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Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Signs Multi-Book Deal With New York Times Bestselling Author D.J. MacHale

Posted on: Thursday, 28 February 2008, 18:00 CST

NEW YORK, Feb. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Simon & Schuster's Children's Publishing has signed a multi-book agreement with D.J. MacHale, screenwriter and #1 New York Times bestselling author of the PENDRAGON series. The deal builds on the amazing success of the PENDRAGON series (over three million copies in print) and encompasses two trilogies, a four book series and two picture books to be published over an eight-year span under the Aladdin imprint -- these books will be the first major hardcover acquisition for Aladdin under the new S&S Children's Publishing restructure. In addition to the highly successful PENDRAGON series, of which the tenth and final book will be published in Summer 2009, D.J. MacHale is well-known as the director, executive producer and writer for the television series ARE YOU AFRAID OF THE DARK? and FLIGHT 29 DOWN, for which he won a 2008 Writers Guild of America Award.

"The amazing thing about D.J. MacHale is how true his connection is with young readers and how he speaks to such a wide audience both through his books and alternate forms of media," said Rick Richter, President and Publisher of Simon & Schuster's Children's Publishing. "The enormous popularity of the PENDRAGON books is just the beginning of what is sure to be a remarkable career. We are thrilled to be working with him over the next decade and are fully committed to take him to the next level as an author."

The books to be published under the new agreement include: -- THE EQUINOX CURIOSITY SHOP is a new action-filled fantasy series for younger middle-grade readers set to launch in Fall 2009. -- The MORPHEUS ROAD trilogy is slated to begin publishing Summer 2010 and is an older middle-grade supernatural series that tells the story of a sixteen-year-old boy who is being hunted and haunted by ghosts. A second trilogy is in the works for Summer 2013 that will appeal to the same older middle-grade reader as both MORPHEUS ROAD and PENDRAGON. -- THE MONSTER PRINCESS is MacHale's first picture book and features an ugly monster girl who lives in a cave beneath a castle and longs to become a beautiful princess. The picture book and sequel are to be published on a yet to be determined date.

"I'm thrilled that my friends at Simon & Schuster have given me the opportunity to explore so many ideas and characters in books that will reach out to kids of all ages," said D.J. MacHale. "For someone who loves to tell stories, it's a dream come true."

Additionally, MacHale will extend his strong relationship with his online fans by offering a year-round Pendragon online experience via his website http://www.thependragonadventure.com/. Fans will have access to cover unveilings, first peeks at excerpts, and behind-the-scenes footage of the Pendragon writing process exclusively on the website. Fresh downloadable content as well as plenty of viral components that both please his fans and allow them to easily spread the word about the latest written creation from D.J. MacHale will also be available.

MacHale's Pendragon graphic novel series -- an adaptation of the popular middle-grade novels by the same name -- will be published to coincide with the release dates of the new Pendragon hardcovers. The first graphic novel MERCHANT OF DEATH will release in Summer 2008, the same day as the ninth Pendragon.

MacHale will oversee the creation of three PENDRAGON prequel books entitled BEFORE THE WAR: THE TRAVELERS, with the first scheduled to publish in Fall '08 and the next two coming out before the tenth and final PENDRAGON title in Summer 2009. As a thank you to MacHale's fans for demanding and helping to create the new BEFORE THE WAR series, Simon & Schuster will make available one third of the first TRAVELERS installment online as a sneak preview before the book is published. Simon & Schuster also plans to redesign the entire Pendragon backlist which will include the tag line "Imagine the Unimagined" and feature new material to drive consumers online for added content and material.

MacHale was represented in the publishing deal by Richard Curtis of Richard Curtis Associates. Additionally, all film, game, merchandising and other media rights are being handled by The Gotham Group of Los Angeles. The British and translation rights are being handled by Baror International.

About Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, one of the leading children's book publishers in the world, is comprised of the following imprints: Aladdin Paperbacks, Atheneum Books for Young Readers, Libros para ninos, Little Simon(R), Little Simon Inspirations(TM), Margaret K. McElderry Books, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, Simon Pulse, Simon Scribbles, and Simon Spotlight(R). While maintaining an extensive award-winning backlist, the division continues to publish acclaimed and best-selling books for children of all ages. In addition to numerous Caldecott, Newbery, and National Book Award winners, Simon & Schuster publishes such high-profile properties and series as Eloise, Olivia, Raggedy Ann & Andy(TM), Henry & Mudge(R), The Hardy Boys(R), Nancy Drew(R), The Spiderwick Chronicles, Charles M. Schulz's Peanuts(R), Nickelodeon's(R) Dora the Explorer(R), Blue's Clues(R) and SpongeBob SquarePants(R), and Mirage studios' Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles(TM). For more information about Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, visit our website at http://www.simonsayskids.com/.

Simon & Schuster, a part of the CBS Corporation, is a global leader in the field of general interest publishing, dedicated to providing the best in fiction and nonfiction for consumers of all ages, across all printed, electronic, and audio formats. Its divisions include Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing, Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, Simon & Schuster Audio, Simon & Schuster Digital, and international companies in Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit our website at http://www.simonsays.com/

Simon & Schuster's Children's Publishing

CONTACT: Paul Crichton, Director of Publicity, Simon & Schuster'sChildren's Publishing, +1-212-698-2809

Web site: http://www.simonsayskids.com/http://www.simonsays.com/

Source: PRNewswire

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