• Jamison Stoltz at Abrams has acquired from Associate Professor of Classics at Dalhousie University Jack Mitchell’s THE ODYSSEY OF STAR WARS, AN EPIC POEM, which begins with the rebel heist from Rogue One and climaxes with Return of the Jedi, recounting the legendary adventures of Luke Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Vader in the ancient literary form.  Hilary McMahon at Westwood Creative Artists did the world rights deal, with publication slated for September 2021.

• Annick Press’s Claire Caldwell has acquired world rights to South Asia Book Award winner Mahak Jain’s BHARATANATYAM IN BALLET SHOES, to be illustrated by Anu Chouhan, a lively picture book about a girl’s love of dancing and her cultural identity, with echoes of the real-life collaboration between Bharatanatyam icon Rukmini Devi Arundale and ballerina Anna Pavlova. Publication is planned for Spring 2022. Hilary McMahon and Bridgette Kam of Westwood Creative Artists represented the author and Thao Le of Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency represented the illustrator.

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, in-office or hybrid 6-week internship position, beginning August 23^rd.

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.

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 July 30^th. 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.

• Canadian poet Lydia Kwa‘s ORACLE BONE and THE WALKING BOY, the ancient storytelling tradition referred to as Chuanqi literally means “to transmit the strange,” and the literary speculative Chuanqi Duology is inspired by and subverts Chinese mythologies, literary traditions, and tropes, to Kim Budnick at Tantor Media in a two-book deal, by Emmy Nordstrom Higdon at Westwood Creative Artists (world English).

• Wade Davis’s INTO THE SILENCE, the definitive, epic true story recounting the beginning of the end of the British Empire and the guilt of the survivors of the first world war, among whom was the British adventurer George Mallory who along with Sandy Irvine went on to risk their lives attempting to climb Mount Everest in 1924, carrying that survivor’s guilt and so much more, to Bublico Productions, by Michael Levine at Westwood Creative Artists.

• PEN/Hemingway Award finalist and author of THE LOST GIRLS OF CAMP FOREVERMORE, Kim Fu’s LESSER KNOWN MONSTERS OF THE 21ST CENTURY, a poignant, erotic, and darkly comic short story collection, to Alana Wilcox and Crystal Sikma at Coach House Books, for publication in winter 2022, by Jackie Kaiser at Westwood Creative Artists (Canada English). U.S. rights were previously sold to Masie Cochran at Tin House Books.

• World rights to Governor-General’s Literary Award finalist Alison Hughes’s MORE OR LESS have been acquired by Andrea Spooner at Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, with publication slated for winter 2024.  The picture book uses variations of just five words to celebrate living more sustainably, simply and generously, reinforcing that by having “less”, something “more” meaningful can be gained.  Hilary McMahon at Westwood Creative Artists represents Hughes, and Steven Malk at Writers House negotiated for Caldecott Honor recipient Oge More to illustrate.

• Iris Tupholme at HarperCollins Canada has acquired Canadian rights to MINDFUL OF MURDER by Stephen Leacock Medal winner and Edgar-award nominee Susan Juby (The Woefield Poultry Collective). The comedic murder mystery features high-end domestic service, unusual spiritual pursuits, the Death Positive movement, and the best organized investigator you’ve ever met. Publication is planned for spring 2022; Hilary McMahon of Westwood Creative Artists represented the author.

• Esteemed architect Jack Diamond’s memoir CONTEXT AND CONTENT, about his life from growing up in South Africa and his early experiences with anti-Semitism to designing iconic buildings around the globe, to Scott Fraser at Dundurn Press, for publication in Spring 2022, by Michael Levine at Westwood Creative Artists.

• Former police officer and current crime reporter for CP24 Steve Ryan’s THE GHOSTS THAT HAUNT ME, about homicide cases he investigated as a detective and how they still affect him, to Scott Fraser at Dundurn Press, for publication in Spring 2023, by Michael Levine at Westwood Creative Artists.

Foreign deals:

• Bobbi French’s THE LAST CHANCE OF FRANCES DELANEY to Kinneret (Israel), by Geula Geurts at Deborah Harris Agency, on behalf of Meg Wheeler of Westwood Creative Artists for Hilary McMahon.

• Yann Martel’s LIFE OF PI renewed to Presenca (Portugal), by Jordi Ribolleda, on behalf of Meg Wheeler of Westwood Creative Artists for Jackie Kaiser.