Mindy Kaling and Amazon Publishing announced the first acquisitions for Mindy’s Book Studio, a boutique story studio created to publish stories by emerging and established diverse voices and imagine books from page to screen. Selected by Kaling, best-selling author Sonali Dev’s hilarious and heartfelt novel, The Vibrant Years, will be the first to publish under Mindy’s Book Studio on December 1. The second book will be debut author Lauren Thoman’s clever coming-of-age mystery, I’ll Stop the World, set to publish in April 2023. Readers will have early access to both books a month ahead of publication through Amazon First Reads, as well as through Kindle Unlimited, print, and audio. Amazon Studios has first-look rights to adapt as feature motion pictures.
There are so many talented women who are writing smart, juicy, funny stories, and I’m so excited that through Mindy’s Book Studio, I can help bring readers everywhere more books that reflect the diversity of our society,” said Kaling. “Sonali Dev’s The Vibrant Years and Lauren Thoman’s I’ll Stop the World capture the spirit of Mindy’s Book Studio. The Vibrant Years is a joyful and empowering read following a group of unconventional women trying to find themselves, and I’ll Stop the World is a whip-smart mystery with a vibrant cast of teenagers that gives off great ‘80s vibes.”
Packed with humor and heart, Dev’s The Vibrant Years is a timely story about three generations of women who are done with being underestimated. Led by beloved rebel grandmother Bindu Desai, the three women set out on a journey of self-discovery, hilariously embracing their missteps, impulsive decisions, and cringeworthy dates that ultimately upend their lives for the better as they learn to live life on their own terms. Known for her Bollywood-style stories, Dev is an award-winning and USA Today best-selling author of eight novels, including the acclaimed Rajes series. Dev is represented by Alexandra Machinist at ICM Partners.
“The Vibrant Years is a culmination of all the things I’ve always wanted to say about being a woman, and to have the immensely talented Mindy Kaling choose it as the first book for Mindy’s Book Studio is an actual dream come true,” said Dev. “The work Mindy has done over the past few decades has changed the landscape for diverse creators. Mindy’s Book Studio is another way she’s creating space for many silenced voices that need to be read, and I’m so honored and excited to be part of what she’s building.”
“I love that Mindy’s Book Studio is focused on championing traditionally underrepresented voices in publishing, both for the readers who still long to see themselves in fiction and for the readers whose hearts will be expanded through engaging with new perspectives,” said Thoman. “I’ve been a fan of Mindy’s for a long time, and I am thrilled for the opportunity to work with her and the amazing team at Mindy’s Book Studio. I can’t wait to read the books Mindy selects for the imprint, and I’m honored that she picked mine to be one of them.”
