Dear writers: Please be aware of ongoing scams by agent impersonators. Use extra caution with any unsolicited offers from agents. Reputable agents will not ask for upfront fees of any kind. For more information, look at sites such as Writer Beware (https://writerbeware.blog/). Please always check email addresses/spellings. All official emails from Donald Maass Literary Agency will come from an address that ends in @maassagency.com (2 A's, 2 S's in MAASS).

October Translation Deals

Oct 312020
 

French rights to Nnedi Okorafor’s THE GIRL WITH THE MAGIC HANDS, for a graphic novel, and French rights to THE BOOK OF PHOENIX to Actu SF, by Robin Batet at Anna Jarota Agency, on behalf of Katie Shea Boutillier for Donald Maass.

German rights to Annika Martin’s RETURN BILLIONAIRE TO SENDER, to Lyx, by Sarah Knofius at Thomas Schlueck Agency, on behalf of Katie Shea Boutillier for Cameron McClure.

Hungarian rights to New York Times bestselling author Tamsyn Muir’s HARROW THE NINTH, the second book in the Locked Tomb trilogy, to Fumax, by Milena Kaplarević at Prava i prevodi in association with Michael Curry for Jennifer Jackson.

Italian rights to Robert McCammon’s BOY’S LIFE and SWAN SONG, to Fanucci, by Stefania Fietta at Donzelli Fietta, on behalf of Katie Shea Boutillier, for Cameron McClure.

Serbian rights to New York Times bestselling author Tamsyn Muir’s The Locked Tomb trilogy (GIDEON THE NINTH, HARROW THE NINTH, ALECTO THE NINTH), to Urban Reads, by Milena Kaplarević at Prava i prevodi in association with Michael Curry for Jennifer Jackson.

Deal: Ronald Malfi

Oct 302020
 

Ronald MalfiBram Stoker Finalist for FLOATING STAIRCASE, named as one of the 50 scariest novels by the New York Times, Ronald Malfi’s COME WITH ME, psychological suspense in the vein of Lauren Beukes and Paul Tremblay, about a man who after the sudden death of his wife learns that she had been secretly tracking a killer and vows to complete her work, even as every step forward takes him further away from the woman he thought he knew, to Sophie Robinson at Titan Books, in a two-book deal, for publication in July 2021, by Cameron McClure (world English).

Deal: Tamsyn Muir

Oct 272020
 

New York Times bestselling author of the Locked Tomb Trilogy Tamysn Muir has signed a six-figure deal with Tordotcom Publishing, an imprint of Macmillan under Tom Doherty Associates.

Beginning with GO MARCHING IN, the first in a post-cyberpunk novella trilogy about a gunslinger pulled out of retirement among those left behind on a dying Earth as the rich flee on their generation ships, Carl Engle-Laird acquired World English rights to a trilogy of novellas as well as two additional novels in different settings via Jennifer Jackson.

Deal: Dan Koboldt

Oct 262020
 
Photo of author Dan KoboldtGeneticist and editor of PUTTING THE SCIENCE IN FICTION, Dan Koboldt to edit PUTTING THE FACT IN FANTASY: Advice from Experts to Bring Authenticity to Your Fantasy Writing, a collection of essays from historians, linguists, martial artists, and other experts to help authors write more compelling fiction by getting the facts right, to Writer’s Digest Books for publication in Spring 2022, by Paul Stevens.

Deal: Lara Elena Donnelly

Oct 212020
 

BOOM! Studios announced JIM HENSON’S LABYRINTH: MASQUERADE #1, a brand new oversized one-shot issue starring the strange and wondrous characters of Jim Henson’s beloved fantasy classic Labyrinth, from multi-award-nominated author Lara Elena Donnelly (Amberlough), artists French Carlomagno (The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance), Samantha Dodge (Catwoman: Soulstealer), and Pius Bak (The Magicians: Alice’s Story), available in December 2020.

Congratulations to Jim Butcher!

Oct 162020
 

Congratulations to Jim Butcher! BATTLE GROUND debuts at #2 on the New York Times hardcover list, #2 on the hardcover and ebook combined list, and #1 on the audio list.

Review: The Midnight Bargain by C.L. Polk

Oct 152020
 

Library Journal: Being cut off from her sorcerous powers is everything that Beatrice Clayborn fears, since being a true Magus is her calling. Yet Beatrice’s family is putting the last of their funds into her place in the Bargaining Season, a time when families gather to strike advantageous marriages. Worse, once married, Beatrice must wear a collar during pregnancy to protect her unborn children by cutting off her power. The key to her becoming a Magus lies in a grimoire she has discovered, but another sorceress, Ysbeta Lavan, finds a way to acquire it for the same reason. Using a spirit to get the book back means paying a price: Beatrice’s first kiss — with Ianthe Lavan, Ysbeta’s brother and a man that Beatrice wonders if she could have a future with. Except making the choice between love and dreams could mean the greatest loss of her life.

VERDICT Polk’s (Witchmark) foray into a society of magic and politics places the woman in the secondary role, but neither Beatrice nor Ysbeta will stay in place. Fans of romantic fantasy set in a multicultural world will find this a fascinating read.

Review: Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger

Oct 122020
 

NPR: There’s a spooky warmth to Elatsoe, Darcie Little Badger’s debut novel. Set in a version of our contemporary world where everyone knows ghosts, fairies, and vampires are real, Elatsoe, like its namesake protagonist, walks a zig-zagging line between humor and horror, braiding them into each other. Dead dogs make cheerful ghost companions while widows mourn young husbands; vampires propose marriage to fairy princesses while miracle-working doctors keep sinister secrets….This was deeply enjoyable from start to finish, with moments of shockingly clear insight and sharp knife-twists of plot. Ellie’s a great character, kind and keen, and her relationships with friends and parents are a pleasure to dwell in. It’s very moving to me to see a whole family pulling together as a dramatic unit, and I loved the place parents and grandparents occupy in the narrative, present as storytellers and stories both. The plot is smoothly woven through with folkloric stories of heroic ancestors, and the pattern they make together is beautiful.

It’s also very satisfying to see a lovely boy/girl friendship exist for its own sake: Ellie’s best friend next to Kirby is Jay, a descendent of Oberon who’s as supportive of her quest for justice as he is respectful of her asexuality. More mainstream narratives would treat a young woman’s disdain for marriage and sexuality as naïve immaturity in need of correction; Ellie’s identity is a matter-of-fact constant, affirmed by those who love her in a handful of grace notes chiming through the overall melodic line of the book….There’s so much love in Elatsoe, such deep grief held in the stronger arms of family and community. I’m so excited for all the young people who get to read this book and find themselves in it.

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