Publishing Deal - Kevin Wignall

I received a press release from Egmont today, concerning a new vampire series from Kevin (K J ) Wignall:

Egmont Press is delighted to announce the acquisition of The Mercian Trilogy from acclaimed author Kevin Wignall. The books are Kevin’s first for the teenage market and will be published under K.J. Wignall to differentiate them from his adult novels.

The first book, entitled Blood, will be published in Autumn 2011. It tells the epic story of Will, a vampire in danger from an unknown dark force. In the thirteenth century, Will was destined to be Earl of Mercia, although he never lived to inherit his title. In the centuries that follow, Will leads a lonely life, learning to deal with whatever the present day throws at him, always searching for answers but never finding any. Until this time when he wakes from a twenty year slumber, hungry for the blood that sustains his undeath and he finally gets a glimpse at why he exists. He does indeed have a destiny, and an enemy, and his fate is entwined with that of Eloise, a girl he is drawn to but can never have….

Stella Paskins, Egmont’s new young adult publisher, bought World English Language rights, including ebooks and audio, from Sarah Molloy at AM Heath: “Never believe anyone who says vampires are dead – they always come back!” she commented. “I found Blood a refreshingly different take on a vampire at large in the twenty-first century. It’s beautifully written and utterly compelling from page one. I can hardly wait to set it loose on the world!”