Thursday, November 17, 2011

Strange Chemisty - New YA imprint from Angry Robot

I am SO incredibly pleased to share this Press Release with you from Angry Robot. Read on to see why:


Angry Robot announces new YA imprint, Strange Chemistry

Angry Robot, the award-winning publisher of SF, F and WTF are pleased to announce their newest venture – a sister imprint, Strange Chemistry, which will publish Young Adult genre fiction.

The imprint will launch in September 2012, with five titles appearing before the end of that year, before settling down to one book each month. Strange Chemistry will follow AR’s strategy of co-publishing its books simultaneously in the US and UK, in both eBook and paperback formats. Subject matter will include fantasy, science fiction, supernatural and horror, and as with Angry Robot the lines between those genres are likely to be very blurry at times.

Running the imprint will be Amanda Rutter, until recently best known as the tireless blogger behind genre review site, Floor-to-Ceiling Books. She takes up her position in Angry Robot’s headquarters in Nottingham on December 12th.

Angry Robot’s managing director Marc Gascoigne said: “The key to any truly successful genre imprint is the personality of its editors. In Amanda we’ve found the perfect mix of editing skills and wild, wild enthusiasm for the subject. Her first signings are already making us jump up and down in excitement. We’re beyond delighted to welcome her to the team.

Amanda Rutter commented, “Angry Robot have quickly become one of the most exciting and challenging genre publishers around, and I have so much admiration for the types of novels that the guys are bringing to the world of speculative fiction. I’m absolutely thrilled that I have the opportunity to join the team, and create a list full of Young Adult novels that share the same sharpness and passion as those in the AR list.”

More information can be found at http://www.strangechemistrybooks.com/ and http://www.angryrobotbooks.com/.You can meet Amanda at http://floor-to-ceiling-books.blogspot.com/
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Isn't that superb news? We are so proud of Amanda. She has worked so hard for this position and has grown so much as a blogger in the time we've known her, as well as an editor. Her crucible was the slush pile reading that a group of us participated in for Angry Robot a few months ago. I think, from what she told me, she felt really at home and loved that she could go all detective and sniff out suitable books not just to fit the AR list but also books she'd want to read. I utterly failed at the slush pile reading and could only stand in awe as I watched her read and read and read. She is a dynamo. Focussed and determined and she has a great nose for what's good and what's not.

Hand on heart, Mark, Sarah and I wish Amanda the best of luck in her career change. It is a big deal, a big change going from her role as a chartered accountant to follow her dream to being offered her dream by the guys at AR. I know how determined they are, how goal focussed and insanely passionate they are about the books they publish and about the industry and I really think Strange Chemistry is going to be a very cool, very worthy addition to the current YA market.

As a reader, I cannot wait to see what Amanda chooses and as an aspiring writer and member of SCBWI BI, I think it is a fantastic opportunity for writers. I know the books they choose will have an edge - I mean, come on - it's Angry Robot! And wow, just wow. I am really pleased for my friend. Because she's doing a big thing, following her dream. And we can only - gets out a hanky to dab the eye - wish her the best of luck as we continue on our own paths.

1 comment:

Anne Lyle said...

OK, picky editorial time - you need to add an extra hyphen to your link to Floor to Ceiling Books. For a horrible moment I thought Amanda had deleted her old blog!

Awesome news though, and I agree - Amanda worked like a Trojan on the Open Door month and her dedication has paid off in spades :)