Disney Publishing, which we already knew was handling the Rebels books, now announces new original-trilogy books for young readers. They’ve tapped bestselling children’s authors Tom Angleberger (The Strange Case of Origami Yoda,) Tony DiTerlizzi (The Spiderwick Chronicles,) Adam Gidwitz (A Tale Dark and Grimm,) and R.J. Palacio (Wonder.)
DiTerlizzi will handle The Adventures of Luke Skywalker, which is being illustrated with Ralph McQuarrie’s concept paintings. Palacio will adapt A New Hope, Gidwitz has The Empire Strikes Back, and Star Wars vet Angleberger takes on Return of the Jedi. All three will be illustrated by prequel and Episode VII concept artist Ian McCaig. (via)
The books will start hitting the shelves in October.
So yes, things are still up in the air as regards the adult novels. Though I did recently learn that Hachette does have an adult sci-fi imprint – Orbit (which yes, I knew of before – just not that it was linked to Hachette. Ugh, stupid me.) But they don’t seem to handle licensed work – could that change if Hachette gets Star Wars after the Del Rey contract expires? Or will Disney Press expand beyond kids’ and art books? Time will tell.
Disney appears to have its own adult imprint within Hachette: Kingswell http://lunch.publishersmarketplace.com/2014/01/people-193/ (last item).
So perhaps that’s where the adult books will go, if any.
They’ve published Marvel stuff under Marvel Press though, so I wonder if they’ll just retain the LucasBooks name.
Regarding Orbit – although they haven’t directly published licensed material they have indirectly published Star Wars titles in the UK – they were the UK publisher for the Republic Commando and The Old Republic novels.
I am also under the impression that since 2007, Orbit’s US division has been looking at ways to making serious inroads into the US Sci-Fi market and with Orbit’s links to Disney, via Hachette, when Del Rey’s contract expires I would expect Orbit to be a serious contender for the SW license.
As a footnote, authors for whom Orbit have published material features the following Star Wars authors: Kevin J. Anderson, Karen Miller, Matthew Stover, Walter Jon Williams, Karen Traviss, Tim Lebbon, William C. Dietz, Terry Brooks, Greg Bear, “James S.A. Corey” and Kevin Hearne.
I doubt there’ll actually be much of a bidding process this time around; I have to wonder if Hachette and Disney have a preexisting agreement (maybe tied to the sales docs?) that they get first hack at relevant publishing contracts, period. The only reason I thought Del Rey had a chance at hanging onto SW was that I didn’t know Hachette had a line like Orbit. With Orbit this looks nearly as inevitable as Dark Horse and Marvel was.
Ugh, Traviss. Things have been quiet on that front for a while; if this goes through all the clamoring will begin again.