Molly Knox Ostertag grew up in the forests of upstate New York, where she spent the first half of her childhood reading about fantastical adventures and the second half acting them out with foam swords at a live action roleplaying camp. She graduated in 2014 from the School of Visual Arts, where she studied cartooning and illustration. Her artistic interests include women in fiction, fantasy and sci fi, superheroes, and history.
Molly illustrates the popular webcomic Strong Female Protagonist with co-creator Brennan Lee Mulligan, which was listed as one of io9's Best New and Short Webcomics when it launched in 2012. They ran a successful Kickstarter in 2014 to print the first volume, which was distributed by Top Shelf comics and is now available in stores and online.
Molly's work has also been featured in several print anthologies, including Rookery #1, Terrestrial, Chainmail Bikini, Then It Was Dark, Ladies of Literature, and 1001 Knights.
Website: http://www.mollyostertag.com/
Subsidiary rights:
Unless specified below, for France, Spain, Italy, Portugal, and Brazil: agence@lorafountain.com.
For all other inquiries: jen@linnanliterary.com.
D&D: DUNGEON CLUB: ROLL CALL - writer
(HarperAlley, November 2022)
Middle school is a dungeon… At least, that’s how Jess sees it.
Luckily, she and her best friend Olivia know how to escape into the sprawling worlds of their own imaginations. The two friends have always loved making up stories, first with little kid games of make-believe, and more recently with the fantasy roleplaying game Dungeons & Dragons. When they play, Olivia runs the game as Dungeon Master and Jess is the solo party member, playing a take-no-prisoners, lone-wolf fighter of her own design named Sir Corius.
But when Olivia wants to add new players to their group, Jess finds herself struggling to share their game—and her best friend. Will their epic campaign withstand all this change, or has their adventure—and their friendship—finally come to an end?
THE GIRL FROM THE SEA
(Scholastic Press, June 2021)
Rights:
Brazil (Editora Record)
France (Editions Kinaye)
Italy (Tunuè)
Poland (Young)
Russia (Popcorn Books)
Spain - incl. Catalan (Astronave)
Sweden (Bokforlaget Hegas)
Morgan has a secret: she can't wait to escape the perfect little island where she lives. She's desperate to finish high school and escape her sad divorced mom, her volatile little brother, and worst of all, her great group of friends...who don't understand her at all. Really, Morgan's biggest secret is that she has a lot of secrets, including the one about wanting to kiss another girl. Then one night, Morgan is saved from drowning by a mysterious girl named Keltie. The two become friends and suddenly life on the island doesn't seem so stifling anymore. But Keltie has some secrets of her own. And as they start to fall in love, everything they're each trying to hide will find its way to the surface...whether Morgan is ready or not.
THE MIDWINTER WITCH
(Scholastic Press, Nov 2019)
New York Times Bestseller!
Rights:
Brazil (Editora Record)
France (Editions Kinaye)
Israel (Keter Books)
Norway (Outland Forlag)
Sweden (Bokforlaget Hegas)
Aster always looks forward to the Midwinter Festival, a reunion of the entire Vanissen family that includes competitions in witchery and shapeshifting. Ariel has darker things on her mind than the Festival - like the mysterious witch who's been visiting her dreams, claiming to know the truth about her past. She appreciates everything the Vanissens have done for her… but still craves a place where she truly belongs.
The Festival is a whirlwind of excitement and activity, but for Aster and Ariel, nothing goes according to plan. When a powerful and sinister force invades the reunion, can they find the courage to fight it together? Or will dark magic tear them apart?
THE HIDDEN WITCH
(Scholastic Press, Oct. 2018)
Rights:
Brazil (Editora Record)
France (Editions Kinaye)
Israel (Keter Books)
Norway (Outland Forlag)
Spain (HarperCollins Iberica)
Sweden (Bokforlaget Hegas)
Aster and his family are adjusting to his unconventional talent for witchery; unlike the other boys in his family, he isn't a shapeshifter. He's taking classes with his grandmother and helping to keep an eye on his great-uncle whose corrupted magic wreaked havoc on the family.
Meanwhile, Aster's friend from the non-magical part of town, Charlie, is having problems of her own -- a curse has tried to attach itself to her. She runs to Aster and escapes it, but now the friends must find the source of the curse before more people -- normal and magical alike -- get hurt.
THE WITCH BOY
(Scholastic Press, Oct. 2017)
2018 EBSCO SEE-IT Award winner
2018 Prism Award winner
2018 EGL finalist
2018 Dwayne McDuffie for Kid's Comics nominee
Rights:
Brazil (Editora Record)
France (Editions Kinaye)
Germany (Tokyopop GMBH)
Israel (Keter Books)
Italy (Editrice Il Castoro)
Norway (Outland Forlag)
Poland (Kobiece)
Spain (HarperCollins Iberica)
Sweden (Bokforlaget Hegas)
Film/TV (Netflix)
In Aster's family, all the girls are raised to be witches, while boys grow up to be shapeshifters. Anyone who dares cross those lines is exiled. Unfortunately for Aster, he still hasn't shifted . . . and when a mysterious danger threatens the other boys, Aster knows he can help -- as a witch. It will take the encouragement of a new friend and a great deal of courage to save his family . . . and be truly himself.
SHATTERED WARRIOR - artist
(First Second, May 2017)
Rights:
France (Rue de Sevres)
It is eight years after Colleen Cavanaugh's home world was invaded by the Derichets, a tyrannical alien race bent on exploiting the planet's mineral resources.
Most of her family died in the war, and she now lives alone in the city. Aside from her acquaintances at the factory where she toils for the Derichets, Colleen makes a single friend in Jann, a member of the violent group of rebels known as the Chromatti. One day Colleen receives shocking news: her niece Lucy is alive and in need of her help. Together, Colleen, Jann, and Lucy create their own tenuous family.
But Colleen must decide if it's worth risking all of their survival to join a growing underground revolution against the Derichets.
THE CASTOFFS - artist, issues 1-4
(Lion Forge, 2016)
Rights: Oni Lion Forge
A long time ago, Mages and Humans lived side by side in balance. But Humans’ technological advances created the Surrogate, a hive-minded robot army that consumed everything in its path. The Mages fought for their survival in The Great Magic Machine War, dividing the world in two and driving all magic users to remote, technologically barren strongholds.
Now, 20 years after the war stalled in a tense cease-fire, a trio of young apprentice mages—Charris, Trinh, and Ursa—must cross the ruined forests to deliver a magical cure to a nearby town. The three girls must learn to trust and rely on each other if they’re going to save the village. Meanwhile, the the Surrogate's secret preparations to break the cease-fire may finally be complete.
STRONG FEMALE PROTAGONIST: v1 - artist
(2014)
With superstrength and invulnerability, Alison Green used to be one of the most powerful superheroes around. Fighting crime with other teenagers under the alter ego Mega Girl was fun until an encounter with Menace, her mind-reading arch enemy. He showed her evidence of a sinister conspiracy, and suddenly battling giant robots didn't seem so important.
Now Alison is going to college and trying to find ways to help the world while still getting to class on time. It's impossible to escape the past, however, and everyone has their own idea of what it means to be a hero.