Calissa Ding, an Author Conservatory alumna, has announced her debut middle grade novel, A Thousand Paper Lives, with Farrar, Straus Children’s, an imprint of Macmillan. The manuscript was sold in pre-empt and included a two-book deal. This first book will be published in winter 2028. 

Calissa is represented by Suzie Townsend at New Leaf Literary. Five years ago, Ding enrolled as a student in The Author Conservatory, where she learned writing craft and business skills from world-class industry professionals. She graduated from the program with four completed novel manuscripts. 

In Ding’s A Thousand Paper Lives, The Thing About Jellyfish meets Jennifer Chan Is Not Alone. It features a quiet seventh grader whose best friend seemingly vanishes overnight, prompting her to decode the trail of fairytales he left behind and face the truth about why he didn’t say goodbye. 

Ding thanked Brett Harris and Kara Swanson, founders of The Author Conservatory, as well as other fiction instructors for their training, feedback, and support: “You guys are the best mentors I could’ve hoped for… I’m only too happy to brag about The Conservatory to everyone I meet.”

A Thousand Paper Lives debuts winter 2028, with another standalone release expected to follow.