Dial Wins Napolitano’s ‘Edward’

After beating nine other bidders, Dial Press’s Whitney Frick won North American rights to Ann Napolitano’s novel Dear Edward. The book, set for 2020, was sold by Julie Barer at the Book Group. The publisher said the novel follows two narratives: “the story of the passengers aboard an airplane hurtling toward a tragic crash, and the coming-of-age of the flight’s sole survivor, 12-year-old Edward Adler.” Barer predicted that the book will be “the next literary fiction blockbuster.” In addition to the U.S. sale, foreign deals have closed for the book in a number of territories including France, Italy, the Neatherlands, Spain, and the U.K.

Moore’s ‘Animal’ Runs to Delacorte

Krista Marino at Delacorte Press took world English rights, in a preempt, to Maria Romasco Moore’s debut YA novel, Some Kind of Animal. The novel, the publisher said, is about “a teenager who believes she has a secret twin who lives in the woods, but who finds herself forced to prove her own innocence when her sister attacks a boy.” Jim McCarthy at Dystel, Goderich & Bourret represented Moore; the book is slated for spring 2020.

Redhook Gets “Kind” with Morgan

Louisa Morgan sold The Witch’s Kind, in a two-book deal, to Sarah Guan at Redhook. The world rights agreement was brokered by Peter Rubie at FinePrint Literary Management. In her new novel, Morgan (A Secret History of Witches) offers, per the publisher, a tale of “love, sacrifice, family ties, and magic set in the Pacific Northwest in the aftermath of World War II.” Redhook added that The Witch’s Kind is ideal for fans of Practical Magic and A Discovery of Witches.

Chinese SF Writer to Saga

For Simon & Schuster’s Saga Press, Joe Monti bought North American rights, at auction, to two novels by Hao Jingfang. The first book in the deal is called Vagabond and the second is currently untitled. Tianjin-born Hao is the first Chinese woman to win a Hugo award—in 2016 she took home the Best Novelette honor for “Folding Beijing”—and her books with Saga will be translated by author Ken Liu, who is also a Hugo winner. Robin Straus and Katelyn Hales at Robin Straus Agency represented Hao on behalf of Charlotte Seymour at Andrew Nurnberg Associates London. Before becoming an author full-time, Hao worked part-time as an economist for the IMF.

Rascal Flatt to Zondervan

Jay DeMarcus, a member of the country music group Rascal Flatts, sold a memoir to Zondervan. Associate publisher Stephanie Smith, along with Matt Baugher, senior v-p of author and partnership development for HarperCollins Christian Publishing, took world rights to Sing On from Kathy Armistead Olen at Atticus Brand Partners. The memoir, set for April 2019, will, DeMarcus said, chart his rise to stardom in Nashville and, ultimately, “encourage people that no matter where they are in their lives, they can find hope, comfort and strength in their faith.” According to Zondervan, Rascal Flatts has sold over 23 million albums.

For more children’s and YA book deals, see our latest Rights Report.