO: STICKY NOTES & BRAIN FREEZE and wanted a chance to meet me. Cool, I thought. I'll just drive down from Montreal and take Milo with me on the one condition that I control the radio.
The weekend fun was kicked off by walking from our hotel through Times Square on our way to meet Liesa and her husband for a matinee of AVENUE Q. Times Square always smells like a hot summer day so it felt normal to be bombarded by the sights, sounds and smells of a 92 degree, humid summer Sunday.
After Milo and I sweated through clean shirts and baked under the July haze - we got to the theater and sat through the hysterical musical. Everyone says the puppets are "so racy" - but even Milo thought the show was kind of tame. I guess that's what watching so much SOUTH PARK will do to a kid's brain!
Had a lovely dinner with Liesa and James and as super-fantatstic as that Sunday was, it was just the precursor to the Monday that was to come. First I had to check-out of my hotel and though I had a minor freak-out that I'd lost my passport (found after a frantic search through the suitcase that then fell apart) the morning began slightly less humid and with a vente iced latte, so all was good.
Milo and I arrived outside the Simon & Schuster offices and he was immediately awed by the building.
We went inside and rode the elevator to the 4th floor. Stepping off the elevator the first thing I saw was this wall of M
I disappeared this fall and even my semi-random posting became near extinct.
The reason for my "now you see me - now you don't" blogging? That guy you're looking at - MILO.
After two failed (for now) starts on second books - I began something in August that soon turned into something else; a novel with my cartoons that is a journey of exploration and humor that helped me unlock doors and draw new connections to my own life through the fictitious one of someone else, MILO.
I gave myself a goal, a deadline on the end of the year to finish this funny book - and though the going was rough due to some of the unexpected emotional road blocks that pop up from re-experiencing the memory of what was - I was on track to meet my deadline (shock!).
The sudden learning that my wonderful agent Jill Grinberg was having a second baby - soon - pushed me into an even higher gear so that she could give my own baby the attention I need before her own new one is due.
And yesterday - MILO was sent off for his first read (after my wife of course) and I am proud and fulfilled to have told his story, while being able to liberate my own.
The cartoons add humor and emotion and will be scattered throughout. I'm very excited about that part - and holding my breath, counting backwards from a million, doing laundry, cleaning my office - trying not to think about when I'll hear back from Jill.
More on MILO soon....
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As I sit staring at my backyard where several leaves have the nerve to change colors already - I have good news.
My Disney Channel movie (no, not High School Musical: The Musical) is in pre-production, which for any non-film folks out there means the director and his minions of hard-working crew folk are on location in Utah gearing up for the actual shoot which will happen starting mid-October.
WOW! I'm very excited that this idea I had over 10 years ago is now (numerous rewrites later) actually getting made. Sadly, the title DADNAPPED has to change and I'm resigned to it, though have no good alternative title yet.
They might still need extras - so if you're in Utah, check it out!
On the writing front: I've just sent my amazing agent Jill Grinberg five chapters of something "new" and top secret! I value her input and hope to be able to tell everyone about it soon.
And - I'm gearing up for my big Texas trip, which is also scheduled for mid-October. I'll be visiting the CyFair school district for two solid weeks of author-silliness, and with the exception of missing my family, it promises to be a blast!
More on that later...
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I like the look!
(I wanted to name my son Milo, but my husband disagreed. Hrumph.I always thought my kid would have a proper Children's Literature name.)
So...what did you name him (if you don't mind the prying!)?
And thanks for the comment about the "look"
Congrats on the finish! I'll be looking forward to hearing more about Milo soon! :)
Bill Cosby pointed out that having one child isn't really having children. My excellent point is that you now have TWO - count em - TWO novels under your belt, and so you no longer fall under the one-child rule. That is monumental! And of course meaningless. But much more monumental than meaningless. By a lot. So congratulations. I'm eagerly awaiting a visit from Milo.