Debut author Erika Johansen has 7-figure book deal for fantasy trilogy

[MisterOJ]

Whenever I read something like this, my mind immediately goes back to The Fifth Sorceress by Robert Newcomb.

Every. Single. Time.

[awesome possum]

So because she got a good book deal and allowed someone to use shorthand to describe her book, it must suck? The mind boggles.

Nope. It must suck because INTERNET

[Ormond]

Is this a new pen name for Bakker? Maybe he's trying to appeal to a new crowd with a polar opposite approach about what I am assuming is about a black woman becoming king Queen of a fantasy realm?

Honestly, you all, you are jumping to really farout conclusions from one sentence in the blurb, which reads:

The 35-year-old Johansen says she heard then-Sen. Obama give a speech in 2007 and was inspired to create the series’ idealistic heroine, 19-year-old Kelsea Glynn.

It seems to me that this implies there was something about the "idealism" of a particular speech of Obama's that inspired her to create the heroine. It doesn't mean the heroine is Black or even that her personality or career will resemble Obama's (and if she is Black, it's a really poor name choice as "Kelsea" would be a very White name in the USA, statistically speaking.)

[Argonath Diver]

I lived in Iowa City for awhile, and knew several Writers Workshop folks. Had a one-nighter with one. So, yes, I googled this name to see if that was the one, and, no, it wasn't. I'm rather disappointed, to be honest.

[AdXRoss]

That seems like an enormous deal for a debut, fantasy or any other author, who isn't already Stephen King. Is this as unusual as I'm thinking it is? Especially in this day and age?

But I suppose you can only say well done!

[Brendan Moody]

It's a large deal, which is why it's getting media coverage, but not stunningly so. They're buying all three books at once, so it's probably in the middle six figures per volume. Here is an article about high advances for debut fiction, which notes that one executive from HarperCollins, which bought Johansen's trilogy, is especially prone to seven figure deals for first books.

[AdXRoss]

It's a large deal, which is why it's getting media coverage, but not stunningly so. They're buying all three books at once, so it's probably in the middle six figures per volume. Here is an article about high advances for debut fiction, which notes that one executive from HarperCollins, which bought Johansen's trilogy, is especially prone to seven figure deals for first books.

Thanks for posting the link. That's a really interesting article.

I had just sort of assumed that with the narrowing of spending in the wider economy and entertainment in general, particularly the music business, that this kind of money was basically history.

[Sci-2]

Is this a new pen name for Bakker? Maybe he's trying to appeal to a new crowd with a polar opposite approach about what I am assuming is about a black woman becoming king Queen of a fantasy realm?

Hahahaha...I'll be curious to see how this goes.

[Myrddin]

The best thing about this news? Publishers are banking on big fantasy again.

Looking forward to hearing more about this author.

[Spring Bass]

I'm honestly intrigued, particularly with the "idealistic heroine" and "female Game of Thrones" factors. What might that mean?

[polishgenius]

I'm honestly intrigued, particularly with the "idealistic heroine" and "female Game of Thrones" factors. What might that mean?

"Idealistic heroine", I'd presume, means that the main character is a cynical bloke.

"female Game of Thrones" means the publishers paid a lot of money for the book and need to associate it with the biggest name they can.

[Opisthokont]

The best thing about this news? Publishers are banking on big fantasy again.

Again? Haven't they been doing that continuously since the early 90s?

I have very little insight into the publishing business, but it seems to me as if there has been a new heavily marketed fantasy series starting every year, at least.

[Darth Richard]

Pshh female writers! Next thing you know they'll want to vote!

(That is a Family Guy reference and a joke. Please do not kill me)

[Myrddin]

Again? Haven't they been doing that continuously since the early 90s?

I have very little insight into the publishing business, but it seems to me as if there has been a new heavily marketed fantasy series starting every year, at least.

Not really. Big advances for BIg Fat Fantasy took a downturn late 90's as Urban Fantasy became the top selling books. There have been exceptions, of course, (Rothfuss, Abercrombie, Lynch, etc), but I haven't read about a 7 figure deal for an epic fantasy in a long time.

[Spring Bass]

Justin Cronin got a seven-figure advance for The Passage back in 2010.

[Myrddin]

Justin Cronin got a seven-figure advance for The Passage back in 2010.

Yes, but it doesn't seem much like epic fantasy. Post-apocalyptic vampire sci-fi?

(comes back after reading up on it) I do remember hearing about back in 2007 when Ridley Scott bought rights to it for $1.75 million. It looked intriguing then, but I forgot about it by the time it came out. Worth picking up?

I'l not trying to suggest that no 7 figure deal have happened in the last 10-15 years, just that I haven't much like that in epic fantasy.

[Joe Abercrombie]

My first deal was seven figures.

We're counting the pence columns, right?

[Mikkelinski]

I can only hope that it becomes a massive success and makes the publishers all the more willing to invest further into fantasy (and all it's different sub-genres). The more that's available the better (even if I like the work in question or not, at least there will be more to choose from).

But man, 7 figures, I think I heard Sanderson speaking in some interview about the range being 5-15k for a debut author in fantasy. It really needs to hit just right if it wants a chance to make it worthwhile I'm guessing. Maybe it has sparkling vampires & bondage in a wizarding school for good measure?

[Kyle Loechner]

Maybe it has sparkling vampires & bondage in a wizarding school for good measure?

hahahaha :bowdown:

[Ebenstone]

I'll be honest, as a writer who has something being shopped right now, this initially infuriated me. My first inclination was, "There's no way this is better than what I wrote." I mean I wrote a "YA Game of Thrones," publishers should be knocking down my agent's door to get this book published. GOT is hot right now and I'm a massive fan of the series from way back when that actually had been pitching my books as "YA GOT" all the way back in 2008. Why is this person getting play and I'm not? Where's my 7 figure deal? Hell, where's my 5 figure deal? (Especially in light of reading another "YA Game of Thrones" type book that'd been hyped for months and months that was mediocre at best yet is still getting rave reviews.)

Then I relaxed. Tastes are different for different people. Maybe she got the editor on the right day. Maybe the sun was shining just right on the editor's desk. Maybe the editor had a liquid lunch and this was a good idea. Then maybe, just maybe, it's a really good book.