I'm so happy to share that Daphne Kalmar's debut MG novel, A STITCH IN TIME, has sold to Jean Feiwel and Anna Roberto at Feiwel & Friends!

Donut is an eleven-year old geography buff who keeps her taxidermied mice hidden in her late mother’s hope chest. Her pops died eight weeks ago, leaving her an orphan. Aunt Agnes has moved in, bringing along her lumpy oatmeal, her knitting and a plan to drag Donut off to Boston forever.Donut stands to lose everything: her friends, her Vermont village, her home, the woods and walks where the memories of her pops are stored up like the bread and butter pickles in canning jars on the shelf. While Donut dodges the hurt of missing her pops, she and her best friend Tiny plan how to keep her right where she belongs. When Aunt Agnes is not persuaded, Donut paddles away in her pops’ last invention, a folding tin boat. Holed up in a cabin on Dog Pond, Donut hopes Aunt Agnes will throw in the towel and leave Vermont without her. But Donut isn’t counting on a bear, a leaky boat, or an ache that won’t go away.A STITCH IN TIME is shot through with gorgeous, evocative language, and gets right to Donut’s heart – her hurt, her strength, her struggle to make sense of loss. She’s buoyed by her sense of humor, and this is a book that made me both cry and cackle with laughter. But perhaps what I love about it most is that it’s not just about loss, it’s about renewal.You'll find it in bookstores next June -- congratulations to Daphne!

I'm thrilled to announce that Matt Myklusch's (author of the Jack Blank and Seaborne series) newest middle grade series, MAJESTIC: THE MAGICIAN'S ASSISTANT, has sold to Liesa Abrams at Aladdin. It's fun, it's fast paced, and it's about what happens when we allow ourselves to believe in the power of good old fashioned magic.

Joey Kopecky isn’t smartest 12-year-old in the state of New Jersey. But everyone thinks he is. So when Joey’s perfect test scores and ability to “see through tricks” get him out of summer school and qualify him to try out for a job at the Majestic Theater working for Redondo the Magnificent, he is thrilled.Joey wants the job, but he’s not the only one applying. He will face competition from children who come from all around the world.Joey soon learns there is more to magic than putting on a good show. Dark magicians intent on destroying Redondo and wreaking havoc on the magical world are closing in, and it’s up to Joey to save them all—if only he can find a way to truly believe.

Congratulations to Matt!

Happiest of book birthdays to Shelley Tougas's LAURA INGALLS IS RUINING MY LIFE!

A life on the prairie is not all its cracked up to be for one girl whose mom takes her love of the Little House series just a bit too far.Charlotte’s mom has just moved the family across the country to live in Walnut Grove, “childhood home of pioneer author Laura Ingalls Wilder.” Mom’s idea is that the spirit of Laura Ingalls will help her write a bestselling book. But Charlotte knows better: Walnut Grove is just another town where Mom can avoid responsibility. And this place is worse than everywhere else the family has lived―it’s freezing in the winter, it’s small with nothing to do, and the people talk about Laura Ingalls all the time. Charlotte’s convinced her family will not be able to make a life on the prairie―until the spirit of Laura Ingalls starts getting to her, too."Strong characters and fast plotting propel readers to a sweet, realistic end that provides hope and a sense of stability...Lovely." – Kirkus Reviews"This sharp and quirky story winningly portrays a girl who, in finding herself, finds family, friends, and a place to belong." – School Library JournalPlease look for this book at your library or local bookstore!Congrats and happiest of Pub Days to Shelley Tougas -- stop by her site to say hello. You'll find her here and here.

I’m so happy to wish LOVE, TRIANGLE by Marcie Colleen and Bob Shea the very happiest of book birthdays! LOVE, TRIANGLE was a special project right from the start – when Marcie and I first met to discuss representation, we talked over a number of her manuscripts. She mentioned a story she had brewing – nothing to share yet – about a Circle and a Square who have been friends forever……Circle and Square just fit, the way best friends do. Then someone new comes along: Triangle. Triangle is different, bold, inspiring. A wedge develops between Circle and Square and before long, they find they no longer fit the way they used to. Can this friendship for two grow to become one for three?The genius of LOVE, TRIANGLE is its geometry-inspired wordplay, but the story will resonate with even the youngest readers – after all, you don’t have to understand the Pythagorean Theorem to know what it’s like when a friendship gets bent out of shape, and needs to be put back together again.Well, of course I was intrigued! Marcie sent me the text a year after we began working together. We were both thrilled when it found a happy home at Balzer + Bray, and Bob Shea was able to create the charming, clever illustrations.Please find this book at your library or local bookstore – it is a real delight!Congrats and happiest of Pub Days to Marcie Colleen and Bob Shea -- stop by their sites to say hello. You'll find Marcie here and here.

I'm so happy to share that Paul Acampora's new MG novel, CONFUSION IS NOTHING NEW, has sold to Nancy Mercado at Scholastic!This book is a true gem. Generous in spirit, funny and a real pleasure -- or, as Paul says, it's fueled by bighearted 80s rock&roll, a dash of Goonies, and large doses of Cyndi Lauper's girl-power joy.Ellie Magari is figuring out what it means to be a girl in the world today, especially when the one role model she could have had (her mother) was never around and she was raised by her hardworking single father who didn't exactly keep the lines of communication open. Exactly who was Ellie's mom? And now that she's gone for good, what does that mean for Ellie?Fueled by the bighearted sounds of '80s rock and roll, plus a dash of The Goonies and Ferris Bueller's Day Off, and large doses of Cyndi Lauper's girl-power joy, is a coming of age story as well as a drama and comedy about friendship, girls, and the tension between fathers and daughters. It's also a story about girls who understand that it's good to make things, but breaking things is okay too.In fact, sometimes breaking things is required.

Not one, not two, but three (or four, depending on how you count) Upstart clients have new books out in the world today! Happy pub day to Ruth Spiro's newest BABY LOVES books: BABY LOVES THERMODYNAMICS and BABY LOVES QUANTUM PHYSICS; Marcie Colleen's seventh SUPER HAPPY PARTY BEARS title, TINY PRANCER; and Catherine Holt's MIDNIGHT REYNOLDS AND THE SPECTRAL TRANSFORMER! And, bonus: Sarah Lariviere's Edgar Award nominee, THE BAD KID, is out today in paperback!Congrats and happiest of Pub Days to all!

I'm so happy to share that Amanda Ashby's MG ghostly mystery novel Midnight Reynolds and the Spectral Transformer, has sold in a three book deal to Wendy McClure and Eliza Swift at Albert Whitman!I love this cute and creepy novel -- chock full of ghosts and ghost-hunting gizmos. Not to mention a twist that I promise you won't see coming!When twelve year-old misfit Midnight Reynolds takes a job helping out eccentric Miss Appleby in the mansion down the street, she never imagined her work would involve battling ghosts. But as it turns out, Midnight and her new employer have quite a bit in common—they were both born on Halloween and have the power to see spirits of the dead. But when Midnight learns more about the history of her town, she starts to wonder if she’s fighting on the right side...

Congratulations to Marcie Colleen on the publication of the fifth and sixth books in the SUPER HAPPY PARTY BEARS series!The Super Happy Party Bears are back in this silly chapter book series filled with full color illustrations and adorable animals.

In BAT TO THE BONE, the bat-only punk rock band “Flying Blind” has a dedicated following of other nocturnal music lovers. Their screechy sound really meshes with sonar hearing. While on tour to expand its fan base, Flying Blind stops at the Grumpy Woods for a midnight show. Soon tons of rock fans are keeping everyone awake at night! But when the bears start jamming with the band, its sound changes, driving away the crowd. This time it’s Opal Owl who saves the day―and returns some peace and quiet to the woods.With music, mayhem, dancing and donuts, Super Happy Party Bears: Bat to the Bone rocks the party.

The Super Happy Party Bears are in awe of their new friend, Butter, a groovy caterpillar who’s got the moves. This Jitterbug can breakdance, tango, and boogie-woogie. Butter becomes an honorary Super Happy Party Bear dedicated to being goofy and spreading the party spirit!When Butter mysteriously disappears, the bears frantically search for him, only to discover that the Jitterbug has morphed into a beautiful butterfly! The bears must accept that jitterbug has grown up and must follow his own fluttery path.Cheerful, sweet, and full of fun, Super Happy Party Bears: THE JITTERBUG will put you in the mood to dance.Congratulations to Marcie for this amazing, happy series! Books 7 and 8 will follow in the new year.To buy copies, please visitPowellsIndie BoundBarnes + NobleAmazon

I'm so happy to share that Lisa Lewis Tyre's MG novel HOPE IN THE HOLLER, has sold in a two book deal to Nancy Paulsen at Nancy Paulsen Books / PRH!HOPE IN THE HOLLER is the poignant - and funny - story of a girl trying to be brave and find her place in the world after she's sent to live with scheming relatives.Right before Wavie's mother died, she gave Wavie a list of instructions to help her find her way in life, including this one: Be brave, Wavie B! You got as much right to a good life as anybody, so find it! But little did Wavie's mom know that events would conspire to bring Wavie back to Conley Hollow, the Appalachian hometown her mother tried to leave behind. Now Wavie's back in the Holler--and in the clutches of her Aunt Samantha Rose. Life with the devilish Samantha Rose and her revolting cousin Hoyt is no picnic, but there's real pleasure in sleeping in her own mother's old bed, and making friends with the funny, easygoing kids her aunt calls the "neighborhood-no-accounts." With their help, Wavie just might be able to prevent her aunt from becoming her legal guardian, and find her courage and place in the world.

I'm delighted to share that Angie Smibert's MG historical fiction novel GHOSTS OF ORDINARY OBJECTS, has sold in a three book deal to Rebecca Davis at Boyds Mills!Sometimes the hardest story to love is your own.Set in a Southern Virginia coal mining town in 1942, GHOSTS OF ORDINARY OBJECTS: BONE’S GIFT introduces us to twelve year old Bone Phillips, who can see the stories in ordinary objects—and she doesn’t much like it. It’s her family Gift, as her Mamaw calls it. In a jelly jar, fiddle or even a butter yellow sweater, Bone sees tales of loss, grief, love and hope. But these aren’t the stories Bone likes to tell. She’d much rather spin yarns of gypsies or talking animals. Bone’s Mama had the Gift too, but Bone doesn’t know much about her; she died when Bone was young. But when Bone finds a note saying that the Gift killed her mother, she knows it’s time to learn more.GHOSTS OF ORDINARY OBJECTS: BONE’S GIFT weaves Bone’s story and the mystery of her mother’s death into a beautifully resonant tale about the power of story. Author Angie Smibert summons this coal-mining town to life by drawing together history and Appalachian folklore, giving us not just the facts, but the heart of this place. She populates it with characters just as richly felt – among them Bone, whose quiet strength radiates, beautifully, through this book.