I was going to announce this tomorrow but looks like the news has already hit! :-)

So it's been a month or so since I left Tor UK and all my wonderful authors there. And I've been slowly going through the submissions that have been sent in to me. I have to say I've been hugely impressed by the quality! But, there was one that immediately captured my attention. Just with the first line. 'I was seven years old the first time my uncle poisoned me.'

I raced through the next three chapters and got the rest of the book in. It was equally as good. The action is concentrated around a city: civilized, democratic, equal positions of power and privilege for both sexes - it sounds utopian, doesn't it? But what if that city were built upon a lie?

I knew that the author had already had an offer of representation - hardly surprising. But I expressed my interest and then had a chat on the phone to explain the editorial work I thought it might need. Sam was fabulous - very amenable to editorial suggestions, enthusiastic about genre and passionate about writing. I was absolutely thrilled when a few days later I received an email accepting my offer of representation. There may have been a woo hoo or two...

So here's my press announcement concerning our new partnership!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 23, 2015

Julie Crisp to represent exciting debut fantasy author Sam Hawke

Julie Crisp, literary agent, has signed up an exciting debut fantasy author to represent. Crisp, formerly an editorial director of fiction at Pan Macmillan, until recently, had been running the Tor UK imprint publishing genre and working with authors including the bestselling SF author Peter F. Hamilton and multi award-winner China Miéville. She left the company in May to set up her own business as a script doctor and literary agent.

Her new author Sam Hawke is an Australian fantasy writer born, raised and educated in Canberra, Australia. The novel, currently called PROOF, is an intelligent fantasy concentrating on issues of race, gender and equality full of action, drama and original characters.

Jovan wears two faces. Outwardly, he is the lifelong friend of the Chancellor’s charming, irresponsible Heir. Quiet. Forgettable. In secret, Jovan is a master of poisons and chemicals, trained to protect the Chancellor’s family from treachery.

His sister, Kalina, hides her frustrations behind a mask of calm. While other women of the city hold positions of power and responsibility, her own ill-health prevents her from doing anything to further her ambitions. Determined to throw off the shackles of her protective family, Kalina works to ensure that when the time comes to make a difference – she’ll be ready.

When the Chancellor succumbs to an unknown poison and a revolutionary army lays siege to the city, Jovan and Kalina’s structured world unravels. Trapped and desperate, unsure whom to trust, they must protect the Heir. But as they hunt the assassin, they soon discover their civilized country also has two faces; behind the beauty and sophistication is an ugly past built on the oppression of the indigenous people. Their enemies aren’t who they thought they were, and it may be that the traitor is someone close to them all . . .

Crisp said ‘I’m absolutely thrilled to be representing Sam who is a fabulous writer. PROOF is fast-paced, full of action, intrigue and intelligence. It’s exactly the sort of book I would have loved to have published when working at Tor.’

Sam Hawke commented ‘I am so excited to team up with Julie, and delighted to have the benefit of her stellar record in nurturing genre talent – and no doubt her fierce red pen – turned to me. I'm looking forward to sharing a long and productive career together!’

About the author: Sam Hawke has wanted to write books since realising as a child that they didn't just breed between themselves in libraries. Having contemplated careers as varied as engineer, tax accountant and zookeeper Sam eventually settled on the law. After marrying a jujitsu black belt training partner and travelling to as many countries as possible Sam now resides in Canberra raising two small ninjas and two idiot dogs.

You can find Sam Hawke online at samhawkewrites.wordpress.com or on Twitter as @samhawkewrites.

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If you would like more information about this topic, please contact Julie Crisp at julieacrisp@gmail.com.

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We shall be working together to edit and revise the book in the coming months and then I shall be looking to submit to US and UK publishers. While it's going to feel rather strange being the one sending a pitch out rather than being on the receiving end of it - I can't help be hugely excited about it. I know Sam is exactly the type of author I would have been thrilled to have published at Tor UK. I'm hoping all those genre editors out there will feel the same way!