Monday, May 07, 2012

Is she the new JK Rowling? Oxford student lands six-figure book deal for seven-book adventure series

By Rob Preece - 

An Oxford undergraduate is following in the footsteps of best-selling author JK Rowling - after landing a six-figure book deal with the Harry Potter writer's publisher.
English undergraduate Samantha Shannon, 20, has signed a contract with publishing powerhouse Bloomsbury for the release of her novel, The Bone Season, and two sequels.

But she doesn't plan to stop there. Just like Rowling did with her Harry Potter series, Miss Shannon has mapped out an entire adventure to be spread over seven books.
Samantha Shannon(In the money: Samantha Shannon, left, has signed a six-figure book deal with the same publishing house as Harry Potter author JK Rowling, right)

JK Rowling, File photo dated 07/07/11 of Harry Potter authorBloomsbury, which is due to announce the deal later this week, will be delighted if her novels repeat Rowling's success - the Potter series has sold more than 400million copies worldwide.

Miss Shannon was only 15 when she started trying to write her first novel, working in her bedroom for up to 15 hours a day.

She says details for the books are either in her head or written in notebooks.

The central character in Miss Shannon's futuristic adventure is a 19-year-old clairvoyant called Paige, who escapes from a life of crime.

Set in 2059, The Bone Season is inspired by the young author's interest in the Margaret Atwood novel The Handmaid's Tale and Anthony Burgess's A Clockwork Orange - both of which have repressive regimes as a background.

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