Agent John Jarrold tells us he has concluded “a four-book World Rights deal with Simon Spanton of Gollancz, for fantasy novels by Stephen Deas, for a high five-figure sum in pounds sterling.” The first book covered by the new deal will be a stand-alone, The Black Mausoleum (scheduled to be delivered next summer), which will be related to his dragon fantasies. The other three books will be adult novels which will entwine with his YA fantasies, and will follow at yearly intervals.
Jarrold notes “Simon and I did our first three-book deal for Steve at the end of 2007. With the immediate success of The Adamantine Palace in early 2009, we were able to follow that up with another three-book deal that May. And now Steve’s third multi-book deal in two-and-a-half years—which is remarkable testimony to his writing and story-telling, and to the fact that Simon and Gollancz know a good thing when they see one!”
Deas’ debut novel, a dragon fantasy titled The Adamantine Palace, was published by Gollancz in March 2009 and followed by King of the Crags this April (the third volume in this series, Order of the Scales, will follow early in 2011). His YA series debuts with The Thief-Taker’s Apprentice next month.
Deas has worked as a systems designer and project manager for a number of technology-based aerospace companies and has reviewed books for the British SF Association’s magazine Vector. He currently lives in Essex with his wife and two sons.
Related articles previously published on SFScope:
Stephen Deas sells new YA fantasy trilogy to Gollancz (11 May 2009)