I'm an enormous fan of Garth Nix. The Abhorsen Trilogy knocked me off my feet and really inspired me to write (not to mention the amazing package, with career-defining art by Leo and Diane Dillon). Some great news for Garth Nix fans in recent Publishers Weekly news (my emphasis added):
"By Matthew Thornton -- Publishers Weekly, 10/2/2007 7:55:00 AM
"Fantasy author Garth Nix has sold North American rights to three new YA books to Ruth Katcher at HarperCollins Children’s via agent Jill Grinberg, who made the seven-figure deal. The three books include a prequel and a sequel to Nix’s Abhorsen YA fantasy trilogy, which has sold more than two million copies worldwide. In separate deals, U.K. rights went to HarperCollins for substantial six figures via Antony Harwood on behalf of Grinberg. Allen & Unwin bought Australian and New Zealand rights for another significant six-figure advance via Fiona Inglis at Curtis Brown Australia. The third book will be a stand-alone sci-fi novel titled A Confusion of Princes; it will be the first to be published, in late 2009, with the others following in 2010 and 2011."