Casts Sign for New Series at SMP
P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast (House of Night series) sold a new YA fantasy series called the Dysasters to Monique Patterson at St. Martin’s Press. The world rights deal was negotiated by Meredith Bernstein, who has an eponymous shingle. SMP said the books bring together ancient and modern mythology. The first two titles in the series will be released as hardcovers in 2018.
Duval Takes ‘Time’ to Lyrical
For Lyrical Press, Kensington’s digital-first imprint, Tara Gavin took world English rights to two novels by Chloé Duval. The author is French-Canadian, and the first book in the agreement, Le temps volé will be released by Kensington as an e-book called Stolen Time, in June 2017. The book, which marks the first commercial fiction title acquired by Lyrical, is about a romance novelist who is deeply moved by a mysterious letter she receives. The note recounts a decades-old love affair and inspires the author to try to reunite the lovers it depicts. Le temps volé was originally published by Editions Bragelonne in France last year.
FSG Experiences Tucholke’s ‘Mercies’
In a two-book North American rights acquisition, Grace Kendall at Farrar, Straus and Giroux bought April Tucholke’s The Boneless Mercies. The novel, by the author of Wink Poppy Midnight (Dial, April), was sold by Joanna Volpe at New Leaf Literary & Media. Volpebilled the book as a feminist reimagining of Beowulf. In it, she said, “four mercenary girls chase glory and honor by battling a monster that’s been terrorizing a nearby earldom.”
Dugoni Re-ups at Thomas & Mercer
Robert Dugoni signed a new four-book deal with his current publisher, Thomas & Mercer. Meg Ruley at Jane Rotrosen brokered the six-figure world English rights agreement with Gracie Doyle. (As part of the deal, Amazon Publishing controls Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, and Spanish rights, while the author retains all other translation rights.) Two of the four books in the deal will be new titles in the author’s bestselling series featuring Seattle homicide detective Tracy Crosswhite.
Melville House Shoots for “Stars” with Heller
Ryan Harrington at Melville House took world rights to Jason Heller’s Strange Stars. Jennifer Jackson at Donald Maass Literary brokered the agreement for Heller, a journalist and author of the 2012 novel, Taft 2012 (Quirk). Jackson said the nonfiction work “illuminates the massive influence that science fiction had on popular music during the 1970s boom of both”; it will link the work of musicians such as David Bowie and Rush to the writing of Philip K. Dick and the pop culture phenomenon of Star Wars. A publication date for the book has not been set.
Briefs
In a deal for U.S. and U.K. rights, Arthur Klebanoff at Rosetta Books bought Alan M. Dershowitz’s Electile Dysfunction. The book, which is set for a September 2016 release, was sold by Karen Gantz at Karen Gantz Literary Management. Gantz said the book will offer “a perspective on how we’ve arrived at this point in the political process and settled for candidates who don’t [excite] many voters.”
Correction: An earlier version of this story did not note that April Tucholke's deal at FSG is a two-book one. Additionally, an earlier version of this story said Jason Heller won a Hugo for his novel Taft 2012. He did not. He won a Hugo for his editorial work on the magazine Clarkesworld.
