It’s been really good working with my new editor at Walker Books as she has done a terrific job in highlighting some of the weaknesses with THE GREAT FOX ILLUSION. Nothing major, but a few tweaks which will make the finished product a lot stronger and smoother and hopefully more powerful. Often the things she highlighted were areas of the story I had originally included but had been cut out in previous edits or had become a bit blurred in one of the revisions. When you write a book and then edit and then rewrite, it’s very easy to become a bit snowblind. It’s so helpful to have a fresh, and highly-skilled, set of eyes on the project to notice the parts of the story that have lost clarity, and by adding a couple of thousand words in these areas the book is going to be so much better. For that, I’m very grateful.
I’m also busy drawing up some detailed plans for the second and third books in the Illusions series. These are now coming along nicely and I can’t wait to get stuck in and start writing them. I will soon be sending these outlines off to my editor and then I’ll hide behind the sofa and chew my nails while I wait to find out what she thinks.
Italian publisher Rizzoli has purchased the rights for all three books in THE GREAT FOX ILLUSION series in a pre-empt deal. I’m very excited that Flick and Charlie will get to speak Italian.
They’re currently bringing out books by Jeffery Deaver, Dan Brown, John Green and Brian May. Seems very strange to think I’ll be joining that list – although a long way down it. 🙂 The same is true of Walker Books whose clients include Anthony Horowitz, Angie Thomas, Cassandra Clare and Patrick Ness. Walker Books is part of the Walker Books Group that includes Walker Books Australia, Candlewick Press and Walker Books US. They will be publishing THE GREAT FOX ILLUSION series soon – more information to follow.
Walker Books has acquired Justyn Edwards’ debut middle-grade series in a three-book, six-figure deal.
Executive editorial director Denise Johnstone-Burt acquired world rights in all languages from Kirsty McLachlan. This marks the first acquisition from McLachlan’s newly created agency Morgan Green Creatives.
The first title, The Great Fox Hunt, will follow young heroine Flick Lions. The synopsis reads: “Flick has won a place on The Great Fox Hunt, where competitors race to solve the puzzles and win the legacy of the late, famous magician, the Great Fox. She may only have one leg but she has plenty of tricks of her own up her sleeve and she’s not interested in winning the Fox’s tired old props. She’s after something much more important. Because the Great Fox destroyed her family, Flick knows that at the end of the hunt there is something that will change the world of magic forever…”
Johnstone-Burt said: “It was deeply refreshing to meet a fun middle-grade heroine who is empowered by her intellect; technical skills and curiosity, and one who travels an emotional journey to come to see her difference to others as the source of her power and strength. The story arc of the contest, with ‘tests’ set by a mystery magician, is irresistible and we all quickly become willing participants in Justyn’s magic show. I expect young readers will queue hungrily for each instalment in the series.”
Edwards commented: “I’m extremely grateful to Kirsty for her help, support and belief in me, and I’m very excited to be given the opportunity to work with Walker Books, home of so many authors that I’ve admired. The support and positivity is overwhelming—I’m still in a state of disbelief! I can’t wait to work with them on the rest of the series!”
NOTE: The actual comment Edwards made was something like, “Ooooooooohhhhhhhhhh”. But that bit never made the article. Here is the Bookseller with a picture of me trying to look all author-like. Perhaps a pipe would have helped.
We're so excited to be publishing @justynedwards 🎉watch this space!! https://t.co/ScC2zsb2wT
— Walker Books (@WalkerBooksUK) October 9, 2020
My Agent has launched her own agency. Congratulations to Kirsty and I’m very excited to be working with her and playing my small part at Morgan Green Creatives. I even got a mention in the article in the Bookseller!
“Kirsty McLachlan, most recently a literary agent with David Godwin Associates, is launching her own agency: Morgan Green Creatives.
McLachlan takes with her a full client list, representing writers across fiction, non-fiction and children’s books, as well as script writers and illustrators. Among the authors she represents are Suzanne O’Sullivan, Tracey Thorn, Julia Shaw, Miranda Sawyer and Nina Mingya Powles, children’s fiction writers Thomas Taylor, M G Leonard and Jennifer Killick, and scriptwriter Ambreen Razia.
Upcoming titles for the Frankfurt Book Fair include O’Sullivan’s Sleeping Beauties (Macmillan/Pantheon), Haley McGee’s The Ex-Boyfriend Yard Sale (Hodder/PRH Canada) and Dr Ben Alderson-Day’s Presence: A journey through the mirror of self and other (on submission), and middle-grade debut The Great Fox Hunt by Justyn Edwards (on submission).
The agency will be represented by PFD for US and translation rights. All Film/TV/media rights will be represented in-house.”
I’m excited to announce I now have an agent! I’ve signed with Kirsty McLachlan at David Godwin Associates. This is an amazing opportunity and I look forward to working with Kirsty and seeing what we can achieve with THE GREAT FOX HUNT.
