Carolrhoda Listens to Burkhart’s ‘Honor Code’
In a world English rights preempt, for two books, Alix Reid at Carolrhoda acquired Kiersi Burkhart’s debut YA novel, Honor Code. The book is set in a prep school rocked by a scandal and is slated for a fall 2017 release. The second book, called Tower of Smoke and Lies was pitched, the publisher said, as “Game of Thrones meets Gossip Girl.” The novel is set in a fantasy kingdom and follows a princess and a wannabe princess who are both “willing to do whatever it takes to become queen.” Tower of Smoke is slated for spring 2018. Burkhart was represented in the deal by Fiona Kenshole at Transatlantic Agency.
Wilson Gets ‘Perfect’ with Ecco
Kevin Wilson (The Family Fang) sold a new novel, called Perfect Little World, to Zack Wagman at Ecco. Wagman took North American rights from Julie Barer at the Book Group. (In a separate deal, the book sold to Picador UK.) Perfect Little World, Ecco said, follows a teenager on the cusp of becoming a mother. After she joins “an unorthodox experiment called the Infinite Family Project,” she discovers “the difference between the families we’re born into and those we make for ourselves.” The Family Fang, which Ecco published in 2011, was recently adapted to the screen by Jason Bateman (who also stars alongside Nicole Kidman and Christopher Walken). Starz acquired the film at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival and plans to release it theatrically, as well as via its video-on-demand platform (Starz Digital), in May.
Goto’s ‘Shadow’ Falls over First Second
First Second Books’ Calista Brill nabbed world English rights to a graphic novel called Shadow Life written by Hiromi Goto and illustrated by Celine Loup. Sally Harding at the Cooke Agency handled the deal for Goto, while Loup was represented by Meredith Kaffel Simonoff at DeFiore & Company. The publisher said the book follows a woman named Kumiko who escapes her senior living facility while being followed by “Death.” The book is set for 2018.
Dane Signs for Six Figures At Harlequin
Romance author Lauren Dane inked two separate world English rights deals at Harlequin—with HQN and Carina Press—for six figures. Angela James was the acquiring editor in both deals, working with agent Lauren Bradford, who has an eponymous shingle. In the first acquisition, for HQN Books, James bought three titles in a new romance series called Whiskey Sharp, which follows the men who work in a Seattle barbershop that sits on real estate once occupied by a whiskey distillery. The first Whiskey Sharp book is set for spring 2017. In the Carina Press acquisition, James bought two titles in a new series called Cherchez Wolf Pack, a paranormal romance series set in Washington’s North Cascades National Park that follows a pack of werewolves.
Soho Teen Goes to the ‘Dogs’ with Haynes
Butthole Surfers frontman Gibby Haynes sold world rights to his debut novel, Dogs, to Daniel Ehrenhaft at Soho Teen. The YA title, the publisher said, is a darkly comic contemporary work “infused with magical realism” about a troubled teenager who goes on a journey to save his estranged sister with his supernatural dog, Mr. Cigar. The book is set for spring 2018. Haynes did not use an agent in the deal.
