Thriller novelist Tess Gerritsen has inked a book deal with Ballantine Bantam Dell to publish two more Rizzoli & Isles books. The deal also included an e-original story called “John Doe.”
The books follow the adventures of homicide detective Jane Rizzoli and forensics pathologist Dr. Maura Isles, the inspiration for the TV series Rizzoli & Isles–just renewed by TNT for its fourth season.
Jane Rotrosen Agency agent Meg Ruley negotiated the deal with publisher Libby McGuire and editorial director Linda Marrow.
New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.
The new serial novel No Rest for the Dead features writing contributions by 25 thriller writers, including Sandra Brown, Jeffrey Deaver, R.L. Stine, Gayle Lynds and Alexander McCall Smith. Novelist David Baldacci wrote the introduction to the charity novel.
Strand magazine managing editor Andrew Gulli and Lamia Gulli edited four-year project. Proceeds from the Simon & Schuster novel will be donated to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, honoring the memory of Andrew’s mother.
Here’s more about the serial novel: “When Christopher Thomas, a ruthless curator at San Francisco’s McFall Art Museum, is murdered and his decaying body is found in an iron maiden in a Berlin museum, his wife, Rosemary, is the primary suspect, and she is tried, convicted and executed. Ten years later, Jon Nunn, the detective who cracked the case, is convinced that the wrong person was put to death.”
New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.
This summer seems to be flying by … probably because we’re having so much fun with our annual programming! Things will continue to heat up through July, with a Special Summer Event and two more picnics in our annual Summer Literary Picnic series.
Special Summer Event with Tess Gerritsen
On July 12th, Thurber House will host international bestselling author Tess Gerritson, whose brand new novel, The Silent Girl, will hit bookstores just days before she comes to Columbus. The Silent Girl is the latest installment in Gerritsen’s popular suspense series featuring Detective Rizzoli and medical examiner Isles. The books have been translated into 37 languages and have sold 20 million copies worldwide. Plus, the TNT-TV series based on the books, Rizzoli and Isles, just entered its second season. The Silent Girl is sure to follow in Gerritsen’s bestselling tradition.
The special event begins at 7 p.m. at the Canzani Center Auditorium at the Columbus College of Art and Design. Tickets for this event are $15 in advance and $18 at the door. Visit http://www.thurberhouse.org/tess-gerritsen.html for more details and ticket information.
Summer Picnic Series
In the third event of this year’s Summer Picnic Series, Leah Stewart will make her way to Thurber House on July 6thto read from and discuss her newest novel, Husband and Wife. A happily married mother of two children, Sarah Price’s world gets turned upside down when she finds out that her husband has been unfaithful.
Next, the New Voices picnic takes place on July 20th. This picnic will celebrate three emerging Ohio authors: novelist Amanda Flower, essayist, and former Thurber House young docent, Ellen Waddell, and non-fiction writer Lee Kravitz.
Flower’s novel, Maid of Murder, was nominated for a 2010 Agatha Award for Best First Novel, and tells the story of a college librarian in Ohio who must hunt down the person who murdered her childhood friend and framed her brother for the crime. Waddell, who just graduated from New Albany High School and will be entering John Hopkins University in the fall, will read from her senior project, a published book of essays entitled, She Said, Looking Forward. Lee Kravitz, from Cleveland, will finish up the evening discussing his first book, Unfinished Business, which records an entire year doing the most important things in his life and reconnecting with those close to him.
Both picnics begin at 6:15 pm and takes place on the Thurber House lawn, with tours available before and after dinner. Tickets are $15 for the reading only or $25 for both dinner and the reading. More details and ticket information can be found at http://www.thurberhouse.org/2011-season.html.
Will we see you there?
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Kelley & Hall had a wonderful time speaking at Grub Street’s annual Muse & the Marketplace. Here is a description of our “hour of power” session, Blueprint for Book Publicity.
What makes a book a blockbuster? What pushes it to the top of bestseller lists, onto bookshelves across the country, and into the hands of eager readers? What helps an author create a strong following? If an author learns the strategies and secrets, can he propel his book in the direction of bestseller status? Do you have to be published by the biggest and best publishing houses in the country in order to make a presence for yourself and your work?
The answers to these questions will surprise even the most cynical of writers. Whether you have already written a book that shot up the bestseller list or are a debut author wondering how to navigate the confusing maze of publicity, this course will provide all of the secrets, tips, strategies and advice that every writer needs to learn. We will help you create the best possible path for you and your work. The advice we offer is lasting, and the suggestions will inspire you to learn every angle of this business from the inside out. We pooled our knowledge from various industries; public relations, sales, advertising and journalism to provide you with the most complete reference for creating a successful and powerful publicity campaign.
It is always inspiring to see so many writers with passionate stories to tell. You never know who the breakout writer is going to be. Last year, at this time, we were there with our client, Lisa Genova, author of STILL ALICE. Since last year’s Grub Street, Lisa has gone from having a self-published book to being picked up by Simon & Schuster and now being a fixture on the New York Times best seller list!
The event is so informative and a great networking tool. Authors at this year’s Muse included Tess Gerritsen, Ann Patchett, Lois Lowry, Sue Miller, Lynne Griffin, Amy MacKinnon, and Jennifer Haigh. I have to admit, I was very sad not to get a chance to meet Lois Lowry. Anastasia Krupnik, was one of the first books I remember devouring as a child and dragging my mother back to the bookstore to get the next book in the series. I credit Ms. Lowry with my absolute, undying, love and passion for books. And now she blogs! It rivals the childhood excitement I felt when I started following Punky Brewster on Twitter (Soleil Moon Frye).
If you didn’t get a chance to attend our seminar, and are interested in learning everything you need to know about marketing and publicizing your work, we are currently working on the only instruction manual you will ever need on book publicity, BLUEPRINT FOR BOOK PUBLICITY. Here’s a sneak peek:
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