BIG NEWS! A new book deal

I have been sitting on this news for so long that when it hatches it will have an elephant trunk and tail! But oh, it is worth it, one hundred percent.

I have big big news: I have sold a new book. The Art of Scorpions will be published this fall (yes, THIS fall) by McElderry Books, at Simon and Schuster. Here is the Publishers' Weekly annoucement. "Karen Wojtyla at Simon & Schuster/McElderry has acquired Erin Bow's new YA novel The Art of Scorpions. In a world 400 years in the future, the UN assures world peace by keeping the children of rulers hostage. Go to war, and the kids die. And Greta's country is about to go to war. How can a hostage break all the rules and re-make her world? It's scheduled for fall 2015; Jane Putch at Eyebait Management negotiated the deal for world rights, retaining U.K. rights."

(Long time readers (if there are any) will recognize this description and may recall the working title, Children of Peace.)

Welcome to the world stage, Greta Gustafsen Stuart, Duchess of Halifax and Crown Princess of the Pan Polar Confederacy, quiet hero, scholarly badass, one of my favorite fictional people. We've had a long journey together, you and me, Greta -- but we are about to have a huge adventure.

UPDATE: We changed the title, to go with an awesome new cover that I hope to be able to share soon. It's now The Scorpion Rules.