This announcement has been a long time coming, but then again, I’ve been working on my “secret project” for a few years now. I’ve imagined this post so many times. Finally getting to make it is a dream come true.
Forget everything you ever knew about unicorns…
From the Publisher’s Marketplace Announcement:
Children’s:
Young Adult
Author of SECRET SOCIETY GIRL Diana Peterfreund’s RAMPANT, about killer unicorns that can only be defeated by virgin descendants of Alexander the Great, and the teenage huntress whose birthright is seriously messing up her social life, to Kristin Daly at Harper Children’s, in a good deal, at auction, in a two-book deal, by Deidre Knight of The Knight Agency (NA).
Film: Matt Snyder at CAA.
Yes, you read that right. Killer unicorns and the virgins who hunt them.
I have been giddy with excitement all weekend. I’ve sold my fifth and sixth books! Now I not only get to write the Secret Society Girl series for Bantam Dell, but I also get to write young adult urban fantasy for Harper Collins! Seriously, pinch me! And because the book is set in Rome, I smell a research trip coming on… um, as long as I can fit it into my schedule.
I owe so much to my friends and first readers who helped me shape the book, but even more, I owe it to Sailor Boy, who is an even bigger fan of this story than I am, and kept pushing me to make it better. How lucky am I? (Hands off, ladies.) He has, of course, graciously volunteered his services as a research assistant and official gelato taster.
So there you have it. A new secret is out…
May 29th, 2007 at 11:55 pm
Congrats, Diana! It must be the day for telling secrets!
Teri
May 30th, 2007 at 12:00 am
Thanks, teri! Yours is amazing, too!!!!
May 30th, 2007 at 12:30 am
Congratulations! What fabulous news. Sounds as if you’re going to be really busy…or are these already written?
May 30th, 2007 at 5:24 am
Major congrats, Diana!!!
May 30th, 2007 at 6:49 am
omg, how exciting! EVIL unicorns. fabulous.
May 30th, 2007 at 7:05 am
Yay!! These sounds GREAT and I can’t wait until they come out!
Congratulations!
May 30th, 2007 at 7:09 am
No, HelenKay, they aren’t written yet. There’s quite a bit of the first one written, though. But yes, I’m going to be really, really busy. (It’s a good thing!)
Thanks, Bonnie! I’m so excited!
Thank you, Rhiannon. Yep, as evil as they come!
Thanks, Jessica! I’m keeping my fingers crossed for you, too!
May 30th, 2007 at 7:12 am
I meant to ask you:
If, just hypothetically speaking, they were to become devirginized… would they still be able to hunt the Unicorns?
May 30th, 2007 at 7:31 am
Ah, CG, why do you think her “birthright is seriously messing up her social life?”
May 30th, 2007 at 7:31 am
Diana, I am so very excited for you! Congratulations! I love it when you’ve got such great news to share!
*hugs*
May 30th, 2007 at 7:49 am
LOL, killer unicorns? That’s awesome! Can’t wait to read this. Congrats!
May 30th, 2007 at 7:57 am
When do the zombies come in?
(I’ve just read TWO zombie books)
May 30th, 2007 at 7:58 am
Squuuuuueeeeee!!! And the PM announcement is FAB!! Especially when one is awake!!
May 30th, 2007 at 8:02 am
I have no idea, Patrick. I have nothing to do with zombies, myself.
May 30th, 2007 at 8:05 am
Congratulations! The concept sounds - To use my daughter’s favorite word - Awe Some.
May 30th, 2007 at 8:05 am
Yeah!!! It’s public! Geez…how many times have I almost accidentally mentioned “the unicorn series” in public only to worry that someone overheard me.
Whooooooooooo-hoooooo and CONGRATS!!!
= )
May 30th, 2007 at 8:05 am
What a totally unique concept!
Congrats on the new sale, Diana! I know you must be thrilled.
And my current Demon Hunters book is set in Italy, too. Sadly, I don’t get to go. Maybe you can research for me
May 30th, 2007 at 8:07 am
Congrats again, Diana! I am sooo proud of you and so happy that this wonderful book found such a great home!
Party down!
May 30th, 2007 at 8:26 am
YAY! This is awesome, awesome news
And I can’t wait to read it. Let me know if YOU ever need a reader…
May 30th, 2007 at 8:39 am
YAY!!!!!!
May 30th, 2007 at 9:04 am
Congrats, Diana!! Wow, it sounds awesome!!
May 30th, 2007 at 9:09 am
Can I be the cover model?
May 30th, 2007 at 9:10 am
Congrats Diana!! That ’splains the origami.
So glad to hear you get a Roman Holiday
(Gina ducks and runs to have more tea…)
May 30th, 2007 at 9:16 am
Mazel Tov, Diana! It sounds fabulous!
May 30th, 2007 at 9:27 am
Congratulations, Diana! It sounds so intriguing! Killer unicorns? Virgin huntresses? If I weren’t a writer, I’d be asking where on earth you come up with these ideas.
May 30th, 2007 at 9:28 am
Killer unicorns? I *love* it! Sounds fabulous!!!! A true creative mind came up with that idea. What a great twist on the usual gentle, beautiful unicorn.
Can’t wait to find it on the shelves.
May 30th, 2007 at 9:29 am
Wow, congratulations, Diana! And a woo-hoo too!
May 30th, 2007 at 9:34 am
That is wonderful news, Diana. Congratulations! I’m so happy for you!
May 30th, 2007 at 10:19 am
Congrats!!! What a fun kind of busy you will be though.
May 30th, 2007 at 10:35 am
So cool Diana and SO EXCITING!! Dude, this whole idea rocks so much and it is so much fun!! I totally love it!
May 30th, 2007 at 10:58 am
Love the concept! I’m always excited to see something new done with a traditional mythical creature. Can’t wait to see the books.
May 30th, 2007 at 11:14 am
Oh, my gosh, D! That’s FANTASTIC!!! I’m so happy for you! CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
May 30th, 2007 at 11:18 am
Thanks Annie, lauren, kelly, kelly parra, ERF, Jo, Erica, Susan, Colleen… everyone!
B.E., thank you. You and SB are on the same page. He’s been pushing this book since I dreamt it up.
That’s okay, Marley –shout it out now. About a year ago, SB was telling someone in line at the cafeteria, and the girl across the salad bar from his goes, “What is this book called and where can I buy it?”
Jaci, are you sure you don’t want to come? I know we’ve chatted about this before…
Celeste, I may have to take you up on that.
Ooh, Gina, pass the tea.
Lynn, I honestly don’t know if I could tell you.
Kristin, are you sure you wouldn’t just call it TWISTED? These guys is not even remotely gentle…
Thank you Carrie! I owe so much to you!
May 30th, 2007 at 11:20 am
Actually, the interesting thing is, Mary, that I’m not doing something new. I’m doing something WAY old.
Thanks, Robin!
May 30th, 2007 at 11:32 am
Woo-hoo!!
Query: Are *all* your older mss and story ideas going to find publishers now that you have street cred? Just think, the Diana Peterfreund five-foot shelf…
The killer unicorns are going to rank right up there with the attack of the ‘roos…but what about the poor piranhas? Are they now toast?
May 30th, 2007 at 11:40 am
Thank you, Bill.
However, this is not an “older story idea.” I came up with it after I sold Secret Society Girl. But that was over two years ago.
I am not working on, nor do I have plans to work on any manuscript that I began before 2005. (This may, however, change, though I doubt it.)
May 30th, 2007 at 12:22 pm
Spilling the beans:
I checked my latest “Publishers Lunch” to see what a “good deal” means. So here’s the scoop:
The Key
As usual, the handy key to our Lunch deal categories. While all reports are always welcome, those that include a category will generally receive a higher listing when it comes time to put them all together.
“nice deal” $1 - $49,000
“very nice deal” $50,000 - $99,000
“good deal” $100,000 - $250,000
“significant deal” $251,000 - $499,000
“major deal” $500,000 and up
Sounds like a good deal to me!
(Should also cover quite a lot of gelato!)
Renewed congrats, Diana - you’re hitting the big time!
(P.S. Wasn’t it I who said a few days ago that whatever you’re getting paid for your writing, it isn’t enough? Well, it still isn’t, but it’s a darned good start!)
May 30th, 2007 at 1:14 pm
Fantastic news, Diana. Congratulations!
May 30th, 2007 at 1:14 pm
Does that say you sold film rights, too?
May 30th, 2007 at 2:43 pm
Congrats, Diana - I absolutely can’t wait to read this book (and I have a feeling my husband will be stealing it off me as well!!!)
May 30th, 2007 at 3:01 pm
Only you could come up with Killer Unicorns! Congrats Di!
May 30th, 2007 at 3:08 pm
Congratulations! Love the concept
May 30th, 2007 at 3:25 pm
Yeah, yeah, yeah! Congratulations, Diana! What a great idea for a series.
Cindy
May 30th, 2007 at 5:08 pm
Fantastic news, Diana, and your enthusiasm for this project just sizzles off the screen! Can’t wait to read it!
May 30th, 2007 at 5:13 pm
Congrats, Diana!
May 30th, 2007 at 5:49 pm
Congratulations!!! That’s the best news ever. I love the proposal and can’t wait to read the whole book!
Justine
May 30th, 2007 at 5:59 pm
How wonderful, Diana! Congrats! I hope you get your trip to Rome!
Steph~
May 30th, 2007 at 8:47 pm
bill’s kinda asking how much money u got. isn’t that kind of like not cool? so, how much money did u get?
May 30th, 2007 at 9:38 pm
That’s awesome, Diana! Congratulations! Sounds very intriguing…
May 31st, 2007 at 6:33 am
anonymous, it isn’t uncool. The range was published by choice of her and her agent. Bill didn’t ask, he simply quoted the numbers here.
Some agents publish this to help build excitement for the book by saying look at the advance, book buyers, look how much confidence the Publisher has in it.
Saying it was an auction is also saying they had multiple publishers interested.
Make sense?
Now, asking where she fell in that range isn’t so cool for many reasons.
May 31st, 2007 at 8:39 am
Thanks for defending me, Patrick. I’m not trying to be nosy about Diana’s finances - though didn’t she once publish her net worth in this blog, in fact? - but celebrating the fact that her wonderful writing is being adequately recognized and compensated by the publishing houses of the world.
By the bye, the killer unicorns didn’t measure up to Diana’s original sale of SSG 1 & 2, which was “significant”. And that doesn’t include the later sale of SSG 3 & 4, of course, which presumably was also “significant”.
Long story short, Diana deserves every penny and more of whatever it is that she’s getting - which is ultimately her business, natch, and not ours. But it’s nice to know that today’s authors are getting much more than their Grub Street predecessors of yesteryear. Samuel Johnson is probably turning over in his grave - with delight at Diana’s good fortune, of course!
(Me, I’m just jumping up and down! Ray for Diana!!)
May 31st, 2007 at 10:43 am
Awesome, congratulations!
May 31st, 2007 at 5:08 pm
Congratulations Diana!
Very intriguing idea - in fact I SO can’t imagine how you’re going to pull that one off that I’m gonna have to buy the books!!!
June 1st, 2007 at 11:41 pm
congrats. I feel a Whedon tv adaptation coming on.
June 3rd, 2007 at 12:16 am
OMG, that is awesome news, D! I’m so excited to read that book. And, uh… welcome to Harper!
Hugs,
Heather
June 3rd, 2007 at 12:12 pm
Congrats Diana…I’ve been without the Internet, and read this first one someone else’s blog. Very exciting and sounds interesting. I went to Rome last summer, and would love to read a story set there!!!!
June 6th, 2007 at 8:59 am
Congratulazioni, Diana! What a great concept, and set in Rome, no less! Let me know if you need any Italy traveling tips.