Macmillan's trade group is organizing its first coordinated international publication for an author it discovered through one of its Australian e-only imprints. For newcomer Kyle Scott, Macmillan has secured world English rights, in a four-book deal, to the author's new adult series, Stage Dive. St. Martin's Press editor Rose Hilliard acquired the project, and the first book in the series, Lick, is set for May 2014, to be released simultaneously in print and digital by Macmillan's English-language divisions in England, the States and Australia.
The e-book edition of Lick was originally published by Pan Macmillan Australia's Momentum imprint in July, 2013. After the title took off on a global scale--Macmillan said that, within days of publication, the novel had hit USA Today's e-book bestsellers list--the publisher went after print rights. Asked about the first-time global acquisition approach, Hilliard that, given the sales momentum of the series and the increased competition for it, the feeling in-house was that "we were better able to compete for her at auction by joining forces and making an offer together."
Macmillan plans to release the new print and e-book editions of Lick with one updated cover that all of its global divisions will use.
Amy Tannenbaum at the Jane Rotrosen Ageny represented Scott in the deal with Hilliard, and the Rotrosen Agency retains translation rights to the series.
Scott, who lives in Queensland, Australia, has also written a dystopian romance series that was published by Momentum. Speaking about the deal, she said she has "always dreamed of seeing my books on bookstore shelves, so it’s exciting for that dream to be coming true."
