kt literary

“Lopez successfully flips the gender switch on the wealthy CEO trope while at the same time incorporating a generous dash of fairy-tale glitz and glam into the captivating storyline of her marvelous debut.” – Booklist, starred review

Huge congratulations to debut author Angelina M. Lopez whose romance, LUSH MONEY, releases today!

A marriage of convenience and three nights a month.

LUSH MONEY
Available today in ebook and audiobook (narrated by the brilliant Scarlette Hayes)
And available in paperback as of October 29, 2019

Learn more about Angelina, LUSH MONEY and the Filthy Rich series on her website: www.angelinamlopez.com

Say hi and congratulations on twitter @AngelinaMLo

Congratulations to Diana Peterfreund, whose fabulous YA mystery IN THE HALL WITH THE KNIFE: A CLUE Mystery releases today!

A murderer could be around every corner in this thrilling YA trilogy based on the board game CLUE!

When a storm strikes at Blackbrook Academy, an elite prep school nestled in the woods of Maine, a motley crew of students—including Beth “Peacock” Picach, Orchid McKee, Vaughn Green, Sam “Mustard” Maestor, Finn Plum, and Scarlet Mistry—are left stranded on campus with their headmaster. Hours later, his body is found in the conservatory and it’s very clear his death was no accident. With this group of students who are all hiding something, nothing is as it seems, and everyone has a motive for murder. Fans of the CLUE board game and cult classic film will delight in Diana Peterfreund’s modern reimagining of the brand, its characters, and the dark, magnificent old mansion with secrets hidden within its walls.

Kirkus called the book “Ingeniously plotted and vastly entertaining” but Diana’s favorite review so far was from a bookseller who said that they picked it up expecting it to be cheesy and dumb, but instead they found it “delightfully campy and very smart.” That’s it, folks: smart and campy. Nailed it in one.

Grab a copy at your favorite independent bookstore or wherever you like to buy books!

Please help us give a warm welcome to kt literary’s newest client, Hal Schrieve!

I am thrilled to welcome Hal into the kt literary family! Hal’s YA contemporary fantasy, OUT OF SALEM, debuted in March and received starred reviews from Kirkus (“Tension burns hot until the explosive conclusion, which begs for a sequel. On fire with magic and revolution.”), Publisher’s Weekly (“Any reader who has felt it necessary to hide their true identity will find strong characters to connect with in this fun, powerful story.“), and was long-listed for the National Book Award.

This week I interviewed the wonderful Hannah Fergesen. I adore her, and it is a privilege to work with her! Here’s a short clip from the show:

Happy Book Birthday to Carrie S. Allen‘s fabulous debut YA novel, MICHIGAN VS. THE BOYS!

When a determined girl is confronted with the culture of toxic masculinity, it’s time to even the score.

Michigan Manning lives for hockey, and this is her year to shine. That is, until she gets some crushing news: budget cuts will keep the girls’ hockey team off the ice this year.

If she wants colleges to notice her, Michigan has to find a way to play. Luckily, there’s still one team left in town …

The boys’ team isn’t exactly welcoming, but Michigan’s prepared to prove herself. She plays some of the best hockey of her life, in fact, all while putting up with changing in the broom closet, constant trash talk and “harmless” pranks that always seem to target her.

But once hazing crosses the line into assault, Michigan must weigh the consequences of speaking up — even if it means putting her future on the line.

For years, I’d been requesting female athlete stories in my query inbox. Carrie came to me with another hockey story first, and I fell in love with the way the action on the ice was of equal importance to the action off the rink, how the team relationships buoyed and supported her main character in all aspects of her life, not just hockey. MICHIGAN turned that relationship toxic, showing a different perspective on the sport, and I love it even more!

Pick up a copy today wherever books are sold for your teen athlete, teen reader, or anyone who loves YA and strong female protagonists. And smash the patriarchy with Michigan!

The Warrior Moon, the sequel to The Phoenix Empress and striking conclusion to K Arsenault Rivera’s wildly buzzed about epic fantasy, which began with The Tiger’s Daughter…

Huge congratulations to K Arsenault Rivera whose epic fantasy THE WARRIOR MOON hits bookstores today!

THE WARRIOR MOON
Barsalayaa Shefali, famed Qorin adventurer, and the spoiled divine warrior empress, O-Shizuka, have survived fights with demon armies, garnered infamy, and ruled an empire. Raised together since birth, then forced into exile after their wedding, and reunited amidst a poisonous invasion?these bold warrior women have faced monumental adventures and catastrophic battles.

As they come closest to fulfilling the prophecy of generations?Shefali and Shizuka will face their greatest test yet.

The Ascendant Trilogy began in 2017 with THE TIGER’S DAUGHTER – a Locus Recommended Read, Best Book of the Year at B&N, Best Fantasy of 2017 at Fantasy Faction, SCIBA bestseller and Indie Next Best Top Pick! THE WARRIOR MOON represents a grand finale that will leave readers breathless and (like me) desperate to start reading, again, from the beginning.

Available in ebook, print book and audiobook (as narrated by the brilliant Caroline McLaughlin) – find out more on K’s website: www.karsenaultrivera.com

Say hi and congratulations on twitter @ArsenaultRivera

Podcast episode number 2 up! The amazingly talented Trish Doller talks about her new book with Simon Pulse, START HERE, effective writing procrastination techniques, and relief work happening in the Bahamas right now.

Here are the links to the Bahaman relief efforts Trish mentions during the episode.
Red Cross
HeadKnowles
World Central Kitchen

And don’t forget to pick up a copy of START HERE while you’re at it!

And find our podcast on Apple Podcasts, iTunes, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitchr, Radio.com, and Overcast! Hit the “subscribe” button to keep up with future episodes!

“May I take you out for coffee?”

Here at Team KT Literary, we wanted to share a quick post about receiving invitations to coffee (or lunch, drinks, dinner, etc) in exchange for “learning more about becoming a literary agent.”

We love our jobs! Working in publishing is a rewarding, exciting and stimulating career. If you are interested in getting a job in publishing – as a literary agent or anything else – good for you! Unfortunately, we don’t have time to meet one-on-one but we do have some ideas of how you can get more information.

First up, most of us at KT Literary speak at conferences and events around the country. Watch our blog for announcements and updates.

• Sara is speaking at the Pikes Peak Write Brain Agent Panel on Wednesday September 18, 2019
• Kate is presenting at the Rocky Mountain SCBWI Letters and Lines conference (including a round table dedicated to answering questions about being an agent) , October 12-13, 2019
• Sara is presenting at the upcoming Sirens Conference in Denver, October 24-27, 2019

If you’re not in Colorado or available for these upcoming events, here’s another idea:

• Are you a part of a writers group, SCBWI chapter, RWA chapter, etc. , please feel free to email us and invite us to speak to your group (yes, this costs money, but it’s an option) contact@ktliterary.com
• Read this blog post from June, 2013 about The Publishing Industry.

Or, here are some other ways to meet publishing professionals in person:

• Attend a local writing conference – especially one hosted by RWA (Romance Writers of America) or SCBWI (Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators).
• Research publishing events at your local library. These events would be free!
• Attend an author event at your local bookstore.
• Read the Writers Digest Magazine.
• Follow agents, editors and authors on Twitter.
• Read the aaronline.org website thoroughly (Association of Authors’ Representatives, Inc.)
• Read the Publishers Marketplace website thoroughly.
• Attend Denver Publishing Institute
• Or the Columbia Publishing Course

As a literary agent, our #1 job is to make money for our authors. It’s not uncommon to receive 3-5 requests-for-coffee per week and you can imagine our clients wouldn’t be pleased if we took 100+ hours a year away from our responsibilities to them.

Thanks for your understanding and we will be cheering for you!

Please help us celebrate with Juno Rushdan on the sale of three books to the prestigious Harlequin Intrigue imprint!

Coming in 2020…

September 5, 2019
Fiction: Women’s/Romance
Juno Rushdan’s HOSTILE PURSUIT, about a US Marshal protecting a federal informant and the intense attraction they try to deny because he knows her identity and location will be changed as soon as she testifies, to Denise Zaza at Harlequin Intrigue, in a nice deal, in a three-book deal, for publication in 2020, by Sara Megibow at kt literary (world).

Learn more about Juno and her books on her website: www.junorushdan.com

Say hi and congratulations on twitter @JunoRushdan

We have a podcast! This bi-weekly show will be the home for a lot of kt literary talk: book releases, author interviews, as well as regular appearances from each of us here at the agency! Please be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. If you can’t find us on your preferred platform, shoot Renee a DM. And please be sure to rate, review, and subscribe. It helps other people find the show!

“Rushdan delivers plenty of spycraft and action!” – Publishers Weekly

Congratulations to Juno Rushdan whose second romantic thriller, NOTHING TO FEAR, releases today!

NOTHING TO FEAR
The clock is ticking

Fearsome Gray Box operative Gideon Stone is devoted to his work and his team. He’s never given reason to doubt his loyalty…until he’s tasked with investigating Willow Harper, a beguiling cryptologist suspected of selling deadly bio-agents on the black market.

He knows she’s innocent. He knows she’s being framed. And he knows that without him, Willow will be dead before sunrise.

Thrust into the crossfire of an insidious international conspiracy, Gideon will do anything to keep Willow safe…even if that means waging war against his own. With time running out, an unlikely bond pushes limits?and forges loyalties. Every move they make counts. And the real traitor is always watching…

Learn more about the FINAL HOUR series online at: www.junorushdan.com

Say hi and congratulations on twitter @JunoRushdan

Please help us give a warm welcome to kt literary’s newest client, Alex Brown!

I am thrilled to welcome Alex into the kt literary family! Alex is a multi-talented writer and co-creator of the popular narrative podcast, The Bridge, which just gained its MILLIONTH download. Her YA sci-fi is a twisty thriller through the eyes of a young pilot apprentice whose life is turned over when she and her crew stumble upon the remains of a centuries-old space ship long thought lost, and the ghosts of the ship’s past waiting for them inside. Alex is a master of chewy dialogue and delicious, spooky intrigue, and I can’t wait to share her stories with readers hungry for books like hers!

I am so thrilled today to celebrate the release of START HERE by Trish Doller!!

Two teens go on a life-changing sailing trip as they deal with the grief of losing their best friend in this heartwrenching, hopeful novel from the author of Something Like Normal and In a Perfect World.

Willa and Taylor were supposed to spend the summer after high school sailing from Ohio to Key West with their best friend, Finley. But Finley died before graduation, leaving them with a twenty-five-foot sailboat, a list of clues leading them to destinations along the way, and a friendship that’s hanging by a thread.

Now, Willa and Taylor have two months and two thousand miles to discover how life works without Finley—and to decide if their own friendship is worth saving.

From acclaimed author Trish Doller comes a poignant tale of forgiveness, grief, and the brilliant discoveries we make within ourselves when we least expect it.

Booklist says, “Doller takes the classic road-trip trope and gives it a seafaring twist, following her characters mile by nautical mile as they learn to connect with each other and deal with their grief. Teens after summertime reads that tug at the heartstrings will be happy to take the journey with them.”

And Kirkus says “Doller effectively tackles the difficult emotions that come with losing your best friend. Clear and evocative descriptions of the mechanics of sailing and the many places the girls visit en route enhance the novel.”

Grab your copy today at your favorite independent bookstore, online retailer, or look for it at your local library!

Head on over to Refinery29 for the cover reveal and an exclusive excerpt for THE BOLD TYPE creator Sarah Watson‘s debut YA novel, MOST LIKELY! A quick tease:

In Sarah Watson’s YA book MOST LIKELY, out in March 2020, the future leader of the free world is just a high school senior with a crush and a crew of three inseparable best friends. Ava, CJ, Jordan, and Martha are all destined for great things — and one, for the presidency.

The creator of The Bold Type, the beloved Freeform show set in the world of glossy print magazines, Watson is pop culture’s foremost expert in creating cliques of lovable, ambitious young women.

MOST LIKELY is Watson’s first book, but it draws on the same themes of The Bold Type: “How women support each other, and how we make each other better,” Watson tells Refinery29 over the phone.

Click through to read more and pre-order your copy today!!