Hachette Expands Publishing Program for Bestselling YA author Gail Carriger

(PRESS RELEASE) Orbit, a division of Hachette Book Group, has been steadily building the readership for Gail Carriger, award-winning and bestselling author of the Parasol Protectorate series, which includes the novels Soulless, Changeless, Blameless, Heartless and Timeless (coming in March 2012, in mass market and e-book editions). With the acquisition of Prudence and Imprudence, Orbit will further grow Carriger’s eager audience. Orbit signed the novels in a six-figure deal with agent Kristin Nelson of the Nelson Literary Agency, and plans to publish Prudence in Fall 2013.

“I can't wait to start writing about Prudence, who is destined to be even more outrageous and forthright than her indomitable mother,” said Carriger about her forthcoming novels. Prudence, daughter of Carriger’s beloved character Alexia Tarrabotti, is a metanatural: She can remove a supernatural’s immortality—and powers—by touch alone. She is recruited by the British government to rescue the British ambassador, who has been kidnapped by dissident werewolves in India. Carriger brilliantly blends Victorian romance, comedy of manners and alternate history in her novels, set in paranormal “steampunk” London, a genre she is helping to popularize in the US. Her series is also published by Orbit in the UK and France.

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers has acquired Carriger’s debut YA historical fantasy series, Finishing School, set in the same world, but 22 years prior to the original series. The series launches in February 2013 with Etiquette and Espionage, about an incorrigible young heroine, Sophronia, who is appalled when her mother sends her off to the daintiest of places: finishing school. Sophronia soon learns that this is no ordinary finishing school—not only will she learn deportment and etiquette, but she’ll be trained in the fine arts of deceit and weaponries. Kate Sullivan at LBYR acquired the series from agent Kristin Nelson in a pre-emptive four-book deal.