• Knopf Canada’s Martha Kanya-Forstner has acquired Canadian English rights to Kyo Maclear‘s UNEARTHING: A STORY OF TANGLED LOVE AND FAMILY SECRETS, a memoir for readers of Michelle Zauner, Olivia Liang, Katherine May, and Cathy Park Hong. A transformative story about life, love, plants, and a woman’s discovery of a long-held family secret, Unearthing was inspired by the author’s search for the story of her birth after learning that her British father was not biologically related to her, a search both illuminated and hampered by her Japanese mother’s developing dementia. Publication is planned for April 2023. The deal was arranged by Jackie Kaiser at Westwood Creative Artists. U.S. rights have been sold to Kathy Belden at Scribner.

• Karen Boersma and Jennifer Stokes at Owlkids have acquired world rights to MALAIKA series author Nadia Hohn’s PATTY DREAMS, a picture book about a child who emigrates from Jamaica, and helps his parents launch a business selling the filled pastries to remind them of their southern home and build a bridge to their new one. Sahle Robinson will illustrate.  Publication is slated for spring 2025; Hilary McMahon at Westwood Creative Artists represented Hohn and the illustrator represented himself.

• Queer writer/performer, theatre maker and neuro-divergent/mad activist JD Derbyshire‘s MERCY GENE: THE MAN-MADE MAKING OF A MAD WOMAN, a powerful, genre-smashing debut work of auto-fiction inspired by Derbyshire’s critically acclaimed and award-winning stage play, “Certified,” that explores themes of queerness, gender confusion, institutionalization, addiction, and abuse through kaleidoscopic bursts of erratic recollections, daydreams, poetry, and lists, to Bethany Gibson at Goose Lane Editions, for publication in March 2023, by Emmy Nordstrom Higdon at Westwood Creative Artists (NA English and World French).

• Tundra Books’ Samantha Swenson has acquired world rights to Zenia Wadhwani’s ONCE UPON A SARI in an exclusive submission. The picture book about a girl who learns the stories that each of her mother’s saris tell will be illustrated by Avani Dwivedi. Publication is set for spring 2024. Jackie Kaiser and Bridgette Kam at Westwood Creative Artists represented the author, and Shadra Strickland at Painted Words represented the illustrator.

• Kallie George at Greystone Kids has acquired world rights to author of KNOT CANNOT Tiffany Stone’s SUPER SMALL, a book of poetry and comics that introduces readers to miniature marvels of the natural world. Ashley Spires, creator of the bestselling THE MOST MAGNIFICENT THING, will illustrate. Publication is slated for spring 2023; Hilary McMahon at Westwood Creative Artists represented Stone and the illustrator represented herself.

Foreign:

• Jack Wang and Holman Wang’s COZY CLASSICS to Rieder Verlag (Germany), by Hannah Nuspliger-Fosh at Liepman, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Jackie Kaiser.

• Bob McDonald’s THE FUTURE IS NOW to China Science and Technology Press Co., Ltd (China), by Claire Qiao at Andrew Nurnberg Associates Beijing, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for John Pearce.

• Craig Shreve’s THE AFRICAN SAMURAI sold at auction to Alta Books (Brazil), by Laura and JP Riff at Agencia Riff, and Vulkan izdavaštvo (Serbia), by Nada Perisic at Plima on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Chris Casuccio.

• Simu Liu’s WE WERE DREAMERS to Bengono Bessala at HarperCollins (UK), by Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Jackie Kaiser, and for Cindy Uh at CAA.

• M.G. Vassanji’s THE GUNNY SACK to Black Star Books (UK) by Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Bruce Westwood.

• 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.

• Caitlin Press’ Vici Johnstone has acquired Canadian English rights to Stephen Kakfwi’s STONEFACE: MEMOIR OF A DEFIANT DENE, in which Kakfwi combines his remarkable memory for detail with his compelling raconteur’s skill in taking us through the incredible story of his life and one of the most transformative times in Canadian history. Publication is expected for winter 2023. The deal was arranged by Chris Casuccio of Westwood Creative Artists.

• Freehand Books has acquired Canadian English rights to THE ABDUCTION OF SEVEN FORGERS (PLUS ONE FALSELY ACCUSED) by novelist (THE GIRLS WHO SAW EVERYTHING) and playwright Sean Dixon, in which an art collector who has been duped barricades forgers into a London house until they can create a transformative artwork into which he can disappear; a story of trickery and illusion and daring escapades that explores the power of art in its creation and acquisition. Publication is slated for fall 2023; Hilary McMahon at Westwood Creative Artists inked the deal.

• Alvina Ling at Little, Brown Children’s has acquired world rights to Gillian Sze (YOU ARE MY FAVOURITE COLOR)’s I DREW A HEART, about a boy who goes about his day drawing hearts and learning a little bit about himself and love along the way, to be illustrated by Naoko Stoop for publication in fall 2023. Hilary McMahon at Westwood Creative Artists represented the author, and Brenda Bowen at The Book Group represented the illustrator.

• Lynne Missen at Tundra Books has acquired World rights to Kern Carter’s young adult novel, AND THEN THERE WAS US, which tells the story of Coi, who after the death of her mother, struggles to find kindness in her heart for the woman who threw her out of the house, but through her half-sister and maternal grandmother, learns to see parts of her mother she never knew. Publication is expected for Spring 2024. The deal was arranged by Chris Casuccio of Westwood Creative Artists.

• Governor General’s Award-winning author of BLACK WATER: FAMILY, LEGACY, AND BLOOD MEMORY and the bestselling middle-grade fantasy series THE MISEWA SAGA, member of Norway House Cree Nation David Robertson’s THE THEORY OF CROWS, a debut adult novel about a troubled Indigenous father and his estranged teenage daughter who head out onto the land in search of the family trapline, and find their way back to themselves and to each other, to Jennifer Lambert at HarperCollins Canada, for publication in September 2022, by Jackie Kaiser at Westwood Creative Artists (Canada English).

• Governor General’s award-winning author of TO THE RIVER: LOSING MY BROTHER and of the novel LONG CHANGE Don Gillmor’s BREAKING AND ENTERING, about a gallery owner looking to get out of a rut discovers her talent for lock-picking and breaks into her neighbours’ houses, hoping that uncovering their secrets may lead her to understand her own, to Dan Wells at Biblioasis, for publication in Spring 2023, by Jackie Kaiser at Westwood Creative Artists (North America English).

• Author of THE COLONY OF UNREQUITED DREAMS Wayne Johnston‘s JENNIE’S BOY: A NEWFOUNDLAND CHILDHOOD, the story of a tragicomic childhood in a part of Newfoundland whose way of life is fast disappearing, to Chip Fleischer at Steerforth Press, for publication in February 2023, by Jackie Kaiser at Westwood Creative Artists (U.S.). Canada English rights previously to Anne Collins at Knopf Canada.

• 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.

• 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 21^ST 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.

• 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

• 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).