- 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.
- Jennifer Smith at ECW Press has acquired world rights to Bill Morneau’s WHERE TO FROM HERE: A PATH TO CANADIAN PROSPERITY, an insightful account of Morneau’s years as the federal Finance minister that explores personalities, achievements and failures with candor, and offers a forward-looking vision for Canadian government and society. Publication is scheduled for January 2023; Hilary McMahon of Westwood Creative Artists inked the deal.
- Anna Comfort O’Keefe at Douglas & McIntyre has acquired world English rights to creator of the Mother of All Books series Ann Douglas’ NAVIGATING THE MESSY MIDDLE: A FIERCELY HONEST AND WILDLY ENCOURAGING GUIDE FOR MIDLIFE WOMEN. Drawing on interviews with more than 100 women, Douglas offers practical, evidence-based strategies to create purpose and meaning and push back against the generally toxic attitude about this stage of life. Publication is scheduled for September 2022; Hilary McMahon of Westwood Creative Artists represented Douglas in the deal.
- Award-winning Deaf author and Sheridan College Writer-in-Residence Adam Pottle‘s THE BLACK DRUM, the world’s first all-Deaf musical, using Sign Language and Signed Music, a speculative story exploring themes of grief and self-discovery, to Annie Gibson at Playwrights Canada Press, with Blake Sproule editing, for publication in February 2024, by Emmy Nordstrom Higdon at Westwood Creative Artists.
- Freehand Books has acquired Canadian rights to author of THE WEATHER INSIDE Emily Saso’s NINE DASH LINE, a literary thriller about a man (exiled for a mysterious crime after the Tiananmen Square uprising) and a woman (a U.S. Navy intelligence officer with her own secrets) who battle the elements, each other, and fate on a coral reef outpost in the middle of the South China sea. Publication is scheduled for fall 2022; Hilary McMahon of Westwood Creative Artists inked the deal.
- Psychologist, poet, essayist, and author Lydia Kwa‘s A DREAM WANTS WAKING, a literary speculative novel that draws on and subverts mythological tropes in oral and classical Chinese mythology and literature, to Paul Vermeersch at Buckrider Books, part of Wolsak and Wynn, for publication in fall 2023, by Emmy Nordstrom Higdon at Westwood Creative Artists (NA).
- Ojibwe author Nancy Cooper’s AMIK’S BIG DAY, a story about an industrious beaver who shows her cousins visiting from far away the many things that she and her family do to help different animals in the forest, illustrated by Ojibwe artist Joshua Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley, to Karen Boersma at Owlkids Books, for publication in spring 2023, by Jackie Kaiser at Westwood Creative Artists for the illustrator (World).
- Author of ENCOUNTER Brittany Luby‘s WHEN THE STARS CAME HOME, about an Anishinaabe child who misses the night stars when he moves to the city and the traditional Star Blanket that connects him to his ancestors, illustrated by Natasha Donovan, to Susan Rich at Little Brown Books for Young Readers, for publication in Fall 2023, by Jackie Kaiser at Westwood Creative Artists for the author, and by Lindsay Auld at Writers House for the illustrator (World).
- Marc Lewis’ THE BIOLOGY OF DESIRE to Next Door (Spain), by Sandra Bruna at Sandra Bruna Agency, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Michael Levine.
- Richard Wagamese’s MEDICINE WALK to Antigona (Portugal), by Sandra Bruna at Sandra Bruna Agency, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for John Pearce and Chris Casuccio.
- Thomas King’s THE RED POWER MURDERS to Liana Levi (World French excl. North America), by Celia Long at Anna Jarota Agency, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Jackie Kaiser.
- Michael Ignatieff’s ON CONSOLATION to Kalich (Czech Republic), by Kristin Olson at Kristin Olson Literary Agency, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Michael Levine.
- Michael Ignatieff’s ON CONSOLATION to Kontrast (Serbia), by Nada Perisic at Plima, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Michael Levine.
- Kim Fu’s LESSER KNOWN MONSTERS OF THE 21ST CENTURY to Host (Czech Republic), by Kristin Olson at Kristin Olson Agency, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Jackie Kaiser.
- Don Thompson’s THE $12 MILLION STUFFED SHARK renewed to Atticus-Azbooka (Russia), by Natalia Sanina at Synopsis Agency, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for John Pearce.
- A collection of short stories by Josef Skvorecky to Fundacja Instytut Reportazu (Poland), by Tomasz Berezinski at Graal Agency, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Bruce Westwood.
- Thomas King’s DEEP HOUSE to Alire (Quebec), by Celia Long at Anna Jarota Agency, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Jackie Kaiser.
- Kamal Al-Solaylee’s BROWN to Editions Hashtag (Quebec) by Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for John Pearce.
- Kim Fu’s LESSER KNOWN MONSTERS OF THE 21ST CENTURY to Racconti Edizioni (Italy), by Elisa Beretta at The Italian Literary Agency, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Jackie Kaiser.
- Jennifer Lambert at HarperCollins Canada has acquired World English rights to Gina Buonaguro’s VIRGINS OF VENICE, historical fiction in the vein of Philippa Gregory and Laura Morelli, set in Renaissance Venice. It follows two daughters from a noble family, sacrificed to the convent and a strategic marriage to pay off their father’s debts – including to the most infamous courtesan in the city – who decide to push back against their fates. Publication will be in late 2022. The deal was arranged by John Pearce at Westwood Creative Artists.
- B. Brett Finlay and Jessica Finlay’s THE WHOLE-BODY MICROBIOME to Parabooks Co., Ltd. (Korea), by Tae Eun Kim at Shinwon Agency, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Chris Casuccio and John Pearce.
- Dr. Marc Lewis’ THE BIOLOGY OF DESIRE to Wilcza Anna Gruszczynska (Poland), by Tomasz Berezinski at Graal, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Michael Levine.
- Michael Ignatieff’s ON CONSOLATION to Kachi Books (Korea), by Tae Eun Kim at Shinwon Agency, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Michael Levine.
- Nick Garrison from Penguin Canada has acquired world rights to Roy Ratnavel’s PRISONER 1056, an incredible rags-to-riches immigrant story from a prominent Tamil Canadian who fled torture and imprisonment, then rose from the mailroom to the executive suite. The deal was done by Michael Levine at Westwood Creative Artists for publication in fall of 2023.
- Marc Côté from Cormorant Books has acquired world rights to Scott McIntyre’s memoir, BUILDING THE HOUSE, about his almost 50 years in the Canadian publishing industry, with opinions and stories about the founding of Douglas & McIntyre, one of the country’s most important publishers, and much more. The deal was done by Michael Levine at Westwood Creative Artists for publication in Fall 2023.
Westwood Creative Artists, a leading literary and media rights agency, represents more than 400 award-winning writers and creators in the book publishing, film and television, and podcast marketplaces. We have an immediate opening for a detail-oriented, experienced bookkeeper who can work remotely with occasional hours in our downtown Toronto office, and who thrives in an entrepreneurial setting.
Duties and Responsibilities:
- Payment processing for our clients, including monitoring incoming funds, communicating with WCA staff as well as publishers and producers to clarify details; cutting cheques and initiating outgoing electronic transfers of funds
- Inputting payment details in our custom publishing software, Bradbury Phillips (thorough training will be provided)
- Payroll processing and monthly source deduction remittances
- Prepare journal entries, account reconciliations and monthly financial statements
- Prepare and file quarterly GST/HST return
- Prepare year-end financial analyses package for filing of corporate tax return by chartered accountant
- Maintain supporting documentation and proper filing system for all financial transactions
- Initiate transition of payment processing and other recordkeeping to online platforms with support of WCA’s management and admin teams
Required Education, Skills and Qualifications:
- Post-secondary degree or diploma in accounting, book publishing or a related field
- Minimum 3 years of experience in bookkeeping
- High proficiency with Sage 50 and Microsoft Office
- Experience processing EFTs and wire payments through online banking platform
- Strong attention to detail with high level of accuracy
- Eager to take on a challenge and establish new systems; a self-starter with a positive attitude
- Proven to work well independently and collaboratively; a problem-solver
- Excellent written and oral communication skills
- Able to maintain strict confidentiality
- Experience in a small business setting an asset
- An interest in book publishing and/or film and television is not essential but would make the job more rewarding!
Please send a cover letter along with your resume to Hilary McMahon at hilary@wcaltd.com. Thanks for your interest, and we’ll be in touch if we’d like to set up an interview. The deadline for applications is Friday, January 21st, 2022. Westwood Creative Artists is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion.
Job type: permanent, full time
Salary: $40,000 – $50,000, vacation, health and dental benefits
- Glenn Gould’s THE GLENN GOULD READER to Misuzu Shobo (Japan), by Asako Kawachi at Tuttle Mori, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists.
- Yann Martel’s BEATRICE AND VIRGIL to Beijing Xiron Culture Group Co., Ltd. (China) by Claire Qiao at Andrew Nurnberg Associates International, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Jackie Kaiser.
- Bobbi French’s THE GOOD WOMEN OF SAFE HARBOUR to Kösel/Diederichs Verlag (Germany), by Hannah Nuspliger-Fosh at Liepman, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Hilary McMahon.