Friday, November 27, 2009

First book deal!

Okay, so I've been sitting on this news for a while now, waiting for various details to be hammered out. Sitting on it so long, in fact, that this announcement feels almost anticlimactic. But, really, how can there be anything anticlimactic about announcing MY FIRST BOOK DEAL.

Yes, I have been offered a two book deal! Someone is actually paying me to write! Someone is making a bet that readers will put down their hard earned cash to buy something I wrote! Wow. (Something more than a short story, that is. To read my first published short story, order here. ;-) Already shipping from Amazon in the US. Just saying....)

The offer was made based on a proposal :-) and it's for two YA novels, (young teen, really), a genre I've been flirting with for a long time, but had yet to tackle beyond the ideas stage.

The books will be released in Fall 2010 (yes, that soon **Maureen is writing very quickly**) by Phoenix Books, a Beverly Hills based publisher better known for celebrity non-fiction and audio books than for kids fiction. (But hey, they did publish Carl Reiner's children's picture book.)

And I'm super excited they chose my series to help launch them into this segment of the publishing world. (Not that they don't know the teen/tween market... One of their current titles is "I Heart Robert Pattinson".

The books are the first two in a planned series based on fairy tales, but with a few twists -- including a "make your own adventure" element where the reader gets to choose what the characters do next.

The first two books are:

CINDERELLA: NINJA WARRIOR, wherein Cinderella is not that interested in going to a ball, and uses her martial arts and magic skills to defeat her evil stepmother and win the heart of the prince.

And...

SLEEPING BEAUTY: VAMPIRE SLAYER, wherein a princess is cursed to sleep during the day, and everyone else in her kingdom is cursed to sleep at night -- when the vampires attack. How's a girl to find true love and break a curse when all the non-bloodsucking-type boys are asleep?

We're already talking about books 3 and 4 and I'm excited about those ideas too, and the ones I have percolating for books 5 and 6 and... I'm getting away from myself.

I've always loved the magic, wonder and happy endings offered by fairy tales, but even as a kid was bothered by all the passive heroines in peril, waiting for their princes to save the day. I'm thrilled to be re-imagining these much-loved stories with tons of girl power, lots of action and danger, and yes, handsome, charming princes, too. But in my fairy tale world it'll take more than good looks for the heroines to win a happily-ever-after ending.

And I'm hoping these books will mark a happy beginning for me. After several other projects came so close to making it to the ball, but never quite got there, I feel a bit like Cinderella myself right now. Gotta run, pumpkin carriage outside... ;-)

31 comments:

Chevy Stevens said...

HUGE CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It was just a matter of time before some lucky publisher nabbed you! The concept sounds so awesome. I've also never really enjoyed the whole oh-please-won't-someone-come-rescue-me type fairytales, so I love that these books will help girls realize they can kick ass all on their own. Although, it's nice to have a boy give you a massage later or something. A girl gets sore after a day of kicking-ass. But I digress.

Good luck and so happy for you!

out of the wordwork said...

I'm so super, super happy for you, Maureen! This couldn't have happened to a nicer, more deserving person. After giving so much to the writing community you totally deserve this. Your books sound awesome and I can't wait to read them.
YAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Shannon McKelden said...

Congrats again, Maureen! And I think those sound like completely awesome books. You're now in the class of one of those people where I say, "Why didn't I think of that?!"

Kimber Chin said...

(Standing up and cheering loudly)
SO thrilled for you, Maureen.
You know I love your women's fiction so I know you'll knock it out of the park with YA.

I always thought the definition of a real writer was someone who could switch genres with ease (compared to me, the one trick contemporary romance pony).

Wendy Tokunaga said...

I know how hard you've worked for this and your hard work has paid off. So happy for you!

Jo Treggiari said...

Congratulations Maureen! What fantastic news!
And the books sound great. My whole problem with fairy tales (and the reason I started re-writing them when I was eight) is that the girls just hang about waiting to be saved. Your slant on the heroines sounds fun and exciting. Good for you!

Elizabeth Kerri Mahon said...

Congratulations Maureen, it couldn't happen to a nicer person. I can't wait to read these books.

Melissa Conway said...

Wow, congrats, Maureen! Your books sound wonderful. I'm looking forward to reading them.

Scotti Cohn said...

This is so exciting, Maureen! Congratulations! You're going to have so much fun writing these books! (My next project involves writing about Illinois history based on maps...)

Chandra Rooney said...

These sound brilliant! I can't wait to read the Sleeping Beauty one. :D

Juliana Stone said...

I'm so happy and pleased for you Maureen and can't wait to read them! maybe a sneak peek?

Maureen McGowan said...

Chevy, thanks so much. I agree that every girl deserves a nice prince as a reward for all the ass-kicking. (maybe I should stop saying ass now I'm a kids writer... LOL)

Nelsa woodwork) Thank you so much.

Hey, and all 3 of us will have books out next year!!! Chevy's Still Missing from St. Martins and Nelsa's Illegally Blonde from Great Plains!

Maureen McGowan said...

Thanks so much everyone! Your support means so much to me!

Julianna... I'd give you a sneak peek -- if they were written!!! They sold on proposal so I am writing like a mad woman. Nothing like a real deadline for motivation. ;-)

Oh, and Julianna is another 2010 debut author. We should start a club.

Annette Gallant said...

Congratulations, Maureen!!!! Very excited and happy for you! :)

Clover Autrey said...

Saw your announcement on the YARWA loop and had to run over to congratulate you. So congratulations. I like your website btw, very pretty.

Anonymous said...

Wonderful news Maureen!!!!

Lucky YA readers and those of us who'll just enjoy a good read no matter how old we are!

Best wishes for continued great ideas.

Susanne

Loreth Anne White said...

Squeeee!!! Maureen!!!! I could not not not be happier for someone. You so deserve this girl. The news brings a wee tear to my eye. Many congratulations ... and here's raising a glass to a very bright future down this road.

Marilyn Brant said...

YAYYYYYYYY!!!!!
Congrats once again, Maureen!! Been looking forward to celebrating this wonderful news with you!!
CHEERS!

Maureen McGowan said...

Thanks, Loreth! Guess what? My brother is skiing in Whistler, today. He just phoned from the peak to peak gondola...

Kwana said...

Maureen this is a happy begining for you as paid writer!!!! You go you. I'm so thrilled for you. I know you will rock it. This is so well deserved. Your talent can't be denied.

Maria Geraci said...

I'm so excited and happy for you, Maureen! The books sound absolutely awesome! Congratulations!

Alyssa Goodnight said...

I LOVE the ideas for these books! Can't wait! And congratulations--truly something to celebrate!

Gemma Halliday said...

OMG I am sooooo excited for you!!!! This has been a long time coming, and I can't wait to read these!

Kristen Painter said...

Massive congrats! You so deserve this!

Louisa Edwards said...

I am so so so so so excited for you! I actually got chills reading the story blurbs--those are going to be terrific fun. I can't wait to read them!! YAY!

Gena Showalter said...

Major congrats!!! So very exciting, and I love the sound of the books!!

Rebecca said...

Congratulations! Congratulations! The books both sound fabulous and I can't wait to see them on the shelves.

Leeann Burke said...

Way to go Maureen! I'm thrilled for you. You deserve this fabulous news!

Kristine Cayne said...

Congratulations Maureen!

Heather Wardell said...

I'm so happy for you, Maureen! This came up on my blog reader and I was so excited clicking the link... you SO deserve this and your books sound great!

What a great start to my morning! (Yes, I'm way behind on my blog reading. :)

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