Projects in Progress

I’ve always got some kind of something going on somewhere, at some kind of stage of something. Here you can take a slight peek at what’s brewing. Elevator pitches, I suppose.

(My favorite professor in undergrad made us literally get in an elevator until we could recite our final project concepts between floors. I don’t think I’ve retained that skill, but I’ve certainly retained that fear and anxiety.)

Consider all of these projects to be (eventually) illustrated to one extent or another. I’m one of those weird author-illustrators who fell for long form pose instead of comics or picture books*, so my career goals involve creating hybrid novels with illustrations wedded to the text.

Do I love prose or art more? Depends on the day. Each one accomplishes something the other can’t.

*not that I don’t enjoy dreaming up a picture book from time to time

To talk books, please email my agent:

Linda Camacho Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency linda@galltzacker.com

  • THE TRAGICAL HISTORY OF THE JACKSON SISTERS AND THE EXTRAORDINARY NOW

    Status: On submission

    Age Category: Middle grade

    Genre: Historical, fantasy/paranormal, family drama

    Word Count: 75,000

    Pitch: A pair of young orphaned sisters come to live with their estranged grandparents in 1911 New York City. There they discover that death might not be permanent and magic might be real. And that their family might not be the one they really want.

  • IZ CIRCUS NOVEL/THE SPECTACULAR

    Status: Draft 4

    Age Category: Adult

    Genre: Historical fantasy

    (Current) Word Count: !?!??!?!!?

    Pitch: In 1920's England, a runaway with wings comes to perform on a runaway American circus. The spotlight and secrets collide as the world contends with her and the she contends with the world.

  • TORCH SONG

    Status: Draft 2 in progress

    Age Category: Adult

    Genre: Historical fantasy/backstage drama

    (Current) Word Count: 73,000

    Pitch: A young Broadway librettist lands the chance to write a musical about a recently passed Golden Age star, and ends up entwined in her mythologized life.

  • UNTITLED TYPHENA JACKSON NOVEL

    Status: Pre-planning

    Age Category: Adult

    Genre: Historical fiction

    Pitch: A teenage artists' model in 1900's New York City runs off to London with a wealthy man who says he can make her dreams come true.

  • AXEMAN OF NEW ORLEANS NOVEL

    Status: Draft 1 in progress

    Age Category: YA or Adult

    Genre: Historical horror

    Pitch: On March 19, 1919, the New Orleans serial killer with a penchant for axes issued a decree: anyone playing jazz that night would be spared. Spared from him, anyway.

  • JACK AND CLAIRE PROJECT

    Status: Pre-planning the revamp

    Age Category: Teen+

    Genre: Historical romance

    Pitch: A wealthy teenage ballerina keeps a diary of two very significant years in late 70’s/early 80’s London.

    This is my attempt to restructure the very well loved Livejournal epistolary serial, Adage/the Lavender Diary, which I wrote back in 2006-2007.