Lily and the Octopus
.jpg) First edition cover | |
| Author | Steven Rowley |
|---|---|
| Audio read by | Michael Urie |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Magical realism[1] |
| Publisher | Simon & Schuster |
| Publication date | June 7, 2016 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | |
| Pages | 320 |
| ISBN | 978-1-50-112622-2 |
Lily and the Octopus is the 2016 debut novel of Steven Rowley.[2]
Plot
A 42-year-old writer finds that a small octopus has attached itself to the head of his aging dachshund, Lily.
Background
Rowley, a 43-year-old paralegal and screenwriter, had sold several unproduced screenplays before writing a short story about the death of his dachshund, Lily, to cope with his grief.[3][4][5] Rowley's boyfriend encouraged him to expand it into a novel.[4] Rowley wrote Lily and the Octopus in 100 days and submitted it to approximately 30 literary agents, who all declined to represent him.[5] Rowley said of the manuscript, "I was proud of it as a piece of writing, but I never thought that this was going to change my life."[5]
Intending to self-publish, Rowley hired freelance editor Molly Pisani, who later pitched the novel to her former colleague, Karyn Marcus of Simon & Schuster.[3][4][5] Impressed by the quality of the book,[3] Marcus forwarded it to Simon & Schuster editor-in-chief Marysue Rucci.[5] According to Marcus:
I woke up to an email that [Ms. Rucci] had sent me at 3 in the morning, saying "this book is incredible, I wept real tears, you must buy it" ... We knew immediately it was going to be a big book for us, and the advance certainly reflected that.[5]
In April 2015, Publishers Weekly reported that Marcus had acquired the novel for Simon & Schuster in a "nearly seven-figure" book deal.[3] The Hollywood Reporter noted that the offer "was made with unusual speed",[4] with The New York Observer calling it "a timeline unheard of in the slow-paced publishing industry".[5]
Publication
Lily and the Octopus was published on June 7, 2016.[5]
Reception
Booklist praised Lily and the Octopus as "an exceedingly authentic, keenly insightful, and heartbreakingly poignant tribute to the purity of love between a pet and its human".[6] Publishers Weekly called the novel "sensitive, hilarious, and emotionally rewarding", adding that "in generous helpings of bittersweet humanity, Rowley has written an immensely poignant and touchingly relatable tale".[7] Kirkus Reviews wrote, "In his funny, ardent, and stanchly kooky way, Rowley expresses exactly what it's like to love a dog."[8] Sara Gruen called Lily and the Octopus "A quirky and deeply affecting charmer of a novel [that] is funny, wise, and utterly original in its exploration of what it means to love any mortal creature."[6] Julie Klam of The Washington Post described the novel as "heart-wrenching but ultimately breathtaking",[9] and Garth Stein praised it as "a profound exploration of grief".[6]
In June 2016, Lily and the Octopus made the American Booksellers Association's IndieBound Bestseller List.[10] The Washington Post put the novel on its list of "Notable Fiction in 2016".[11]
Film adaptation
In April 2018, Amazon Studios acquired the rights to develop the novel into a feature film.[1]
References
- 1 2 Lewis, Andy; Sandberg, Bryn Elise (April 13, 2018). "Amazon Studios Picks Up Heartbreaking Hit Lily and the Octopus". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 17, 2018.
- ↑ "Just Run with the Craziness: A Conversation with Steven Rowley, author of Lily and the Octopus". Electric Literature. June 9, 2016. Retrieved July 23, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 Deahl, Rachel (April 3, 2015). "Surprise Project Becomes Simon & Schuster's Big London Book". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved January 24, 2016.
- 1 2 3 4 Lewis, Andy (April 10, 2015). "Screenwriter Nabs Near-Million-Dollar Deal for Debut Novel". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 24, 2016.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Bloomgarden-Smoke, Kara (January 13, 2016). "Meet the Unknown Author of the Next Blockbuster Novel". The New York Observer. Retrieved January 24, 2016.
- 1 2 3 "Lily and the Octopus: Praise". Simon & Schuster. Archived from the original on May 6, 2016. Retrieved May 6, 2016.
- ↑ "Review: Lily and the Octopus by Steven Rowley". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved May 6, 2016.
- ↑ "Lily and the Octopus by Steven Rowley". Kirkus Reviews. March 15, 2016. Retrieved May 6, 2016.
- ↑ Klam, Julie (May 24, 2016). "Lily and the Octopus is the dog book you must read this summer". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 15, 2016.
- ↑ "Indie Bestseller List for June 22, 2016: Hardcover Fiction". American Booksellers Association. June 22, 2016. Retrieved June 23, 2016.
- ↑ "Notable Fiction in 2016". The Washington Post. November 17, 2016. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
External links
- Gibian, Rebecca (May 31, 2016). "Loss of dog adopted in Maine inspires nearly $1 million advance for 'magical' novel". Portland Press Herald. Retrieved June 15, 2016.