James Farner

Can’t decide what to buy on Prime Day?

Try: absolutely nothing, and then go support indie bookstores instead 📚

Howdy, writers!
I'll be closing to queries at the end of today (aka Friday, 10/3). The submissions have been coming in quicker that I can keep up.
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So I'm going to focus on reading all the lovely books that have already come in for the next few weeks and months.

I hope this is true 😅

Book deal announcement reading "Author of the Jacksonville Rays series and the Tuonela duet Emily Rath's DEVOUR ME, the first in an MMF paranormal trilogy, in which a young woman becomes caught between a handsome witch and a cursed wraith in a brewing war against dark forces, to Laura Schreiber at Avon, in a major deal, for seven figures, in a pre-empt, in a three-book deal, by Susan Velazquez at JABberwocky Literary Agency (NA). Rights also to Gillian Green at Bramble UK, at auction, in a six-figure deal, by Stevie Finegan at Zeno Agency."

Book deal announcement reading "Author of THE PASSING PLAYBOOK Isaac Fitzsimons's ASTRA FOX AND THE WONDERWORKERS REBELLION, the author's middle grade debut, set in an alternate Gilded Age where an aspiring wonderworker gains a once-in-a-lifetime apprenticeship, only to discover the illusions she creates uphold the very system that exploits her people and conceals the city's rotten core, pitched as a magical take on Newsies, to Alyson Heller at Aladdin, for publication in fall 2026, by Jordan Hamessley at JABberwocky Literary Agency (world English)."

Book deal announcement reading "Jess Mey's GRACE & JO HAVE NEVER SOLVED A MURDER, in which two witty and wise millennial women team up to solve a murder—or at least try to, to Gemma Creffield at Datura, with Ella Chappell editing, in a nice deal, for publication in October 2026, by James Farner at JABberwocky Literary Agency (world English). Rights: susan@awfulagent.com"

Book deal announcement reading "Brandon Sanderson and Peter Orullian's SONGS OF THE DEAD, the first book in the Strata Wars contemporary fantasy trilogy, following a struggling musician who, after his death, wakes up in a new reality, where music and light are considered magic and past eras play out underneath the streets of London, to Joe Monti at Saga Press, in a three-book deal, for publication in summer 2026, by Joshua Bilmes at JABberwocky Literary Agency (NA). Audio rights also to Georgia Holmes at Bolinda (UK), by Stevie Finegan at Zeno Agency."

We've been busy — here are some of the exciting projects our clients announced in the month of September alone 🥳

Congratulations to JAB clients Emily Rath, Isaac Fitzsimons, @jessmeywrites.bsky.social, @brandonsanderson.com, and Peter Orullian on their book deals!

The Sora AI thing is proof of something very important: The technology itself is useless without the ability to use the likenesses of real, living, unpredictable people, and the art they create. And the only way to get those likenesses or that art is to summarily steal it.

If you need signed copies of Chaos at the Lazy Bones Bookshop or Mayhem at a Halloween Wedding, the Well-Read Moose has this many:

Can't emphasize this enough!

How old do you have to be to stop getting excited about Scholastic book fair week? I'll let you know, but the number is higher than 36.

They are literally canceling culture

Not really an overstatement to say that the test of a free society is whether or not comedians can make fun of the country's leader on TV without repurcussions.

The Rivers of London series by Ben Aaronovitch is a must-read for those who love magic, mystery, and thriller 🤩 Get books 4-10 for $2.99 on eBook format – what a steal (Peter Grant don’t arrest me)!

buff.ly/EoKwGsy

Just to be blunt, if you want Wired and 404 and The Verge to employ reporters who understand the memes on bullet casings and can connect them to gaming culture while having the legal and support resources to deal with waves of harassment when we do it… you have to subscribe and pay for the work

Thanks!!

Humor, hijinks, and whodunit coming next year to a bookstore near you!!

On Fox News, the anchor Will Cain choked up on-air as he read aloud President Trump's announcement of the death of Charlie Kirk. "I don't know where we go from here as a news program," Mr. Cain told viewers, "and I don't know where we go from here in America." Megyn Kelly, streaming live on YouTube, was tearful even before the news was confirmed, sobbing with her guest, Glenn Beck of The Blaze. She described Mr. Kirk as a friend who supported her even when her relations with the MAGA world were strained. "I am so sorry to be bringing you this news," Ms. Kelly told her audience. Later

They have never, ever expressed anything close to this level of pain and sympathy for school shooting victims.

BREAKING, from NY Playbook PM: New York Gov. Kathy Hochul will sign an executive order allowing pharmacists to prescribe and administer Covid vaccines to New Yorkers who request them.

Exo by Colin Brush available at 25% off to Barnes and Noble members from Sept 3 to Sept 5.

A shout out to all in America. Here's your chance to get your science-fiction-murder-mystery-it's-the-end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it literary fix cheap!
www.barnesandnoble.com/w/exo-colin-...
@diversionbooks.bsky.social @zenoagency.bsky.social @awfulagent.bsky.social @barnesandnoble.com
#BNPreorder

Google AI search result for “was 2010 fifteen years ago?” returning: “No, 2010 was 14 years ago, not 15 years ago. The current year is 2025, and to find the number of years ago 2010 was, you subtract 2010 from 2025, which equals 14. Current Year: 2025 Past Year: 2010 Years Ago: 2025 - 2010 = 14 years”

Good news about the cutting-edge AI tools from the $3-trillion-dollar company.

House Republicans Want To Doxx Wikipedia Editors Over Bogus ‘Bias’ Complaints

Congress has absolutely zero constitutional authority to investigate a private website for its editorial decisions. Zero. None. This is First Amendment 101. Yet House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer and…

LEGO Stops Shipping Individual Bricks to United States After Trump's Tariffs The popular Pick a Brick service let LEGO fanatics get the exact piece they wanted. It’s no longer available to US customers.

Trump take LEGO

www.404media.co/lego-stops-s...

Also celebrating its release today is the American Mystery Classic reprint of THE TRAGEDY OF X by Ellery Queen 🎉

The first of the Drury Lane Mysteries, THE TRAGEDY OF X is among Ellery Queen's most beloved series, perfect for new and long-time fans!

awfulagent.com/ebooks/the-t...

Next week I'll be heading to New Orleans for Bouchercon, the World Mystery Convention! Laissez les bon temps rouler!

Friendly reminder that I will be closing to queries on August 31 (a week from today). The next time I will be open to queries will likely be next summer, so last call to get in your submissions! #amquerying #amagenting

Space Unicorn!

PLEASE SHARE! Writers! Uncanny Magazine is OPEN to Short Story Submissions from August 25 to September 8! We can't wait to read your stories!!! buff.ly/xB0IZOX

Climate-fiction thriller explores Florida’s flooded future How will technology — and society — adapt to the dramatic effects that climate change is expected to bring? Will necessity become the mother of invention in a world of rising seas? Will it be busin…

In the latest episode of the #FictionScience podcast, Tim Chawaga talks about parallels between the plot of his first novel, "Salvagia," and the real-world thrills and chills that are likely to sweep over America's coastal areas due to future sea level rise. cosmiclog.com/2025/08/11/c... #Worldcon

Salvage Buds: Four Sci-Fi and Mystery Sleuths Who Would Get Along With Travis McGee My sci-fi mystery, Salvagia, is set along the future flooded Florida coast. Protagonist Triss Mackey dives for artifacts of the past known as “salvagia” in the shallow water now known a…

Tim Chawaga imagines cross-literary bonds in work by Carl Hiaasen, Walter Mosley, and more! crimereads.com/salvage-buds...

Extremely cool JAB clients Tim Chawaga (left) and Victor Manibo (right) sitting on the stage at WORD Bookstore and smiling for the camera. A copy of SALVAGIA by Tim Chawaga is displayed between them, and a lighted sign of the bookstore's name, WORD, hangs on the wall behind them.

Extremely cool JAB clients Tim Chawaga (left) and Victor Manibo (right) sitting on the stage at WORD Bookstore and speaking into microphones. A copy of SALVAGIA by Tim Chawaga is displayed between them, and a lighted sign of the bookstore's name, WORD, hangs on the wall behind them.

Extremely cool JAB client Tim Chawaga sitting on the stage at WORD Bookstore and reading from his debut novel, SALVAGIA. A lighted sign of the bookstore's name, WORD, hangs on the wall behind them.

Extremely cool JAB agent James Farner (left), and JAB clients Tim Chawaga (center) and Victor Manibo (right) posing in front of the stage at WORD Bookstore. Tim is holding a copy of his debut SALVAGIA by Tim Chawaga, and a lighted sign of the bookstore's name, WORD, hangs on the wall behind them.

The JABberwocky team had a wonderful time celebrating @timchawaga.bsky.social's debut, SALVAGIA, at WORD Bookstore last night! Congratulations to Tim on a lively event, and shoutout to @victormanibo.com for being a great moderator ✨

awfulagent.com/ebooks/salva...

The hero we needed 🫡

I'm so sorry!! I hope you feel better quickly.

(I have a bit of a throat scratch myself, but nothing worse thankfully.)

I haven't posted much about Seattle WorldCon, but it was a blast.

Hanging out with old friends like @jonficke.bsky.social @erincairns.bsky.social @clayharmon2.bsky.social @aahabershaw.bsky.social @dmoren.com (to name a few) is always a pleasure, but I also met so many fun and cool people.