Friday news and deals

Sad news: Susan Hicks (aka Elizabeth Chadwick) posted on the HNS e-list this morning that prolific Scottish historical novelist Reay Tannahill, who had been in ill health for several years, has died. I haven't seen obituaries yet, but will post links once I have them.

Pauline Gedge recently did an interview for the CBC's Words at Large. Her latest novel of ancient Egypt, The Twice Born, was published in September by Penguin Canada.

Geoffrey Edwards talked to the Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL) about winning an online contest that resulted in publication of his novel Fire Bell in the Night. You can find the HNS review of Fire Bell here.

A lengthy profile of Deborah Challinor, who chronicles New Zealand's history in fiction, that also discusses that country's burgeoning interest in historical novels.

From Publishers Marketplace:

Romanian rights to Kathleen O'Neal and Michael Gear's TO CAST A PEARL, portraying Jesus Christ as a real, historical figure and the monks who struggle to preserve this truth in the face of the Church's violent opposition, to Rao, by Teri Tobias with Andrew Nurnberg Associates, on behalf of Matt Bialer at Sanford J. Greenburger Associates. [The Gears' website has more, including details on US (June 2008) and German publication.]

W. Michael Gear and Kathleen O'Neal Gear's PEOPLE OF THE CLIFFS and PEOPLE OF THE DAWNLAND, a continuation of the PEOPLE series, to Bob Gleason at Tor, in a significant deal, by Matt Bialer at Sanford J. Greenburger Associates (world English).

THE ILLUMINATOR author Brenda Rickman Vantrease's NO SEASON FOR GRACE, exploring a young woman's attempts to smuggle English Bibles into Henry VIII's England under the vengeful eye of Sir Thomas More whose ties to the Pope make such actions completely heretical; as the king's interest in Anne Boleyn accelerates, his distaste for More's faithful ties to the Vatican will lead them onto a collision course towards death and redemption, again to Hope Dellon at St. Martin's, in a six-figure deal, for publication in fall 2009, to Harvey Klinger (World).

Egyptologist Joyce Tyldesley's CLEOPATRA: LAST QUEEN OF EGYPT, to Lara Heimert at Basic, in a very nice deal, in a pre-empt, for publication in Fall 2008, by George Lucas at Inkwell Management, on behalf of Profile Books (NA). [this is nonfiction]

And more Egypt:

Esther Friesner's untitled about Nefertiti, to Mallory Loehr at Random House Children's, in a good deal, in a two-book deal, for publication in Spring 2010 and Spring 2011, by Russell Galen at Scovil Chichak Galen Literary Agency (World).

Charles Coleman Finlay's THE MINUTEMAN'S WITCH trilogy, a supernatural account of the Revolutionary War, in which there are bigger things at stake than American independence, to Chris Schluep at Ballantine, in a nice deal, for three books, by Matt Bialer at Sanford J. Greenburger Associates (World).

Tallgrass author Sandra Dallas's PRAYERS FOR SALE, about the unlikely friendship that develops - much of it over a quilt frame - between an octogenarian Civil War widow facing her final days living in the Colorado mountains and a fresh, young bride just arrived in town, to Jennifer Enderlin at St. Martin's, in a very nice deal, by Danielle Egan-Miller of Browne & Miller Literary Associates (NA).