U.K. Novels in Flurry of Sales
Kate Eberlen's Miss You, which has been compared to David Nicholls's One Day and was acquired in the U.K. for a reported seven figures, is now selling in a wave of other deals. The novel, which Mantle acquired in the author's home country, is about a couple--Tess and Gus--who meet, fleetingly, in Florence in 1997. The book presents separate first person narratives from each character, as they go on about their separate lives. Maya Ziv at Harper U.S. and Iris Tulpholme at Harper Canada have acquired the book from primary agent Marc Lucas at LAW. A six-figure deal for the novel was closed with German publisher Diana (an imprint of Random House Germany division Heyne), and acquisitions have also closed in Italy (Garzanti) and Brazil (Sextante). At press time, rights were being auctioned in France and Spain.
Aussie Debut Draws Interest
Tasmanian-born and Sydney-based author Sean Rabin has seen his debut novel, Wood Green, sell in two recent English language deals. Jessica Craig at Pontas Literary and Film Agency sold the book to Dodo Ink for publication in the U.K. and Ireland. Additionally, the novel has gone to Giramondo Publishing, which will be releasing it in Australia/New Zealand. In the novel, a scholar named Michael Pollard travels to Tasmania to work for Lucian Clark, a well known author and the subject of Pollard's thesis. The reclusive Clark is, like Pollard, a man with a hidden agenda.
New Sales for Novel by Che Guevera Descendant
33 Revolutions, which we reported on in our previous column, has picked up several new sales. The book, by Che Guevera's grandson Canek Sánchez Guevara, is modeled on an album with 33 songs and follows a bureaucrat on a Caribbean island. Sánchez Guevara died in Mexico in January, and the book is being sold by Victor Hurtado at the VicLit Agency. After sales to a number of publishers, world Spanish rights have been acquired by María Fasce at Alfaguara. A deal for Dutch rights has also closed with Signatuur, and Taiwan house Homeward has acquired complex Chinese rights.
Dutch Debut Travels to France
Inge Schilperoord's debut novel, Tench (Muidhond), has just sold in France, with Caroline Ast at Belfond acquiring the title. Originally published in the Netherlands in March by Podium, the book was longlisted for the ECI Literatuurprijs, a Dutch literature prize that awards authors a purse of 50,000 euros. Marleen Seegers at 2 Seas Literary is handling world translation rights, and said a world English rights offer is currently pending. The book follows a pedophile named Jonathan who, after landing in psychiatric prison, is release because there is insufficient evidence to prosecute him. Once out, Jonathan meets a young girl who is not being properly looked after by her mother. The meeting, and ensuing relationship with the girl, tests his resolve to keep his urges at bay.
