DealWatch ™

Actually, I don’t know if I should trademark that phrase or not, but it’s been ages since I’ve posted some new deals so might as well catch up now.

First, there’s Harry Hunsicker, whose first PI novel isn’t even out yet but the buzz is so good he just inked another two book deal:

Harry Hunsicker’s next two crime novels featuring Dallas-based private investigator Lee Henry Oswald, again to Sean Desmond at Thomas Dunne Books, for publication in spring 2006 and 2007, by Richard Abate at ICM.

Next up, a lot of folks are really, really into Sarah Waters’ novels. I’ve had FINGERSMITH on the TBR pile for ages but haven’t as yet gotten around to it. By the time I do I suspect her next novel will be out:

Orange and Booker-nominated author Sarah Waters’ HARM, set in 1940s London, following several characters’ intertwined lives and relationships, revealing how the war changes each of them, to Julie Grau at Riverhead, for publication in March 2006, by Jean Naggar at the Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency, on behalf of Judith Murray at Greene & Heaton (US).

Then there’s Adrian McKinty, the author of several highly regarded hardboiled crime novels, who’s the latest in a long line of crime writers to make the jump to children’s lit:

Adrian McKinty’s science fiction trilogy THE LIGHTHOUSE HOUSE, THE LIGHTHOUSE LAND and THE LIGHTHOUSE KEEPERS, to Susan van Metre at Abrams’ Amulet Books, in a very nice deal, by Bob Mecoy at Creative Book Services (NA).

Many of Jeffery Deaver’s novels are simultaneously released in Italy, where he’s a huge seller; as a reward, his next Lincoln Rhyme novel just got a sweet deal in that country:

Italian rights to thriller author Jeffery Deaver’s new Lincoln Rhyme novel THE TWELFTH CARD, to Ornella Robbiati at Sonzogno (Italy the most successful of his 34 translation territories), for six-figures sum, by Roberto Santachiara, co-agenting with Diana Mackay at Curtis Brown UK, on behalf of Deborah Schneider at Gelfman Schneider.

And finally, in what has to be one of the pithiest book blurbs I’ve seen, I bring you this:

Steve Jackson’s debut thriller THE MENTOR, featuring spying, lying and dying on a grand scale, to Wayne Brookes at Harper Fiction UK, in a good deal, by Veronique Baxter at David Higham Associates (world).