Addison Armstrong

INSPIRED BY REAL HISTORY: Women of Words in War is inspired by the real history of both the first volunteer librarians during WWI and the first class of women to attend the Naval Academy in 1976. The author crafted this emotional story around extensive research into these two parallel moments of female pioneers in the U.S. military.

GROWING HISTORICAL TRADE PAPERBACK MARKET: Trade paperback original historical fiction continues to be a growing market, with highly successful bestsellers such as The Atomic City Girls, Goodnight from London, and The Flight Girls. Women of Words and War is a perfect title for Putnam to gain market share in this selling space and format.

PERFECT FOLLOW-UP/BUILDING A BRAND AUTHOR: Women of Words and War is the second book in a pre-empted two-book deal and is exactly on brand: emotional historical fiction inspired by pioneering women. We hope to build Armstrong into a book-a-year Putnam repeater a la Mira's Pam Jenoff.

AUTHOR WUNDERKIND: Addison Armstrong was only 22 years old when she wrote her debut novel, The Light of Luna Park, while finishing her senior year at Vanderbilt University and wrote this second book while finishing her Masters. She has all the talent of seasoned comparative authors in the genre and a gift for Big Book Ideas.

BOOK CLUB PERFECTION: Women of Words and War masterfully explores themes and issues that readers will be itching to discuss: Questions about identity, grief, love, race, attitudes toward women in positions historically held by men, as well as our right to stand up for what we believe even if isn't a popular belief.