Bushnell to pen 'Carrie Diaries' for teens

NEW YORK, Sept. 17 (UPI) -- HarperCollins Publishers announced Wednesday it has acquired world rights to "The Carrie Diaries," a young adult novel by U.S. author Candace Bushnell.

The company said Bushnell will take readers back to her "Sex and the City" character Carrie Bradshaw's formative years in high school, "giving an inside look at Carrie's friendships, romances and how she realized her dream of becoming a writer."

"Diaries" is Bushnell's first teen novel.

The two-book deal was negotiated by Alessandra Balzer, co-publisher of the Balzer & Bray imprint at HarperCollins Children's, with Heather Schroder at ICM. The first book is scheduled for publication in the fall of 2010.

"We are incredibly thrilled," Balzer said in a statement. "Teenagers are rabid fans of the 'Sex and the City' book and show. I can't wait to see what happens when Candace turns her sharp eye for social commentary to the other competitive jungle that is high school."

Bushnell's other books include "Four Blondes," "Trading Up" and "Lipstick Jungle."

"Sex and the City" was the basis for the HBO television show and recent hit movie. "Lipstick Jungle," for which Bushnell is an executive producer, is a television series on NBC.