Sunday 22 August 2010

Here's the Deal...

Well, it's happened: the contract has arrived, the ink is more or less dry, and only the Royal Mail can stop me now. Accordingly I have performed the promised cartwheel, but just in case you blinked and missed it, a faithful reproduction in pen and ink has been attached to this post showing it exactly as it happened.

I am proud and delighted that The Chicken House have acquired world rights to my 11+ supernatural thriller, The Ghost Effect, for publication in June 2012. These days I'm mostly to be found on Cloud Nine.

The Chicken House is a great publisher, and one I have been eyeing up for a while now, mostly because of their vibrant 9-12 and YA list. They have a reputation for nurturing new writers and for being as focussed as a small press would be, whilst being part of the Scholastic Group means that they are able to back up this hands-on approach with real global clout. I honestly don't think my novel could have a better home, especially with an award winning editor (no pressure there then!).

Thanks again for your encouragement and kind comments on my blog as I have staggered toward this major branching point in my career. I promise not to bore you to tears with endless posts about revision angst and the fascinating depth of my navel, but I hope you'll forgive me if I, er, mention my book quite a lot nevertheless:-/
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22 comments:

  1. Keren David22 August 2010 at 21:48

    Woo hoo...congratulations! Can't wait to read it.

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  2. catdownunder22 August 2010 at 23:36

    Well done sir! Well done! I am so purrleased for you.

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  3. Caroline Starr Rose22 August 2010 at 23:46

    This is wonderful! And I just love the name The Chicken House.

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  4. Rachel Fenton23 August 2010 at 01:27

    "fascinating depths of your navel"!!! Hahaha!

    I was more worried about the particles dropping from your shorts in your cartwheel!

    Hehe! Made me laugh to tears rather than bored!

    I'm so pleased for you. Brilliant. Things can only go up and up from here - I sense the next pic will be you as an astronaut in outer space....

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  5. Thomas Taylor23 August 2010 at 07:44

    Thanks, Keren, Cat and Caroline:)

    Rachel, those are coins! The only coins I have.

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  6. Anni Matthew23 August 2010 at 07:58

    Well done Thomas! How exciting for you all. I look forward to hearing more about this exciting development and erm...teaching it to a group of year 7s in the future!

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  7. planetpenny23 August 2010 at 08:28

    Hurrah and Huzzah! Glad it's now a done deal and we can all talk about it 'boastly'! (I'd have loved to have seen that cartwheel for real tho'!)

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  8. Nick Cross23 August 2010 at 11:56

    Excellent - so good to "come out" and reveal the details to everyone. I'll stop playing the publisher guessing game now...
    Well done for getting a novel picked up, it's a major, major achievement at any time, let alone at the moment. Savour that success!

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  9. Simon Kewin23 August 2010 at 14:23

    Wahay! Fantastic. I'm really pleased for you Thomas.

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  10. Thomas Taylor23 August 2010 at 17:25

    Thanks, Anni. I would like you to teach it (if it's teachable).

    Thanks, Penny. Boast away:)

    Thank you, Nick. Have I understood correctly from facebook that you are close to a book deal of your own? Or indeed have one?

    Many thanks, Simon. Your name will be in the acknowledgements.

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  11. Glynis Peters 23 August 2010 at 19:38

    Congratulations from sunny Cyprus!

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  12. JennMcShacklady23 August 2010 at 19:49

    Hoooray! Many congratulations et felicitations! What wonderful, boast-worthy, cartwheelin' news ( :
    Just try to bore us!!

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  13. Thomas Taylor23 August 2010 at 21:19

    Thanks, Glynis. Et merci, Jenn.

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  14. Terry Stonecrop23 August 2010 at 22:44

    Congratulations!!! Talk about it all you want. Impressive cartwheel:)

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  15. Thomas Taylor23 August 2010 at 23:45

    Thanks, Terry. Don't tempt me...

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  16. Kit Calladine24 August 2010 at 14:40

    So pleased for you Tom, such good news. Keep up the gymnastics too! Sorry we didn't see more of you when you were in Norfolk.......next time tho'.....much love to you both and the boys. Kit

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  17. Thomas Taylor24 August 2010 at 18:32

    Thanks, Kit. The boys still talk about 'driving Bill's car'.

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  18. cassia25 August 2010 at 15:31

    I don't understand. I commented on your blog post here, but it seems not to have shown up. Anyway, I basically said a huge welldone, and please do 'bore' us with the details- we're dying to hear the story behind the story. Excellent stuff!

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  19. Natalie26 August 2010 at 23:13

    That's fantastic, Thomas! It sounds like The Chicken House (I love the name) is the best of both worlds--small feel, big influence. I'm so happy for you.

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  20. Thomas Taylor26 August 2010 at 23:43

    Thanks, Cassia and Natalie.

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  21. Katie Anderson5 September 2010 at 21:14

    Hi Thomas, i just stumbled across your blog from the 'blog party' over at Musings of a Penniless Writer. Really like your blog, and I see congratulations are in order! Just about to hit that follow button....

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  22. Thomas Taylor15 September 2010 at 11:16

    Thanks, Katie. I only just spotted you there.

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