Neal Porter at Holiday House/Porter has bought TADPOLES by Boston Globe-Horn Book and Governor General’s Award-winning author-illustrator Matt James, about a father and son’s walk to an ephemeral pond teeming with tadpoles, and the sense of wonder to be found in the natural world. Publication is slated for spring/summer 2023; Jackie Kaiser at Westwood Creative Arts brokered the deal for world rights.
Michael Holmes at ECW Press has acquired Heather Tucker’s novel CRACKED POTS on exclusive submission from Hilary McMahon at Westwood Creative Artists. The voice-driven novel features the beloved character of Ari Appleton and her imaginary seahorse Jasper from Tucker’s debut novel THE CLAY GIRL, as she joins the desperate search for a missing girl, struggles to protect her step-brother, and emerges from the ashes of a violent childhood to put the pieces of her broken life together. ECW acquired World English rights, and will publish in fall 2021.
First Nations broadcaster, activist and author of THE REASON YOU WALK Wab Kinew’s WALKING IN TWO WORLDS, the author’s debut young adult novel about an Indigenous teenage girl caught between two worlds both real and virtual, to Lynne Missen at Penguin Teen Canada, for publication in September 2021, in a two-book deal, by Jackie Kaiser at Westwood Creative Artists (World).
Author-illustrator of WHEN EMILY WAS SMALL Lauren Soloy’s A FIELD GUIDE TO GNOMES and DEAR PETAL: EMILY DICKINSON AND HER FLOWER FRIENDS, to Samantha Swenson at Tundra Books, for publication in fall 2022 and summer 2023, by Jackie Kaiser at Westwood Creative Artists (World).
Grand Central’s Haley Weaver has acquired World rights to Max Wallace’s AFTER THE MIRACLE: THE LONELY CRUSADES OF HELEN KELLER, in which the author explodes long-standing myths and taps newly uncovered material to focus on the powerful, underexplored story of Helen Keller’s adult life as a fervent advocate for racial justice, socialism, and disability rights. Publication is expected for spring 2023. The deal was arranged by Chris Casuccio and John Pearce of Westwood Creative Artists.
Tamar Mays at HarperCollins has acquired world rights to WHEN YOU WERE NEW by Jennifer Harris, a love letter from a parent to a child celebrating all the surprising and important things the child has learned and discovered. Lenny Wen will illustrate; publication is planned for winter 2023. Jackie Kaiser at Westwood Creative Arts represented the author, and Christy Ewers at the CAT Agency represented the illustrator.
Westwood Creative Artists has an immediate opening for a full-time position in our busy rights and contracts department.
The ideal candidate will be a highly motivated self-starter with strong critical thinking, organization, and problem solving skills; excellent attention to detail; the ability to work well both independently and in a team; and the desire to excel and grow within an entrepreneurial environment. Prior office and publishing experience are assets, as is a publishing degree. The successful candidate will gain experience in all aspects of the agenting business by supporting and participating in the full range of our domestic, international, and multiplatform activities, including proposal evaluation, submission tracking, contracts / royalties / accounting, outreach to publishers and co-agents via catalogues and newsletters, and of course the most important activity of all, author care. Please note that candidates must be available to work both on-site at our Toronto office (near Bloor and St George) and remotely.
WCA looks forward to considering a diverse range of applicants, however only those candidates selected for a virtual interview will be contacted. Interested candidates should submit a resume and cover letter asap, and no later than Friday, March 12, 2021, to hilary@wcaltd.com.
Ken Whyte at Sutherland House has acquired North American English rights to Bow Tie Partners Chairman Charley Moss’ MAGIC IN THE DARK, about the Moss family’s journey from its arrival as Jewish immigrants in the US early in the 20th century to becoming one of the most influential families in film exhibition, with the start and growth of the motion picture industry as it’s backdrop. The deal was arranged by Michael Levine at Westwood Creative Artists, for publication in Fall 2021.
Thomas King’s bestselling novel INDIANS ON VACATION has been optioned for an opera by composer Ian Cusson and librettist Royce Vavrek. The deal was arranged by Michael Levine for Jackie Kaiser at Westwood Creative Artists.
From one of Canada’s leading writers and public intellectuals, Michael Ignatieff’s timely meditation ON CONSOLATION: FINDING SOLACE IN DARK TIMES about how you can find solace in a secular age without the support of organized religion to Anne Collins at Random House Canada (Canadian English rights), Sara Bershtel at Henry Holt (US English rights), and Ravi Mirchandani at Picador (English language rights excluding North America), in addition to foreign sales in Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and Taiwan, organized by Meg Wheeler, scheduled for Fall 2021 publication. The deal was arranged by Michael Levine at Westwood Creative Artists.
Thomas King’s BORDERS, a middle grade adaptation of the author’s short story of the same name, with themes of identity, nationality, justice, and belonging from an Indigenous perspective, illustrated by Natasha Donovan, to Susan Rich at Little, Brown Children’s, for publication in fall 2021, by Jackie Kaiser at Westwood Creative Artists. Rights to Suzanne Sutherland at Harper Canada.
Robert Hough’s THE FINAL CONFESSION OF MABEL STARK (World English audio, excl. US & Canada), renewed to Bolinda (Australia), by Meg Wheeler of Westwood Creative Artists on behalf of Jackie Kaiser.
Yann Martel’s THE HIGH MOUNTAINS OF PORTUGAL, renewed to United Sky New Media (China), by Vicky Wen at Andrew Nurnberg Associates Beijing, on behalf of Meg Wheeler of Westwood Creative Artists for Jackie Kaiser.
Michael Ignatieff’s ON CONSOLATION, to Ullstein (Germany; in a pre-empt), by Hanna Vielberg at Liepman Agency; to Cossee (Netherlands), by Stella Nelissen at Marianne Schonbach Literary Agency; to Taurus/Penguin Random House (Spain), by Jordi Ribolleda at Sandra Bruna Agency; to Business Weekly Publications (Taiwan), by Paula Chen at Andrew Nurnberg Associates Taiwan, on behalf of Meg Wheeler of Westwood Creative Artists for Michael Levine.
Thomas King’s SUFFERANCE, to Memoire d’encrier (Quebec), by Celia Long at Anna Jarota Agency, on behalf of Meg Wheeler of Westwood Creative Artists for Jackie Kaiser.
Don Thompson’s THE CURIOUS ECONOMICS OF LUXURY FASHION, to Atticus-Azbooka (Russia), by Natalia Sanina at Synopsis Agency, on behalf of Meg Wheeler of Westwood Creative Artists for John Pearce.
Richard Wagamese’s MEDICINE WALK, to La Nuova Fronteira (Italy), by Elisa Beretta at The Italian Literary Agency, on behalf of Meg Wheeler of Westwood Creative Artists for John Pearce & Chris Casuccio.
Journey Prize nominee Leanne Toshiko Simpson’s INFINITE SNAILS, a warm and sparkling #OwnVoices romantic comedy about navigating love while living with mental illness, pitched as Silver Linings Playbook meets The Rosie Project, featuring a trio of friends who meet inside a psychiatric hospital and the heartache and hilarity that ensues when two of them plan a destination wedding, to Iris Tupholme at HarperCollins Canada, for publication Spring 2022, by Jackie Kaiser at Westwood Creative Artists (Canada English).
DCB’s Barry Jowett has acquired World rights to Kern Carter’s BOYS AND GIRLS SCREAMING, a YA novel in which a young girl tries to cope with family tragedy by forming a support group of traumatized teenagers. Publication is expected for spring 2022. The deal was arranged by Chris Casuccio of Westwood Creative Artists.
English-languge Canadian rights to pioneering Vancouver-based neurosurgeon Dr. Christopher Honey’s THE TENTH NERVE, which takes the reader inside a neurosurgeon’s life in a engaging, sympathetic, and frequently dramatic way and pays tribute to seven brave patients who taught the author some fundamental truths about medicine and humanity, to Amanda Betts at Random House Canada, by John Pearce at Westwood Creative Artists, for publication in Spring 2022.
Suzanne Sutherland at HarperCollins Canada acquired on exclusive submission Canadian rights to DEAR BLACK CHILD, a picture book in free verse by Rahma Rodaah, inspired by her own experience, that explores race and racism and celebrates resilience. Also included in the deal is a second picture book, DEAR MUSLIM CHILD. Alessandra Balzer at Balzer +Bray acquired world rights excluding Canada, and publication in both markets is slated for fall 2022. Rodaah is represented by Hilary McMahon at Westwood Creative Artists. Lydia Mba, represented by Marzena Torzecka at The Marlena Agency, will be illustrating DEAR BLACK CHILD. Publication of DEAR BLACK CHILD is slated for fall 2022.
World rights to Ryerson Journalism professor and author of BROWN, Kamal Al-Solaylee’s RETURN: WHY WE GO BACK TO WHERE WE CAME FROM, exploring the longing to return home, including stories from Basque, Irish, Taiwanese, Jamaican and Ghanian immigrants, and his own conflicted return to his Middle Eastern homelands, to Jim Gifford at HarperCollins Canada by John Pearce at Westwood Creative Artists for publication in Fall 2021.
Community activist, film director, world traveller Cheuk Kwan draws out a global narrative of the Chinese Diaspora by linking together personal stories of chefs, entrepreneurs, laborers and dreamers who populate Chinese kitchens world-wide in HAVE YOU EATEN YET, sold to Douglas & McIntyre by Chris Casuccio at Westwood Creative Artists for publication in February 2022. North America.
Katie Scott at Kids Can Press has acquired World rights to PUFFIN VS. PENGUIN, a graphic novel written by Helaine Becker and illustrated by Kevin Sylvester, about friendship and collaboration. Kevin Sylvester is represented by Michael Levine of Westwood Creative Artists, and Helaine Becker by Susan Schulman at Susan Schulman Literary Agency.
Sutherland House has acquired Lawrence Stevenson’s CYPRUS: HOSTAGE TO PARALYSIS, an extended essay on the geopolitical realities and future of the country from the perspective of a peacekeeper. The deal was arranged by Michael Levine at Westwood Creative Artists for World rights for publication in Spring 2022.
Optimum Publishing International has acquired Sam Cooper’s WILLFUL BLINDNESS, an in-depth look into Chinese organized crime infiltration into Canada over the past 25 years. The deal was arranged for English North American rights, English rights in Australia/New Zealand, South Africa, Taiwan, Japan, and complex Chinese language rights in Taiwan. Michael Levine at Westwood Creative Artists represents the author. This is scheduled for publication in Spring 2022.
Flanker Press has acquired Leo Furey’s THE GOOD THIEF, about a Newfoundland teenager who is forced to hide from the law when his father passes away and inherits the family auto-repair shop, a cover for a counterfeit business modeled after Robin Hood, taking from the rich and giving to the poor. The deal was arranged by Michael Levine at Westwood Creative Artists for Canadian rights for publication in Spring 2021.
Author of THE COLONY OF UNREQUITED DREAMS Wayne Johnston’s THE MYSTERY OF RIGHT AND WRONG, moving from Newfoundland to Cape Town, Amsterdam, and Bergen-Belsen to chart the unravelling of one mythomaniacal, increasingly dysfunctional family, and crack open secret atrocities, to Anne Collins at Knopf Canada, for publication in fall 2021, by Jackie Kaiser at Westwood Creative Artists (Canada English).
Award-winning children’s author Caroline Adderson’s SUNNY DAYS INSIDE, a funny and compassionate celebration of the ingenuity and resilience of children, following the interconnected lives of a group of kids whose families are sheltering in place in their apartment building during the pandemic, to Karen Li at Groundwood Books, for publication in August 2021, by Jackie Kaiser at Westwood Creative Artists (World).
THE SCOOTER TWINS, by Dorothy Ellen Palmer, to Karen Li at Groundwood Books, by Emmy Nordstrom Higdon at Westwood Creative Artists.
Tantor Audio senior acquisitions editor Kim Budnick has acquired audio rights to Canadian author Adam Pottle’s novella, THE BUS. Based on true events, Pottle painstakingly researched and unflinchingly rendered this fictionalized account of a shocking moment in our collective past. THE BUS is a powerful #OwnVoices literary historical novella that offers a rare glimpse into the experiences of the mentally ill in Nazi Germany. The deal was arranged by Emmy Nordstrom Higdon at Westwood Creative Artists.
Antonio Michael Downing’s SAGA BOY: MY LIFE OF BLACKNESS AND BECOMING, a memoir of a young Trinidadian boy who lands in a remote North American town and navigates his beguiling new world as an orphan, immigrant and minority by using music and performance to dramatically transform himself, to Daniel Slager at Milkweed Editions by Chris Casuccio and John Pearce at Westwood Creative Artists for US publication in Fall 2021.
Frances Itani’s THE COMPANY WE KEEP, to Uhinenud (Estonia), by Tatjana Zoldnere at Andrew Nurnberg Associates Baltic, on behalf of Meg Wheeler of Westwood Creative Artists for Jackie Kaiser.
Tessa McWatt’s SHAME ON ME: AN ANATOMY OF RACE AND BELONGING, to Mémoire d’encrier (World French), by Celia Long at Anna Jarota Agency, on behalf of Meg Wheeler of Westwood Creative Artists for Jackie Kaiser.
Rohinton Mistry’s A FINE BALANCE (audio), to Aschehoug (Norway), by Monique Oosterhof at Mo Literary Services, on behalf of Meg Wheeler of Westwood Creative Artists for Bruce Westwood.
Marc Raboy’s MARCONI: THE MAN WHO NETWORKED THE WORLD, renewed to Hunan Science and Technology Press (China), by Vicky Wen at Andrew Nurnberg Associates Beijing, on behalf of Meg Wheeler of Westwood Creative Artists for John Pearce.
Anna Comfort O’Keefe at Douglas and McIntyre has acquired Rachel Rose’s fiction debut THE OCTOPUS HAS THREE HEARTS, a linked collection of stories exploring universal elements of the human condition, featuring characters on the fringes of society who all have better relationships with animals than humans. Hilary McMahon of Westwood Creative Artists negotiated the deal for North American English rights, for publication in spring 2021.
Harbour Publishing has acquired Sam Wiebe’s HELL AND GONE, the latest novel in the acclaimed series, featuring Vancouver PIs Dave Wakeland and Jeff Chen in a deadly case involving gangland rivalries and a private army for hire. The deal was arranged by Chris Casuccio at Westwood Creative Artists for North American publication in fall 2021. Audio rights were sold to Blackstone Publishing.
Rohinton Mistry’s FAMILY MATTERS, to Artkonekt Publishing (Macedonia), by Vuk Perisic at Plima Literary Agency, on behalf of Meg Wheeler of Westwood Creative Artists for Bruce Westwood.
Damhnait Monaghan’s NEW GIRL IN LITTLE COVE, to Insel / Suhrkamp Verlag (Germany), by Hanna Vielberg at Liepman Agency, on behalf of Meg Wheeler of Westwood Creative Artists for Hilary McMahon.
Josef Skvorecky’s THE COWARDS, ALL THE BRIGHT YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN, and REPUBLIC OF WHORES, to Miraggi Edizioni (Italy), by Elisa Berretta at The Italian Literary Agency, on behalf of Meg Wheeler of Westwood Creative Artists.