Hyperion Nabs Int'l Bestseller
Elisabeth Dyssegaard at Hyperion bought world English rights to Jonas Jonasson's novel, The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared, in a deal brokered by Anna Soler-Pont of the Pontas Agency. The book, about a centenarian who has an adventure when he flees his nursing home on his birthday, has sold over one million copies and is being made into a film in the author's native Sweden. Rights have been acquired in 28 countries and Hyperion is planning to release it next summer as a paperback original. The main character, Hyperion noted, has an interesting backstory, having played a role in some of the 20th century's most notable moments; the title delves into the protagonist's past and his having encountered a who's who of world leaders, from Stalin to Churchill to Mao.

Bloomsbury Gets ‘Diabolical'
In a major three-book acquisition, Melanie Cecka at Bloomsbury/Walker Books for Young Readers bought world English and German rights, at auction, to a new trilogy by recent Columbia M.F.A. grad Yelena Black; book one is called Diabolical. Michael Stearns and Ted Malawer, at the Inkhouse, brokered the deal for Black. Bloomsbury calls the trilogy a Black Swan–like (in reference to the film) tale of a 15-year-old who starts witnessing spooky goings-on at her prestigious ballet school. When Vanessa Adler becomes suspicious of the controlling choreographer at her academy, she stumbles upon the fact that he is staging a performance in which "the school's dancers become pawns in a world of demons." The first book in the series will be published internationally in English—in the U.S., U.K., and Australia—in winter 2013.

HC Gets 'Dreamy' with Cargill
Ain't It Cool News film critic C. Robert Cargill sold the first book in a new series, tentatively called Dreamstuff, to Diana Gill at Morrow/Harper Voyager. Peter McGuigan at Foundry Literary + Media handled the deal, selling North American rights. The book follows two friends, Ewan and Colby, from childhood through tortured adulthood and into a parallel world known as the Limestone Kingdom, which the agency describes as "filled with whiskey-swilling genies and foul-mouthed wizards, deadly nixies and enchanted sidhe." (Sidhe are a form of fairy.) Foundry caled the work "part Neil Gaiman, part Guillermo Del Toro, part William Burroughs." The titles is set for a fall 2012 release.

Cremer Goes Steampunk for Philomel
Jill Santopolo at Penguin's Philomel imprint closed a North American rights deal for two new books by Andrea Cremer, author of the imprint's bestselling Nightshade series. Santopolo acquired the titles—one is the first book in a new steampunk series and the other is a second prequel to Nightshade—from agents Richard Pine and Charlie Olsen at Inkwell Management. The steampunk series, the first book of which is called The Inventor's Secret, is set in an alternate 19th century in which the American Revolution never happened and the British rule the world. Inventor's Secret is currently scheduled for fall 2013. The Nightshade prequel, Rise, is scheduled for summer 2013. (The final book in the original Nightshade series is coming out in January 2012, and Philomel has another Nightshade prequel already scheduled for fall 2012.

NAL Re-Ups Caine
In a high six-figure acquisition, Anne Sowards at New American Library bought three new books in Rachel Caine's bestselling YA series, Morganville Vampires. Lucienne Diver at the Knight Agency closed the deal. The series, which has over one million copies in print, is set in Morganville, Tex., a town where the vampire population and human population coexist under a set of rules whereby, as Diver explained, the humans "swear fealty to a protector, make monthly blood donations, and in exchange the vampires won't snack on you." Havoc is wrought when a group of young rule-breakers runs amok in the town. The 11th book in the series, Last Breath, is scheduled for November.

Briefs
Robert Pigeon at Da Capo bought world rights to Pulitzer finalist Gregg Jones's Last Stand at Khe Sanh from agent Jim Donovan. The book, which will be one of Da Capo's lead titles for fall 2013, follows two Marine regiments that fought an outnumbered, 21-week battle with North Vietnamese fighters during the Vietnam War.