Jul 29
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WCA Deal Report for July 29, 2022

By Deals
  • Linh S. Nguyễn is a Vietnamese immigrant to Canada, writer, consultant, and workshop facilitator. NO PLACE LIKE HOME, her debut novel, is a middle grade portal fantasy like no other. The author draws on her cultural heritage and elements of the classic Wizard of Oz to create a whimsical narrative for the bookworm in all of us that asks the question, how do you redefine a lost home? Acquired by Suzanne Sutherland at HarperCollins Canada Children’s, with Yash Kesanakurthy editing, for publication on March 14, 2023, by Emmy Nordstrom Higdon at Westwood Creative Artists (world). Rights contact(s): lisa.rundle@harpercollins.com
  • HarperCollins Canada has signed Susan Juby to continue her bestselling Helen Thorpe mystery series that launched with MINDFUL OF MURDER. Iris Tupholme took world rights to A MEDITATION OF MAYHEM, where Helen’s charge is a social media-obsessed young heiress implicated in a murder near a Rocky Mountain chateau, and CONTEMPLATION OF A CRIME, where Helen’s posting at a Wyoming ranch has her serving the deeply unhappy Dandy family after the suspicious death of their patriarch, for publication in spring 2024 and spring 2025 respectively. Hilary McMahon at Westwood Creative Artists represented Juby in the negotiations.
Jul 26
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Internship — Fall 2022

By News

Westwood Creative Artists, one of Canada’s largest literary agencies representing more than 400 writers, is looking for a candidate to fill a full-time hybrid or remote 6-week internship position, beginning September 6th.

A considerable amount of time during this internship will be spent working with WCA’s international rights director and rights associate preparing our seasonal rights catalogue ahead of the Frankfurt Book Fair which takes place in October. There will also be some other administrative tasks including but not limited to market research, data entry, and reading unsolicited submissions.

We offer a competitive hourly wage, a lively and congenial team culture, and an excellent opportunity to gain an overview of the publishing industry in Canada and abroad through the lens of a literary agency and the writers we represent.

The ideal candidate will be eager to learn, highly organized, energetic, and have a positive outlook. Strong proofreading and computer skills required; previous office experience and knowledge of the publishing industry an asset; passionate attention to detail and accuracy a must. Please send your cover letter, resume, and references to the attention of Meg Wheeler at meg@wcaltd.com at your earliest convenience, but not later than August 8th. We appreciate all applications but will only reply to candidates selected for an interview. Westwood Creative Artists is an equal opportunity employer, and values a diverse workforce.

Jul 15
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WCA Deal Report for July 15, 2022

By Deals
  • Anna Comfort O’Keeffe at Douglas & McIntyre has acquired World Rights to Dan Needles’ A GUIDE TO RURAL LIVING, a whimsical and timely observation of the customs and traditions of rural and small town life, as well as the culture clash between villagers and the recent influx of urbanites who discovered during the pandemic that working from home was something they could do anywhere. Publication will be in Fall 2023. The deal was arranged by John Pearce and Chris Casuccio at Westwood Creative Artists.
  • Kim Fu’s LESSER KNOWN MONSTERS OF THE 21ST CENTURY to Héliotrope (World French), by Megan Husain at Anna Jarota Agency, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Jackie Kaiser.
  • Rohinton Mistry’s TALES FROM FIROZSHA BAAG to AST/Neclassics (Russia), by Natalia Sanina at Synopsis Literary Agency, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Bruce Westwood.
  • Rohinton Mistry’s A FINE BALANCE renewed to AST/Neclassics (Russia), by Synopsis Literary Agency, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Bruce Westwood.
  • Gina Buonaguro’s VIRGINS OF VENICE to Laguna (Serbia), by Nada Perisic at Plima, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for John Pearce.
  • Glenn Gould’s THE GLENN GOULD READER to Guangxi Normal University Press Group Co. (simplified Chinese), by Claire Qiao at Andrew Nurnberg Associates Beijing, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists.
Jun 10
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WCA Deal Report for June 10, 2022

By Deals
  • Greystone Books has acquired world rights to SQUARE THE PUCK, a follow-up to Randi Druzin’s bestseller BETWEEN THE PIPES, profiling 12 legendary goalies and their unique personality traits, ranging from Carey Price and Marc Andre Fleury to Grant Fuhr and Tony Esposito. Publication is set for fall 2023; Hilary McMahon of Westwood Creative Artists inked the deal.
  • Author of MISSING NIMAMA Melanie Florence and author of DOWNSIDE UP Richard Scrimger‘s AUTUMN BIRD AND THE RUNAWAY, a middle grade novel told in alternating narratives about two kids from different worlds whose unexpected friendship is a lens to explore identity and compassion, to Anne Shone at Scholastic Canada, for publication in summer 2022, by Amy Topkins at Transatlantic Literary Agency for Florence and Hilary McMahon at Westwood Creative Artists for Scrimger (world).
  • Yash Kesanakurthy from HarperCollins Canada has acquired World rights to Kevin and Basil Sylvester’s THE NIGHT OF THE LIVING ZED! In this sequel to THE FABULOUS ZED WATSON, Zed and Gabe have a chance to score a big jackpot. All they have to do is spend three nights in a haunted house. Easy! Except there are more than ghosts hidden in the walls. The deal was done by Michael Levine at Westwood Creative Artists for publication in Fall 2024. Contact Lisa Rundle at HarperCollins Canada for rights: lisa.rundle@harpercollins.com
Jun 03
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WCA Deal Report for June 3, 2022

By Deals
  • Chinese Canadian writer, musician, and filmmaker, and author of THIS CITY IS A MINEFIELD Aaron Chan‘s THE BROKEN HEART; this tender book with identity-inspired LGBTQ2S+ themes is the story of a young girl who likes to fix things, and who sets out to help her brother mend his heart after his relationship with his boyfriend has ended, illustrated by Josiane Vlitos, to Lauri Hornik at Rocky Pond Books, for publication in spring 2024, by Emmy Nordstrom Higdon at Westwood Creative Artists for the author and illustrator (world).
  • Harvard-trained cultural psychologist and Pushcart-nominated writer Christine Ma-Kellams‘s THE BAND, after a K-Pop band member’s latest song inadvertently ruffles the political feathers of three East Asian superpowers, he hides out in the McMansion of a Chinese American psychologist with a savior complex, whom he meets in an H-Mart; meanwhile, in his absence, the band’s producer reflects on his previous creation—a girl group who he built from scratch to stardom before their tragic disbanding, to Loan Le at Atria, in a pre-empt, by Emmy Nordstrom Higdon at Westwood Creative Artists (world).
May 27
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WCA Deal Report for May 27, 2022

By Deals
  • Random House Canada’s Craig Pyette has acquired Canadian English rights to Luis Najera’s DARK CORNERS. The memoir tells the story of the author’s life with the drug cartels of Mexico – growing up amidst their influence, reporting on their atrocities as a journalist, witnessing Calderón’s war on drugs from a position within the police force, fleeing to Canada to save his family from criminal threats, and the hardships of finding his and his family’s way in a new country and new language. Publication is expected for spring 2024. The deal was arranged by Chris Casuccio and John Pearce of Westwood Creative Artists.
  • Elizabeth Philips at Thistledown Press has acquired English Canadian rights to author of WAITING FOR COLUMBUS Thomas Trofimuk’s THE ELEPHANT ON KARLUV BRIDGE.  Narrated by the 600-year-old Charles Bridge, the novel follows Sal, an elephant who has escaped from the Prague Zoo, and the people she meets in the night, all wrestling with profound questions about life and love. Publication is set for August 2022; Hilary McMahon of Westwood Creative Artists inked the deal.
May 13
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WCA Deal Report for May 13, 2022

By Deals
  • Rohinton Mistry’s SUCH A LONG JOURNEY to Beijing Publishing Group Ltd. (China), by Claire Qiao at Andrew Nurnberg Associates Beijing, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Bruce Westwood.
  • Alice Kuiper’s LIFE ON THE REFRIGERATOR DOOR to Daugavpils Teatris (Latvia), by Tatjana Zoldnere at Andrew Nurnberg Associates Baltic, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Jackie Kaiser.
  • Rohinton Mistry’s A FINE BALANCE renewed to Book Asia Publishers (Korea), by Tae Eun Kim at Shinwon Agency, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Bruce Westwood.
May 06
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WCA Deal Report for May 6, 2022

By Deals
  • Nikki Ray Media Agency has acquired scripted rights to Jennifer Robertson’s bestselling memoir BITCOIN WIDOW, about the fairy-tale romance she shared with Quadriga founder Gerald Cotten, and the massive investment scandal caused by his unexpected death that left more than 100,000 investors looking for their millions and Jennifer questioning how well she knew her husband. The deal was arranged by Max Tremblay at Westwood Creative Artists for Hilary McMahon.
Apr 14
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WCA Deal Report for April 14, 2022

By Deals
  • Scholastic Canada’s Anne Shone has acquired world rights to Kern Carter’s IS THERE A BOY LIKE ME. The middle-grade novel tells the story of a 13-year-old boy who creates a video series that explores what his life would be like if he could truly be who he wanted to be; when the vlog goes viral, it starts a global conversation about what being a boy really means. Publication is expected for fall 2024. The deal was arranged by Chris Casuccio of Westwood Creative Artists.
  • Dan Lubetkin at Corner Lot Media has optioned the film rights to Kim Fu’s story #CLIMBNATION from LESSER KNOWN MONSTERS OF THE 21ST CNETURY, about an obsessed fan who crashes the memorial of her favorite influencer after he dies in a suspicious rock-climbing accident, only to uncover a dark revenge plot. The deal was arranged by Max Tremblay at Westwood Creative Artists for Jackie Kaiser.
  • Michael Ignatieff’s ON CONSOLATION to Kristeligt Dagblads Forlag (Denmark), by Monique Oosterhof at MO Literary Services, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Michael Levine.
  • Rahaf Mohammed’s REBEL to Rahva Raamat (Estonia), by Tatjana Zoldnere at Andrew Nurnberg Associates Baltic, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Chris Casuccio and John Pearce.
  • Richard Wagamese’s MEDICINE WALK renewed to Editions Zoe (French), by Marie-France Heinic at Anna Jarota Agency on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for John Pearce and Chris Casuccio.
Apr 08
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WCA Deal Report for April 8, 2022

By Deals
  • Karen Li at Groundwood Books bought world rights to THE LITTLE GREEN ENVELOPE by Gillian Sze (MY LOVE FOR YOU IS ALWAYS), illustrated by Claudine Crangle.  An homage to snail mail and a celebration of our own unique journeys in life, the picture book features a forgotten envelope finally rescued from a drawer when a girl reaches out to a friend who has moved away.  Publication is scheduled for August 2023; Hilary McMahon at Westwood Creative Artists represented the author, and the illustrator represented herself.