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Nancy Yi Fan's Swordbird.

It sounds almost too good to be true. A Chinese 11-year-old kid writes a fantasy novel about warring birds. She submits it to a US publisher (who usually doesn't accept unagented submissions) and they agree to publish it.

Kid must be a freaking genius. I'm jealous:
Born in Beijing in 1993, Fan lived in New York with her parents from the age of seven, graduating 'with excellence' from an elementary school there in 2004. When she was in sixth grade, at the age of 11, she was taught about terrorism and the events of 9/11. That night, she explains, she had a startling dream all about birds at war and the next day she started writing Swordbird in her bedroom as a way of trying to convey her worries about violence in the world. She now lives back in China, on the beautiful Hainan Island with her parents and their three pet birds. The girl, now 13, is a compulsive writer and reader who spends most of her time in the library, but she also loves bird-watching and martial arts.
This Fan reminds me a little of Matilda... except maybe she doesn't have any telekinetic powers.

I have to admit, I'm curious to read Swordbird. What's interesting to me about this is they don't bill it as a children's book, not even YA... so is it something for adults? Who's their target market? What's so great about it? Unfortunately, we'll only find out in 2007. Damn.
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Comments

  1. Anonymous28/12/06 5:01 am

    Nancy Yi Fan's website was found:
    http://swordbird.googlepages.com/index.htm
    SWORDBORD is a fantasy novel written by the 13-year-old girl.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ted Mahsun28/12/06 9:25 am

    Um. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous19/3/07 6:09 am

    cool u made a fan sight for her... i wanted too but doesn't matter or does it... anyways whos maltilda? can i join as a fan member person of ur sight plz? and if there r names can i be BIRDIE or idiot plz?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Ted Mahsun19/3/07 9:13 am

    Matildais a book you should read sometime.

    I am not the maker of the fan site. Please refer to the owner of that site if you want to be a member.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous17/6/07 9:09 am

    Another child prodigy writer is Adora Svitak www.adorasvitak.com,
    her book was published when she was seven.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous6/8/07 9:17 pm

    Other child prodigy writers are the Guptara Twins - www.twins.guptara.net (though they are in their late teens now). They wrote the first draft of Conspiracy of Calaspia when they were 11.

    Makes one really jealous... the injustice in the world... sniff.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Ted Mahsun6/8/07 9:27 pm

    The antidote to such jealousy is to write your own manuscript and have it published. No use complaining if you don't go out and do something about it.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous30/3/08 11:26 am

    I've written several stories and sent them to several publishers, including swordbird's publisher, but I was always turned down! I want to know her secret...

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous13/6/10 11:57 am

    I'm writing a book. i'm a young author, and one day i might want to get it published, maybe this year, if i keep writing. I thought that i should try to find the publisher of swordbird, because he/she gave an 11 year old a chance. I would like a chance too, by someone who dosen't look at my age. Can you help my find a publisher like that? who is the publisher of swordbird?

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous19/2/11 3:55 pm

    Harper Collins is the publisher. and i doubt theyll accept it. Cause Nancy Yi Fan sent an email sTRAIGHT TO THE FREAKING CEO. its all about connections and who you know.

    ReplyDelete

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