Tuesday, October 16, 2007

SOLD!!!!!!!!

You would think that after dreaming about this moment for years I would know what to say, but I'm speechless! On Friday my agent decided to send a sneak peak of WIP out to a few editors. First thing Monday morning we had a pre-empt offer!! I'm not sure I even breathed all day yesterday as things unfolded. And I couldn't be more thrilled, excited, amazed, to announce that I've sold my WIP, THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH in a two book deal to Krista Marino at Delacorte, the YA imprint of Random House. Does my agent rock or what?

I still can't believe it! I keep refreshing Publishers Marketplace to see the announcement and I think I might pass out once it's posted!


I'm even more excited that I finally get to share with you more details about THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH. This is the book I started last year during NaNo when I emailed the first line to myself and couldn't stop writing. It's a literary post-apocalyptic novel and here's what I wrote about it in my query:

Generations after the zombie apocalypse known as The Return, Mary's life is as circumscribed by her community's strict religion as it is by the fences that form her village's only defense against the hordes of the undead -- the Unconsecrated -- who dwell in the surrounding forest.


Her faith is shattered the day her mother becomes infected by the Unconsecrated, and her belief in her community is destroyed when she secretly witnesses the Church leadership imprison, then condemn, a miraculously non-infected outsider who somehow finds a safe path to the village. The only other person who questions their Puritanical lifestyle is her betrothed's crippled brother, Travis, who has been assigned to wed Mary's best friend. Mary is torn between her duty to friends and society and her growing love for Travis.


When the Unconsecrated breach the fences and overrun the village, Mary, Travis, and their intendeds are among the few survivors. Now, their only chance is to brave the outsider's path through the deadly Forest in an attempt to discover the only thing that Mary still believes in -- that there is a world beyond the Forest of Hands and Teeth.


I can't wait to share more details over the next few days!! YAY!!!!

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Congratulations!!! :)

Gina Black said...

Sent by Diana. This is a great sounding story. Can't wait to read it. Congrats! Congrats! Congrats!

Jackie Barbosa said...

Congratulations, Carrie!

I just have to say, wow, people I know are selling like hotcakes these days. And that just puts a huge smile on my face :).

I'll look forward to this one hitting the bookshelves for sure.

lacey kaye said...

PARTY TIME!!! EXCELLENT!!!!!!

I am so, so thrilled! Like JB said, this is great inspiration for ALL of us unpubbeds.

It's your moment to shine, baby! Hard work pays off!

Erica Ridley said...

Yayayayayayayayay!!!

Jessica Burkhart said...

Go, go Carrie!! YAY! :)

Marley Gibson said...

Huge, huge, huge CONGRATS to you, Carrie! Diana told me all about it and I'm soooooooooo happy for you!!! Post the PL listing for those of us not on there. = )

Best,
Marley = )

Patrick Alan said...

Wow a SALE AND You're Taller!

So COOL! And now we know which side of the Zombie\Unicorn divide that you are on.(Not that I hadn't guessed.)

Vicki said...

Major Congrats Carrie!!!

I'm so excited for you. :D

Diana Peterfreund said...

What a lovely description! What vivid prose! What exquisite wordsmithing! That certainly sounds like an exciting premise.

;-)

Emma Petersen said...

No wonder this book sold! This sounds fricken awesome! I am terrified of zombies but I still wanna read it. See! Aweseome! Congrats! *doing snoopy dance for you*

Heather said...

I'm so thrilled for you, Carrie!! I love the premise and can't wait to buy it in the store. Congratulations -- it couldn't happen to a nicer blogger!

Carrie Ryan said...

WOW! Thanks for all the fantastic comments! Y'all make me feel so special :) I'm still just totally in shock. I had to sign something for work today and I thought "in a year I'll be signing books!" A total surreal moment!

Thanks for being there to share this awesome time with me!

Carrie Ryan said...

Yes, more thanks than exist in the world are due to Diana for the beautifully crafted query letter! She rocks!