I am pleased to announce our newest acquisition by debut author Amanda Downum in a three book deal with Jennifer Jackson of the Donald Maass Agency. The first book in the series, currently titled THE DROWNING CITY, will be published in the spring of 2010 on both sides of the Atlantic.

I was captivated by this book from page one. Amanda has created a lush, original setting that blends themes from all sorts of cultures and histories across Asia into one fantastical world. More than that, though, she has created a truly exciting story that interweaves the political machinations of a city in turmoil with the intrigue and action of an agent provocateur.

Isyllt is a spy and a necromancer, ensuring that the dead rest easy and bending those that don’t to her will. She comes to the port city of Symir to foment rebellion against the Empire that threatens her own independent homeland. When her contact is murdered and her bodyguard disappears into the jungle on her own mission of revenge, she must find a way to incite a revolt against the military might of the empire. Torn between rebel factions, her duty and her new friends, she must elude discovery and complete her mission without destroying the city she came to save.

Amanda Downum has been published in a number of short story venues, including Stranger Horizons, Realms of Fantasy, Weird Tales, and On Spec. Her stories “Dogtown” (Strange Horizons, June 2006) and “Snake Charmer” (Realms of Fantasy, Oct 2006) have garnered honorable mentions in the Year’s Best Fantasy and Horror 2007. She is also a writer for the online site Shadow Unit, a collaboration with authors Elizabeth Bear, Sarah Monette, Will Shetterly, and Emma Bull.