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Algonquin Books, a Division of Workman Publishing, has acquired the North American rights to publish bestselling author Gayle Forman’s first novel for adults.

The publisher snapped up the title at auction. Amy Gash, senior editor at Algonquin, negotiated the deal with Forman’s agent, Michael Bourret of Dystel & Goderich Literary Management. The book is tentatively titled Bypass and is slated for publication in Fall 2016.

“After a decade of mining the young-adult experience, I was ready to turn my attention to marriage and motherhood. It felt like the time to write a novel starring people my own age,” Forman explained in a statement. “I have been reading Algonquin books for years, so it’s a bit surreal to now find myself in the prestigious company of authors like Robert Goolrick, Sara Gruen, Tayari Jones and more. Needless to say, I am thrilled to be publishing my debut adult novel with Algonquin.”

The novel is the portrait of a go-getter woman who finds herself in search of her estranged birth mother after a heart attack.

Algonquin Books will start publishing young adult and middle grade books by the end of 2012 and has hired Elise Howard, formerly svp and associate publisher of HarperCollins Children’s Books, to oversee the program. Howard plans to start the new list with up to a half dozen titles next year and build “gradually” from there. She will work out of Algonquin’s New York office, starting in mid-November.

“Developing a brand-new young adult and middle-grade readers’ list is a rare opportunity,” Howard said in the announcement. “The really thrilling challenge is to do it within a program as esteemed as Algonquin’s, with the goal of building a small, focused, literary list that reflects and honors its origins in every way.” Howard spent the past twelve years at HarperCollins, most recently providing editorial oversight for the HarperTeen and Harper imprint fiction publishing programs.

Algonquin publisher Elisabeth Scharlatt added: “Over the years, a number of Algonquin’s adult titles have attracted young adult readers. If we’re to grow beyond our adult trade list, then publishing books geared explicitly for younger readers seems to be the most logical way to extend our reach.”

If you would like them to consider your manuscript, please send a short (no more than 15-20 double-spaced pages) sample of your work, a cover letter, a self-addressed envelope, and a check to cover return postage to:

Editorial Department
Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill
P.O. Box 2225
Chapel Hill, NC, 27515
http://www.algonquinbooksblog.com/submission-guidelines/

Talk tomorrow,

Kathy

Sometimes I will visit publisher sites to see if there's anything finding. Today I found my way to Algonquin Books. Author Martha Southgate's newest novel The Taste of Salt will be released at the end of September. I've had a chance to read it already. One the things I loved about it is the main characters very unexpected occupation. The writing is beautiful and many scenes broke my heart. Life is dramatic enough, the author doesn't use any tricks, simply letting it all unfold. There will be a proper review closer to the release date. Chapter One of The Taste of Salt

Though as the title states this is about Southgate on The Help. The author wrote a piece about bestselling novel turned movie by Kathryn Stockett in the most recent EW magazine.

"The current issue of Entertainment Weekly (August 12) has a wonderful cover story on The Help, the blockbuster book that was made into a movie, opening soon. As part of the photo-heavy spread, Entertainment Weekly asked Algonquin author Martha Southgate, whose new novel The Taste of Salt publishes 9/27, to write about the book. Her piece is below. Be sure to pick up a copy of the magazine–one of our favorites around here–on newsstands now."

Algonquin Books was kind enough to rerun Southgate's article, and it's worth reading. I do wonder when Southgate or any reader who said they weren't going to read The Help changed their mind. What was the tipping point?

I am still firmly in the I will not read camp. I had many customers try to convince me otherwise but I won't budge. Part of the reason for this hard line in the sand has to do with working in a bookstore in the South and having White customers tell me every day I just must read The Help.

In my head, all I could think was no I don't. I refuse to believe the authenticity of Black voices created by a White author by White readers who don't read Black authors. These were my customers so I know what they read. Not a single White customer that requested The Help asked for a novel by a Black author.

Stockett's novel was liked by many of my Black customers as well. I was a bit more curious, but knowing that a Black author would never have this amount of success with the same story, I still can't bring myself to read The Help. Now I know how some Asian readers probably felt with the success of Golden's Memoirs of a Geisha.

Algonquin Books has launched the ‘Ask an Editor’ video series on their blog. Executive editor Chuck Adams stars in the video embedded above and answers the question: “How did you acquire Water for Elephants?”

Marketing director Michael Taeckens explained how it will work: “For this series, readers who have any questions about the publishing process can submit them on our blog or on our Facebook or Twitter accounts. Every two weeks a different Algonquin editor will select and answer one of the questions submitted.”

The next Algonquin Books Club will feature a conversation between Gruen and The Help author Kathryn Stockett on April 26th. Those interested can check out the website for a reader’s guide, essays by Gruen, and her recipe for oyster brie soup.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Algonquin Books has launched the ‘Ask an Editor’ video series on their blog. Executive editor Chuck Adams stars in the video embedded above and answers the question: “How did you acquire Water for Elephants?”

Marketing director Michael Taeckens explained how it will work: “For this series, readers who have any questions about the publishing process can submit them on our blog or on our Facebook or Twitter accounts. Every two weeks a different Algonquin editor will select and answer one of the questions submitted.”

The next Algonquin Books Club will feature a conversation between Gruen and The Help author Kathryn Stockett on April 26th. Those interested can check out the website for a reader’s guide, essays by Gruen, and her recipe for oyster brie soup.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Alqonquin Books is launching a new book club series beginning March 21.

We’ll be featuring four Algonquin Book Club selections a year for dynamic literary events held around the country and simultaneously webcast on our site. For each event, an Algonquin author will be interviewed by a notable writer.

I am mentioning the book club at Color Online because in this inaugural year two of four books are written by female authors of color. Its not often that women authors of color make up fifty percent.

March 21 Julia Alvarez (In the Time of the Butterflies) interviewed by Edwidge Danticat, author of Brother, I’m Dying

April 26 Sara Gruen (Water for Elephants) interviewed by Kathryn Stockett, author of The Help
August 18 Heidi Durrow (The Girl Who Fell from the Sky) interviewed by Terry McMillan, author of Getting to Happy

October 20 Robert Goolrick (A Reliable Wife) interviewed by Patricia Cornwell, author of Port Mortuary

Anyone who has read In the Time of Butterflies is encourged to Join the Conversation.

Want to chat with other readers about In the Time of the Butterflies? Each week, we’ll be giving away Algonquin Book Club tote bags, autographed Julia Alvarez books, Advance Review Copies, brand new titles hot off the press, and other swag to people who join in the conversation by:

Posting comments on the In the Time of the Butterflies discussion section on our Facebook page.
Sharing thoughts on Twitter using #AlgBookClub.

Contributing feedback to our In the Time of the Butterflies book club discussion blog posts leading up to the event.

Author: Robert Heidbreder
Illustrator: Bill Slavin and Esperanca Melo
Published: 2004 Kids Can Press
ISBN: 1553379829 Chapters.ca Amazon.com

This feisty fossil fiesta of anatomically correct dinosaurs is not just a riot to read — it ignited an irresistable desire to make the trek to Drumheller (Alberta) to see this unbelievable landscape for ourselves. See you there!

Other books mentioned:

• Rattlebone Rock
• Follow the Drinking Gourd
• Sadako

The Royal Tyrrell Museum is Canada’s only museum dedicated to the science of palaeontology.Alberta’s rugged badlands hold the richest deposits of dinosaur fossils in Canada. Landmark fossil discoveries have been made there for more than a century, and new and exciting finds continue to be uncovered almost every year. Now imagine sleeping there. To find out about the Royal Tyrrell Museum’s family and youth camps, click here.