Having found success earlier this year with his middle-grade novel The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell, actor turned author Chris Colfer, best known for his role as Kurt Hummel on Glee, will publish his first book for teens later this year. Struck By Lightning: The Carson Phillips Journal will be released by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers on November 20, ahead of the film on which the book is based. Colfer both wrote the screenplay for and stars in the film, which also features Allison Janney, Christina Hendricks, and Dermot Mulroney, and debuted at the Tribeca Film Festival in April.
The film and book follow high school senior Carson Phillips (Colfer), who blackmails his fellow students into contributing to his literary journal, in order to pad his college application. “Chris is a remarkable writing talent, and Struck By Lightning is a story that will entertain, enlighten, and deeply affect not only his millions of fans, but every person who has experienced the sometimes painful, sometimes funny alienation and confusion of high school,” said Megan Tingley, senior v-p and publisher at LBYR, in a statement.
World rights for Struck By Lightning were acquired by Andrew Smith, v-p and deputy publisher at LBYR, and executive editorial director Alvina Ling, who will edit the novel. Rob Weisbach of Rob Weisbach Creative Management represented Colfer. Earlier this year Colfer emceed the children’s breakfast at BookExpo America, followed by a book tour in July for The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell. His novel is currently #3 on PW’s children’s frontlist fiction bestsellers list.
