Hot on the heels of the successful reprint of "Dad Was a Carpenter," Harper makes Kenny Kemp a house author and now hopes to make him a household name.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- Kenny Kemp, author of Dad Was A Carpenter, has been signed to a significant three-book deal with HarperSanFrancisco, the inspirational imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, the world's largest English language publisher.
"We are very excited about this project," says Gideon Weil, Kemp's editor at HSF. "Kenny pitched it to us last spring and everyone here agreed it was a truly inspired idea. I wish I could tell you more about it, but the idea is so incredible that we've all agreed to try to keep it under wraps for now."
However, Joe Durepos, Kemp's agent, did reveal that the book series will be a historical fiction set in Palestine. "It's an incredible concept and Kenny is the perfect guy to write it." Durepos also disclosed that the deal was in the mid-six figure range.
Kemp says the concept came out of his pondering of the Bible. "I'm interested in reducing the distance between God and man. I struggle to feel more connected to God, and my writing reflects that desire. And as a kind of "faithful skeptic," I've found my experience is also that of a great number of people for whom traditional religion is very confining."
Kemp's previous book, the memoir Dad Was A Carpenter, won the Grand Prize in the 1999 Writer's Digest Self-Published Book Awards and was soon snatched up by HarperCollins and re-released this last May to great acclaim. Kemp was invited to Book Expo in Chicago this last June, and was one of several writers feted at a party given by Jane Friedman, HarperCollins president. He also participated in a very successful book signing at the convention.
"This deal is a reflection of how we feel about Kenny," said Gideon Weil, Kemp's editor. "We've been wanting to make him a house author because he is that most rare combination: a great storyteller who touches the heart lightly but powerfully. And we are hopeful that this new project, the first volume of which is tentatively titled The Welcoming Door, will establish Kenny as a major American inspirational writer. Dad Was A Carpenter has been successful for us and we are confident he will not disappoint with his next book."
Kemp is also a contributor to Writer's Digest magazine, which will feature an article by him about his self-publishing experiences in this summer's annual self-publishing issue.
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