Fantasy Author Julie Kagawa Sells New Book Series to Universal (Exclusive)

Universal has picked up an untitled young-adult book series proposal from fantasy author Julie Kagawa, with Chris Morgan attached to produce.

The supernatural story is set in a present-day coastal town where mythical creatures hide amongst us cloaked as humans. Slayers belonging to an order that dates back to St. George infiltrate the town disguised as out-of-town kids, setting up a confrontation and, as is the case with YA books, a love triangle.

The 104-page proposal was described as strong in execution. The deal went down late Thursday.

Harlequin TEEN-- in a seven-figure, five-book deal -- picked up book rights in January for its young-adult imprint. The first book is to be released in 2015.

Kagawa is a big name in the YA fantasy world. The Kentucky-based author is behind the fantasy series The Iron Fey, set in the realm of faeries, and Blood of Eden, a fairly new series centering on vampires set in a postapocalyptic future.

Morgan, who has a first-look producing deal with Universal, is best known as the writer of the studio’s Fast & Furious franchise and has Fast & Furious 6 opening May 24. He also wrote 47 Ronin, the Keanu Reeves samurai movie that opens Dec. 25. Chris Morgan Productions is also producing The Legend of Conan for the studio.

The pickup of the book proposal caps a busy week for Universal, which has emerged as one of the big buyers of the year so far. On Monday, it picked up a pitch from Melissa McCarthy and husband/partner Ben Falcone. That same day it also acquired a pitch for a new take on The Secret Garden; Beasts of the Southern Wild co-writer Lucy Alibar will pen a script with Guillermo del Toro and Mark Johnson producing.

Gersh reps Kagawa and repped the movie rights in the deal. The author is also repped by agent Laurie McLean at Larsen Pomada Literary.

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