WCA Deal Report for December 8, 2022

By Deals

Film/TV:

  • Netflix has acquired TV/film rights to Craig Shreve’s THE AFRICAN SAMURAI, based on the true-life story of Yasuke, Japan’s first and only samurai of African descent, for development as a five-part event series, to be written by Nick Jones Jr. and produced by 21 Laps’ Shawn Levy, Paige Simpson, Moera Ainai and Josh Barry along with Significant Productions’ Forest Whitaker and Nina Yang Bongiovi, by Jerry Kalajian at IPG, on behalf of Chris Casuccio at Westwood Creative Artists.

WCA Deal Report for November 11, 2022

By Deals
  • Anne Shone at Scholastic Canada has acquired world rights to AT THE SPEED OF GUS by co-author of AUTUMN BIRD & THE RUNAWAY Richard Scrimger. The insightful middle grade novel follows the comically escalating adventure of charismatic 13-year-old Augustus Constantine whose mind (and mouth) operate at a different speed due to his ADHD, showing readers there’s more than one way to see the world. Publication is slated for summer 2023; Hilary McMahon at Westwood Creative Artists negotiated the deal.
  • Lindenwood University MFA graduate Marissa Eller‘s JOINED AT THE JOINTS, in which a socially anxious, baking-obsessed teen more comfortable with pies than people meets a charismatic and super-attractive boy with the same diagnosis as her (juvenile arthritis) at a support group for sick kids, meaning sparks fly—for the first time in her life—outside of her kitchen, in this whip-smart romcom debut based on the author’s experience of chronic illness, to Mora Couch at Holiday House, for publication in summer 2024, by Emmy Nordstrom Higdon at Westwood Creative Artists (world).

Film/TV:

  • Mike Sheerin at Nikki Ray Media Agency has optioned two properties from Westwood Creative Artists: Jennifer Robertson’s memoir BITCOIN WIDOW: LOVE, BETRAYAL, AND THE MISSING MILLIONS, and Dean Jobb’s true crime THE CASE OF THE MURDEROUS DR. CREAM. Hilary McMahon represents both Robertson and Jobb.

Foreign:

  • Alice Kuipers‘s LIFE ON THE REFRIGERATOR DOOR renewed to Martin Fontes (Brazil), by JP Riff at Riff Agency, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Jackie Kaiser.
  • Yann Martel’s LIFE OF PI renewed to Editions Gallimard (France), by Marie-France Heinic at Anna Jarota Agency, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Jackie Kaiser.
  • Yann Martel’s LIFE OF PI renewed to Editura Polirom (Romania), by Marina Adriana at Simona Kessler Agency, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Jackie Kaiser.
  • Shohini Ghose’s HER SPACE, HER TIME to Paidos (World Spanish), by Sandra Bruna at Sandra Bruna Literary Agency, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for John Pearce.

WCA Deal Report for October 28, 2022

By Deals

Foreign:

  • Jay Ingram’s THE SCIENCE OF WHY 2 renewed to Beijing Green Beans (China), by Claire Qiao at Andrew Nurnberg Associates, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Jackie Kaiser.
  • Michael Ignatieff’s THE ORDINARY VIRTUES to Shanghai Sanhui Culture & Press Ltd. (China), by Claire Qiao at ANA Beijing, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Michael Levine.
  • Thomas Trofimuk’s THE ELEPHANT ON KARLUV BRIDGE to China Times (complex Chinese), by Whitney Hsu at Andrew Nurnberg Associates on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Hilary McMahon.
  • Margaret Visser’s THE RITUALS OF DINNER to Antoni Bosch Editor (Spain), by Sandra Bruna at Sandra Bruna Agency, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Bruce Westwood.
  • Yann Martel’s 101 LETTERS TO A PRIME MINISTER renewed to Jakkajungsin (Korea), by Tae Eun Kim at Shinwon Agency, on behalf of Meg Wheeler at Westwood Creative Artists for Jackie Kaiser.  

WCA Deal Report for October 21, 2022

By Deals
  • 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.

WCA Deal Report for October 14, 2022

By Deals
  • 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.

WCA Deal Report for October 7, 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.

WCA Deal Report for September 30, 2022

By Deals
  • 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.

WCA Deal Report for August 26, 2022

By Deals
  • 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.

WCA Deal Report for August 12, 2022

By Deals
  • 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.

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.