Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers To Publish A New Young Adult Series With New York Times Bestselling Author Lauren DeStefano

Lauren DeStefano, the New York Times bestselling author of The Chemical Garden trilogy has signed on to write a brand-new utopian series with Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. The new series will be published in Spring 2014 and will be called The Internment Chronicles. The title of the first book is Perfect Ruin. In addition to the new series, two short stories will be published as eBooks to complement the story. The final book of The Chemical Garden Trilogy, Sever, goes on sale February 12, 2013.

On Internment, the floating island in the clouds where fifteen-year-old Morgan Stockhour lives, getting too close to the edge can lead to madness. Even though Morgan's older brother Lex was a Jumper, Morgan vows never to end up like him. She tries her best not to mind that her life is orderly and boring, and if she ever wonders about the ground, and why it is forbidden, she takes solace in her best friend, Pen, and her betrothed, Basil.

Then a murder, the first in a generation, rocks the city. With whispers swirling and fear on the wind, Morgan can no longer stop herself from investigating, especially when she meets Judas. He is the boy being blamed for the murder-betrothed to the victim-but Morgan is convinced of his innocence. Secrets lie at the heart of Internment, but nothing can prepare Morgan for what she will find-or who she will lose.

"With each book in the Chemical Garden Trilogy, Lauren DeStefano amazed more and more readers," says Justin Chanda Vice President Publisher of Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. "Just wait until they read Perfect Ruin!"

Lauren DeStefano adds, "I am over the moon and thrilled to take readers to a different world with this new series. After a great run with my Chemical Garden books, it was just amazing that Simon & Schuster and I could fall in love all over again with new characters as we embark on this latest journey, and it's something that I can't wait to share with readers."