Deesha Philyaw's brilliant debut novel, THE TRUE CONFESSIONS OF FIRST LADY FREEMAN, is officially out in the world!
About the book:
The wife of a popular and powerful megachurch pastor upends her charmed “rags-to-Rolex” life when her secret past comes roaring into the spotlight) from the acclaimed and beloved author of The Secret Lives of Church Ladies.
On the eve of her 40th birthday, First Lady Scharisee Freeman gets the validation she’s always dreamt of: a coveted invitation to participate in the First Lady USA pageant. This is her chance to be accepted by the other pastors’ wives—First Ladies—who are “like Jesus’ disciples if they had been a group of mean girls.” Finally, blissfully, the ice between Schar and the other First Ladies begins to thaw.
But as the pageant nears, a sensational scandal breaks with Schar at its center, and her carefully curated life implodes. Schar faces down shame and terrible secrets from her childhood and is reminded that in the eyes of the church, optics can matter more than the truth.
Unflinchingly funny, frank, and splendidly unruly, The True Confessions of First Lady Freeman exults in the luscious, messy pleasure of finally feeling free.
Praise for THE TRUE CONFESSIONS OF FIRST LADY FREEMAN:
"Deesha Philyaw’s debut novel is a rebellion disguised as a romp." - The New York Times Book Review
"Uproarious.... Philyaw’s well-paced and irreverent novel sings.... It’s a revelation." - Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Readers will now undoubtedly relish [Philyaw's] delectable first novel.... HIGH-DEMAND." - Booklist (starred review)
"A rollicking satire of Black megachurch culture featuring an irresistible fireball of a protagonist.... Philyaw’s vibrantly voicey tale will appeal to both insiders and outsiders of the culture it describes...Misogyny, classism, colorism, hypocrisy: begone! A fierce, fabulous and very funny truth-teller cometh to take you down." - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
We have received word of late from several writers who were approached by persons claiming to be agents from Upstart Crow. The come-ons are characterized by the kind of bland enthusiastic expression typical of AI scams and come from email addresses not associated with our agency.
There are tell-tales: email accounts linked to gmail (ours go to our server); or email addresses linked to a website listed as @upstartcrownliterary.com —note that extra N tucked in after “Crow”—likely a shell that redirects to wherever these malefactors live.
Please know that any email from an Upstart Crow agent will come from our domain and no other. All our submissions are routed through QueryTracker.net, and not via some slapdash gmail address that does not appear on our website. Want to know more about how these phishing scams are created? Read more about it at the excellent Writer Beware blog here.
Be safe out there in the sea of scammers, and all best of luck in your writing.
Huge congratulations to Rachael Allen on the sale of her middle grade graphic novel, MY AMAZING BRAIN: DYSLEXIA, to be illustrated by Miguel Diaz Rivas!
Sarah Lariviere's RIOT ACT is out in the world!
About the novel
Punk rock meets Orwell’s 1984 in this story of a group of theater kids who take on a political regime, perfect for readers who love books by A.S. King and Marie Lu.
In an alternate 1991, the authoritarian US government keeps tabs on everybody and everything. It censors which books can be read, what music can be listened to, and which plays can be performed.
When her best friend is killed by the authorities and her theater teacher disappears without a trace, Gigi decides to organize her fellow Champaign High School thespians to put on a production of Henry VI. But at what cost?
Praise for RIOT ACT
“Tension zings throughout the twined plots, making for an unabashed profession of the importance of art in a tale both gritty and timely.” —Publishers Weekly
“This fast-paced dystopian thriller will get a standing ovation from theater kids and punk rockers alike.” —Kirkus Reviews
“This punk rock dystopian thriller is a must-read about freedom of expression and the power of art in the fight against tyranny.” —Booklist
“Written with gentle candor, practical strategy, and a healthy dose of humor, Healing Honestly reminds survivors that healing may be an unpredictable journey, but it is not one any of us should have to walk alone.”—Sonya Renee Taylor, author of the New York Times bestselling The Body Is Not an Apology
Healing Honestly is a candid, poignant, and often funny survivor-to-survivor guide to navigating the salty waters of untrue stories and victim-blaming narratives that survivors of child sex abuse hear every day. It's the first surivor-to-survivor guide for healing from child sexual abuse since 1988.
Healing Honestly is a guide for survivors, written by a survivor, helping to break through the negative self-talk and debunk the myths that impact victims of CSA, such as:
With an approachable style that makes heavy topics not so damn scary, this book shows how trauma survivors can learn to identify these untrue stories that often come up in dating, in friendships, in families, at work, and more. Readers will discover strategies for turning down the volume on the bullshit so that they can hear their own wisdom and inner truth more clearly. Full of wit and humor, Healing Honestly offers practical strategies for survivors of sex abuse to support themselves in living full and vibrant lives.
Happy publication day to THE MANY FORTUNES OF MAYA by Nicole D. Collier, out today from Clarion/Versify books!
★"Collier masterfully delivers a multidimensional protagonist with a clear and relatable voice. . . . Maya’s journey as she learns to adjust to life’s curveballs and listen to her inner truth will keep readers hooked from start to finish." — Kirkus Reviews
★"Beginning each chapter with a fortune, Collier (Just Right Jillian) delivers another immersive novel, and its emotionally tinged first-person voice offers fresh observations about parental tensions and changing friendship dynamics." — Publishers Weekly
In this lyrical novel that will appeal to fans of Meg Medina, Maya turns to her trusty "wheel of fortunes" for guidance on the toughest questions—like why her best friend suddenly feels far away, or when her Daddy will move back home. But can Maya find the courage to write her own fortune?
Maya J. Jenkins is bursting with questions:
For answers and a dose of good luck, 12-year-old Maya turns to her Wheel of Fortunes, a cardboard circle covered with the small slips of wisdom she’s collected from fortune cookies.
But can the fortunes answer her deep-down questions? The ones she’s too scared to ask out loud? Like, where did Mama’s smile go, the real one that lit up everything around her? When will Daddy move back home? And most of all, does she have enough courage to truly listen to the voice in her heart?
Congratulations, Nicole!
Nicole D. Collier's latest middle grade novel, The Many Fortunes of Maya, receives starred reviews from Kirkus and Publisher's Weekly
★“Collier masterfully delivers a multidimensional protagonist with a clear and relatable voice … Maya’s journey as she learns to adjust to life’s curveballs and listen to her inner truth will keep readers hooked from start to finish.” —Kirkus Reviews
★“Collier delivers another immersive novel, and its emotionally tinged first-person voice offers fresh observations about parental tensions and changing friendship dynamics.” —Publishers Weekly
We're crowing about a new book deal for Matt Myklusch! THE IMAGINATION ADVENTURES will be published by Aladdin Books.
Kara Sargent at Aladdin has acquired a middle grade graphic novel series, The Imagination Adventure by Matt Myklusch, set in the world of his popular Jack Blank and the Imagine Nation series. In the first book, The Blood of Kings, young swordsman Skerren must save his king, face the truth of his parents’ death, and discover if he has what it takes to wear the crown himself. Illustrations are by Glass HouseGraphics, with designs by Ornella Greco; publication is set for Fall 2024. Danielle Chiotti of Upstart Crow Literary did the three- book deal for North American rights
Congratulations, Matt!
We are crowing for Nicole D. Collier's newest novel, The Many Fortunes of Maya (Clarion/Versify 2023), which has been named a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard selection!
THE REAL RILEY MAYES by Rachel Elliott—her debut MG graphic novel—is out today!
“Full of heart.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review
“A hit for readers who enjoy Raina Telgemeier’s books and Jennifer Holm’s “Sunny” series” —School Library Journal
“A fun, funny story that rings true." —Booklist
Funny and full of heart, this debut graphic novel is a story about friendship, identity, and embracing all the parts of yourself that make you special.
Fifth grade is just not Riley’s vibe. Everyone else is squaded up—except Riley. Her best friend moved away. All she wants to do is draw, and her grades show it.
One thing that makes her happy is her favorite comedian, Joy Powers. Riley loves to watch her old shows and has memorized her best jokes. So when the class is assigned to write letters to people they admire, of course Riley’s picking Joy Powers!
Things start to look up when a classmate, Cate, offers to help Riley with the letter, and a new kid, Aaron, actually seems to get her weird sense of humor. But when mean girl Whitney spreads a rumor about her, things begin to click into place for Riley. Her curiosity about Aaron’s two dads and her celebrity crush on Joy Powers suddenly make more sense.
Readers will respond to Riley’s journey of self-discovery and will recognize themselves in this character who is less than perfect but trying her best. And creative kids will recognize themselves in her love of art and drawing.
While often funny and light, Riley’s exploration of what it feels to be an outsider and how hard it can be to make a friend break your heart in the best way. And with all of Riley’s hijinks and missteps, this story is laugh-out-loud funny from start to finish.
Congratulations, Rachel!