Erin Murphy Literary Agency

Welcome, September releases!

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 14:00:00 -0700

Do you believe it's already September? And so we welcome our latest new arrivals from EMLA authors!

Immortal Beloved, first in a trilogy by Cate Tiernan, debuting Sept. 7 from Little, Brown.

The Ruby Notebook, Laura Resau's sequel to The Indigo Notebook, debuting Sept. 14 from Delacorte.

And extra congratulations to both authors, as these books hit the shelves with one starred review each under their metaphorical belts—from PW for Immortal Beloved, and from Kirkus for The Ruby Notebook.

As always, we wish these books into readers' hearts!

—Erin

Cover Parade: Your Mommy Was Just Like You

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 14:30:00 -0700

This spring saw the debut of Kelly Bennett's Your Daddy Was Just Like You, just in time for Father's Day—and next spring, Your Mommy Was Just Like You will hit shelves just in time for Mother's Day, of course! Both books focus on connections sweet and not-as-sweet, have lovely artwork by the incomparable David Walker, and are published by Putnam—and the cover of the mommy book shows two adorable girls who are alike but different. Such fun!

—Erin

Taking It to the Streets

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 13:00:00 -0700

The thing that seems to really capture readers' imagination about the story of Bob and Joe Switzer, told in Chris Barton's The Day-Glo Brothers, is the accessibility—these are two regular American guys who invented something that had a big impact on a lot of lives. No wonder the book, published by Charlesbridge, went on to garner a Sibert Honor from the American Library Association and be named to several best-of-the-year lists.

Chris and Charlesbridge are looking to tap into the same feeling with Chris's new work in progress, just signed by Yolanda Scott: John Dobson Is Part of the Sky looks at the life of a defense-worker-turned-monk-turned-astronomer who feels astronomy should be accessible to all people, and who thrives on the awe he sees in the faces of those who look through his Dobsonian telescopes, made from cast-off materials. Anybody can make one of these telescopes; anybody can see what's out there in space, up close, for themselves. And soon, anybody can read John Dobson's story, too.

Congratulations, Chris!

—Erin

Cover Parade—Falling for Hamlet

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 12:36:00 -0700

I’m thrilled to be able to share the cover for Michelle Ray’s upcoming YA debut, Falling for Hamlet, coming from Poppy/Little, Brown in July 2011. Falling for Hamlet retells the familiar Shakespearean tragedy from the point of view of a feisty, empowered Ophelia, who is neither suicidal nor anybody’s pushover. In a glittering world of celebrities, paparazzi, and reality TV, Ophelia navigates the minefield of teen life in a royal family gone crazy.

Small note that while the cover is all but complete, a very minor adjustment will be made to lighten Hamlet’s hair, to better match the description in the novel. What a jaw-dropping cover this is!

—Joan

Starring Immortal Beloved

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 09:49:00 -0700

Cate Tiernan's Immortal Beloved is starting to show up on store shelves, with an official release date of September 7 (published by Little, Brown, which has set up a website for the book here), and we are so pleased to see that it is also making its mark with reviews—starting with this lovely starred one from PW, which will be in the Sept. 30 issue:

Born in 1551, Nastasya is immortal, wealthy, and at the end of her rope. After centuries of hedonism, one casually cruel moment in present-day London shatters her composure and leaves her grasping at the slimmest of chances to save her sense of humanity. That chance takes the form of River’s Edge, a farm and retreat in the heart of Massachusetts, where a varied group of immortals seek to regain the immediacy and emotion of life fully lived. It’s not an easy fit for Nastasya, and as she learns about her companions, the ghosts of her long and dark past rise vividly to haunt her. Tiernan (the Sweep series) gives Nastasya a strong, distinctive voice and wonderfully realized perspective on the joys and horrors of history (“I was in Paris on July 14, 1789. You never forget the sight of a human head on a pike”). First in a projected trilogy, the story necessarily leaves many questions open, but achieves a satisfying arc. As Nastasya admits, “I wanted to see how it came out.” Readers will, too. Ages 12–up. (Sept.)

Congratulations, Cate!

—Erin

Cover Parade—Maybelle at the Fair

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 13:00:00 -0700

If you haven't met Maybelle the cockroach, you simply must! It sounds impossible, I know, but a cockroach really can be charming, as fans of Katie Speck's Maybelle in the Soup and Maybelle Goes to Tea can attest!

I can promise you, Maybelle's third book, due this spring from Holt/Macmillan, is the funniest one so far; the first time I read it, I had tears running down my face! Maybelle is brought to life by illustrator Paul Ratz de Tagyos, and his cover for Maybelle at the Fair captures my favorite scene from the book—Maybelle piloting a toy car across the fairgrounds with Henry the flea, wearing a giant pair of pants, hanging on for dear life:

Great fun!

—Erin

Cover Parade—Theodosia and the Last Pharoah

Tue, 24 Aug 2010 13:08:00 -0700

Theodosia Throckmorton has had some amazing adventures in her first three books, and many mysteries will come to a head in R. L. LaFevers's fourth installment, Theodosia and the Last Pharoah, which hits shelves next June (published by Houghton). Theo heads back to Egypt—and this time, the journey will be rather personal. As always, illustrator Yoko Tanaka captures the mood perfectly—and I love the way the books' spines look all lined up, progressing from green to red to gold to this jeweled-looking blue:

Gorgeous!

—Erin

Cover Parade—Orange Street

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 13:50:00 -0700

Do you know what the world needs more of? It needs more warm, community-focused stories for middle-graders. Stories that make you feel cozy, but also make you laugh.

It needs Joanne Rocklin's One Day and One Amazing Morning on Orange Street! So thank goodness it will get it in April of next year when Amulet/Abrams publishes it. Doesn't this cover give you a beautiful glimpse of what's inside? The artist is Chris Buzelli.

—Erin