I’m writing a fantasy duology! I pitched it to my editor as “if a Final Fantasy boy met a Ghibli heroine…” and here we are..
My YA fantasy adventure inspired by Korean celestial maidens (선녀), w/ romance & echoes of Castle in the Sky is arriving 2024
Add to Goodreads: HERE
Dear Reader,
There’s not much I can say about this book, as I’m in the middle of writing it, but I was recently telling my friend the premise and she was like so basically it’s REBEL SEOUL meets THE GIRL WHO FELL BENEATH THE SEA, and… .wow mind blown, she’s not wrong. It combines a lot of elements from many genres–epic fantasy, sci-fi, and even some hints of steampunk thrown in there (airships make an appearance!)—and just like those books, it’s my love letter to everything I love—hence the comps. In terms of books, it’s a YA fantasy adventure like Shadow and Bone, Yona of the Dawn, & Jade Fire Gold . I’m excited to write a ~planned~ duology. All my books up to this point can be read as standalones, but this a SERIES, ah! Luckily, if all goes according to plan, BOTH books will release in 2024
For those who’ve read GIRL, you might recognize the “celestial maiden” myth from the story Mina tells the Sea God about the woodcutter and the heavenly maiden (it’s another translation of 선녀 [seonnyeo], which can also be translated as fairy or immortal women). Basically they’re women from the sky who wear magical winged robes that allow them to fly/ascend to heaven. I’m excited to work this legend into The Floating World
From SEA BOOK to SKY BOOK SERIES I’m so happy to share what I’m working on next. 2024 is a long time from now, but I hope you’ll anticipate these books with me!
All my love, Axie
From Publishers Weekly:
PW Children’s Bookshelf: Emily Settle at Feiwel and Friends has acquired THE FLOATING WORLD by New York Times bestselling author Axie Oh (The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea, XOXO). In this YA fantasy duology inspired by Celestial Maidens from Korean myth and pitched as Final Fantasy meets Miyazaki’s Castle in theSky, an amnesiac sword-for-hire and a theater troupe performer with mysterious powers discover that their destinies will change the fate of multiple worlds. Publication is planned for 2024; Patricia Nelson at Marsal Lyon Literary Agency negotiated the deal for World rights.
From Publisher’s Marketplace:
PM: NYT bestselling author of THE GIRL WHO FELL BENEATH THE SEA Axie Oh’s THE FLOATING WORLD, a fantasy duology following an amnesiac sword-for-hire and a theater troupe performer with mysterious powers whose destinies will change the fate of multiple worlds, pitched as Final Fantasy meets Miyazaki’s Castle in the Sky and inspired by Celestial Maidens from Korean myth, in a good deal, in a two book deal, to Emily Settle at Feiwel and Friends, for publication in 2024, by Patricia Nelson at Marsal Lyon Literary Agency (world).