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Orion Children's Books has acquired new titles from four different children's authors. Fiona Kennedy, publisher, struck the deals with Catherine Clarke of the Felicity Bryan Agency.
Kennedy bought world rights for a two-book deal with Sally Gardner. The yet-untitled first book in the deal will be published in 2011. Gardner has previously written books including the Magical Children series, picture books and novels including I, Coriander (Orion) and Lucy Willow (Orion). Orion will also be publishing re-jacketed versions of Gardner's two-book sequence The Red Necklace and The Silver Blade in 2010.
Orion has also acquired world rights to a second series by Lauren St John. The series is titled The Laura Marlin Mysteries and the first of the four books has a working title of Dead Man's Cove: A Laura Marlin Mystery. The series will follow a young detective who travels the world. St John previously penned a series of children's books published by Orion which consisted of The White Giraffe, Dolphin Song, The Last Leopard and The Elephant's Tale.
Orion Children's Books will be publishing Joanne Owen's second novel in 2010. Kennedy acquired world rights for Alchemy, which is a mysterious 16th-century tale set in Prague and Vienna. Owen's previous novel, Puppet Master, was also published by Orion.
Finally world rights have also been acquired by Kennedy for the fourth title in Liz Kessler's Emily Windsnap series. Emily Windsnap and the Siren's Secret will be published in hardback in October this year. The new title will continue to explore themes of family, friendship and luck, which have been examined in her previous books.
Kennedy said: "The titles we have acquired from Catherine by Sally, Lauren, Joanne and Liz will make very special additions to the Orion Children’s list in 2009 and far beyond. Their books represent an extraordinary range of talents and imagination. We launched each of these authors and continue to be as proud to publish them now as we have been over the years."