WCA Deal Report for July 28, 2023

By Deals

Foreign rights:

  • Yann Martel’s THE HIGH MOUNTAINS OF PORTUGAL renewed to Presenca (Portugal), by Sandra Bruna at Sandra Bruna Agency, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Jackie Kaiser.
  • John Geiger and Owen Beattie’s FROZEN IN TIME renewed to Piper (Germany), by Marc Koralnik at Liepman, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Hilary McMahon.
  • Kyo Maclear’s BIRDS ART LIFE renewed to Ariel (Spain), by Sandra Brunna Agency, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Jackie Kaiser.
  • Craig Shreve’s THE AFRICAN SAMURAI to Muza SA (Poland), by Tomasz Berezinski at Graal, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Chris Casuccio.
  • Kim Fu’s LESSER KNOWN MONSTERS OF THE 21ST CENTURY to İthaki Yayıncılık (Turkey), by Atilla Izgi Turgut at Akcali Copyright Agency, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Jackie Kaiser.
  • Richard Wagamese’s INDIAN HORSE renewed to Editions Zoe (French), by Anna Jarota Agency, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for John Pearce and Chris Casuccio.
  • Shyam Selvadurai’s FUNNY BOY to Amok Ediciones (Spain), by Sandra Bruna at Sandra Bruna Agency, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Bruce Westwood and Meg Wheeler.
  • Cheuk Kwan’s HAVE YOU EATEN YET? to Kodansha (Japan), by Megumi Sakai at Japan Uni, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Chris Casuccio.  

WCA Deal Report for July 7, 2023

By Deals

Foreign rights:

  • Yann Martel’s LIFE OF PI and FACTS BEHIND THE HELSINKI ROCCAMATIOS to Jakkajungsin (Korea), by Tae Eun Kim at Shinwon Agency, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Jackie Kaiser.
  • Richard Wagamese’s INDIAN HORSE renewed to XYZ (Quebec), by Anna Jarota Agency, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for John Pearce and Chris Casuccio.
  • Yann Martel’s LIFE OF PI, to Kossuth Radio (Hungary), by Zsófia Csurgai at Hofra Theatrical & Literary Agency, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Jackie Kaiser.
  • Debi Goodwin’s RAINS, AT TIMES HEAVY to Foliant (Russia), by Natalia Sanina at Synopsis Literary Agency, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Chris Casuccio.

WCA Deal Report for June 30, 2023

By Deals
  • Crooked Lane’s Marcia Markland has acquired World rights to Nolan Chase’s A LONESOME PLACE FOR DYING. The novel is described as a regional mystery in the tradition of LONGMIRE and JESSE STONE, in which Ethan Brand, the newly appointed chief of police of a small border town in Washington State, investigates the murder of a young woman connected to a cross-border smuggling ring, while also handling anonymous threats from someone who knows Ethan’s secrets—and wants him dead. Publication is expected for spring 2024. The deal was arranged by Chris Casuccio of Westwood Creative Artists.

WCA Deal Report for June 23, 2023

By Deals
  • Lee Wade at Random House Studio has bought at auction Jamal Saeed (MY ROAD FROM DAMASCUS) and Jordan Scott (I TALK LIKE A RIVER)’s MY SISTER THE APPLE TREE in a two-book deal, illustrated by Zahra Marwan, a picture book about a child who, upon realizing that he must leave everything behind when war tears through his homeland, finds a way to take his beloved apple tree with him.  This poignant and poetic story explores loss, belonging, and the memory of home that people carry, inspired by Saeed’s experience. Publication is slated for Spring 2025; Chris Casuccio at Westwood Creative Artists represented Saeed and Hilary McMahon at Westwood Creative Artists represented Scott, and Anne Moore Armstrong at The Bright Agency represented the illustrator.

WCA Deal Report for June 9, 2023

By News
  • Award-winning author of SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS, Joanne Levy‘s THE JOURNAL OF THINGS LOST AND FOUND, in which 12 year old Ruthie Sydner navigates her still-fresh feelings around the loss of a miscarried sibling while learning her mom is newly pregnant, to Sarah Howden at Orca Book Publishers, for publication in fall 2025, by Hilary McMahon at Westwood Creative Artists (world).

Foreign:

  • Kyo Maclear’s BIRDS ART LIFE renewed to AdMarginem (Russia), by Natalia Sanina at Synopsis Literary Agency, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Jackie Kaiser.
  • Kyo Maclear’s UNEARTHINIG to AdMarginem (Russia), by Natalia Sanina at Synopsis Literary Agency, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Jackie Kaiser.
  • Michael Ignatieff’s THE ORDINARY VIRTUES renewed to China Times Publishing Company (Taiwan), by Whitney Hsu at ANA  Taiwan, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Michael Levine.
  • Leanne Toshiko Simpson’s NEVER BEEN BETTER to April Books (Netherlands), edited by Petra Kruijt, by Stella Nelisen at Marianne Schonbach Associates, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Jackie Kaiser.

WCA Deal Report for May 26, 2023

By Deals
  • House of Anansi Press’ Shivaun Hearne has acquired Canadian rights and Pegasus Books’s Jessica Case has acquired world English rights, excluding Canada, to Jordan Himelfarb‘s INTERREGNUM: Inside the Grueling and Glamorous Battle to Become the Next King of Chess. The non-fiction book follows the world’s top chess grandmasters, in the wake of legend Magnus Carlsen’s abdication of his world title, as they compete for the crown in a gripping two-year battle for supremacy and immortality. Publication is expected for fall 2025. The deals were arranged by Chris Casuccio of Westwood Creative Artists.

WCA Deal Report for May 19th, 2023

By Deals
  • Pegasus Books‘ Jessica Case has acquired World English (excluding Canada) rights to Rachel Phan’s RESTAURANT KID. The non-fiction book is described as a poignant memoir about the uniquely grinding life of restaurant families, the heavy costs of “making it” that immigrants face when they arrive in their new lands, and one daughter’s raw attempts to seek connection with the parents who have always been just out of reach but are now facing the uncertain prospect of retirement. Publication is expected for spring 2025. The deal was arranged by Chris Casuccio of Westwood Creative Artists. 
  • Douglas & McIntyre has acquired Canadian rights to Rachel Phan’s RESTAURANT KID. The non-fiction book is described as a poignant memoir about the uniquely grinding life of restaurant families, the heavy costs of “making it” that immigrants face when they arrive in their new lands, and one daughter’s raw attempts to seek connection with the parents who have always been just out of reach but are now facing the uncertain prospect of retirement. Publication is expected for spring 2025. The deal was arranged by Chris Casuccio of Westwood Creative Artists.
  • Goose Lane Editions’ Simon Thibault has acquired Canadian rights to Alpha Nkuranga’s memoir BORN TO WALK. The non-fiction book is described as a story of resilience, resistance and a refusal to conform to cultural expectations; a story of the barriers facing young women and girls in Africa, and the way one unlikely hero fought through them to find a life more suitable for a survivor. Publication is expected for Fall 2024. The deal was arranged by Chris Casuccio of Westwood Creative Artists.
  • Caitlin Press’ Vici Johnstone has acquired Canadian rights to Debi Goodwin’s RAINS, AT TIMES HEAVY. The novel spans 1950’s Toronto, the 1970’s Hippie Trail in India, and Death Valley in 2014, and explores how tragedy can spiral through generations until someone brave enough takes it on; a story about grief and death that is surprisingly full of life, love and resilience, pitched for fans of Elizabeth Strout, Kristin Hannah and Jodi Picoult. Publication is expected for October 2023. The deal was arranged by Chris Casuccio of Westwood Creative Artists. 

Foreign rights:

  • Craig Shreve’s THE AFRICAN SAMURAI to Canelo (UK & Commonwealth excl. Canada), by Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Chris Casuccio.

WCA Deal Report for May 12, 2023

By Deals
  • Author of the novel THE LIST OF LAST CHANCES Christina Myers‘s HALFWAY HOME: THOUGHTS FROM MIDLIFE, which explores the uncertainty and joys of being a woman in her midlife during a period of rapid social and environmental change, to Shivaun Hearne at House of Anansi, by Emmy Nordstrom Higdon at Westwood Creative Artists.
  • Amanda Betts at Knopf Canada has acquired world rights excluding the US to THE ART OF VANISHING by Lynne Kutsukake, the Kobo Emerging Writer Prize author of THE TRANSLATION OF LOVE. Set in 1970s Japan, the novel is an exploration of ambition, betrayal, and love through the story two young art students, whose intense friendship is fractured when they become prey for a bohemian cult. Publication is slated for summer 2024; Hilary McMahon at Westwood Creative Artists negotiated the deal.

Foreign rights:

  • Christine Higdon’s GIN, TURPENTINE, PENNYROYAL, RUE to Laguna (Serbia), by Nada Perisic at PLIMA, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Hilary McMahon.
  • Jay Ingram’s THE SCIENCE OF WHY 5, to Beijing Green Beans Book Co. Ltd. (China), by Conor Cheng and Jessica Wu at Andrew Nurnberg Associates, edited by Shanshan Huang, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Jackie Kaiser.
  • Kathryn Nicolai’s ON THE STREET WHERE YOU LIVE to Gummerus (Finland), by Monique Oosterhof at MO Literary Services, edited by Leenastiina Kakko, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Jackie Kaiser.
  • Yann Martel’s LIFE OF PI to DarkSide Books (Brazil), by JP and Laura Riff at Riff Agency, edited by Raquel Mortiz, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Jackie Kaiser.
  • Leanne Toshiko Simpson’s NEVER BEEN BETTER to Rowohlt (Germany), in a pre-empt by Leonie Kress at Liepman, edited by Ditta Friedrich, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Jackie Kaiser.

WCA Deal Report for April 7, 2023

By Deals

Foreign rights:

  • Michael Ignatieff’s FIRE AND ASHES renewed to Taurus / Penguin Spain (World Spanish), by Lucas Herran and Sandra Bruna at Sandra Bruna Agency, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Michael Levine.
  • Rohinton Mistry’s A FINE BALANCE renewed to Aschehoug (Norway), by Monqiue Oosterhof at MO Literary Agency, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Bruce Westwood.
  • Michael Ignatieff’s ON CONSOLATION to Wydawnictwo Nieoczywiste (Poland), by Tomasz Berezinski at Graal, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Michael Levine.
  • Cheuk Kwan’s HAVE YOU EATEN YET to Locus Publishing Company (Taiwan), by Whitney Hsu at ANA Taiwan, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Chris Casuccio.
  • Shyam Selvadurai’s FUNNY BOY, CINNAMON GARDENS and THE HUNGRY GHOSTS to Sarasavi (Sri Lanka), by Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Bruce Westwood.
  • Josef Skvorecky’s THE MIRACLE GAME to Cankarjeva Založba (Slovenia), by Nada and Vuk Perisic at PLIMA, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists.

WCA Deal Report for March 31, 2023

By Deals
  • Author of YA thriller THE GIRLS FROM HUSH CABIN, Marie Hoy-Kenny‘s PLANTS ARE NOT BORING!, the author’s picture book debut, about a girl who wants a pet and gets stuck with a plant, only to discover this plant has more personality than she bargained for, illustrated by Mike Deas, to Sarah Howden at Orca Book Publishers, by Emmy Nordstrom Higdon at Westwood Creative Artists (world).