Dessen Goes “Once” Around at Viking Kids
In a world right deal, Regina Hayes and Ken Wright at Viking Children’s Books bought Sarah Dessen’s Once and for All. The novel, which is the author’s 13th, follows a just-graduated high schooler with a cynical view of romance and marriage. Burned by her first true love, she’s not ready to give her heart to anyone, when she meets a handsome young man. Set in what Viking called “the chaotic world of wedding planning,” Once and for All is slated for a summer 2017 release. Dessen was represented by Leigh Feldman at Leigh Feldman Literary.

S&S Signs Miranda for Six Figures
YA novelist Megan Miranda (All the Missing Girls) inked a deal with Simon & Schuster for two adult psychological thrillers. Karyn Marcus took world rights from Sarah Davies at Greenhouse Literary in a six-figure agreement. The titles are scheduled for 2018 and 2019, respectively.

Prof Sells Debut to Center Street
Melissa Scholes Young, a lecturer at American University, sold her debut novel, Flood, to Christina Boys at Center Street. Claire Anderson-Wheeler at Regal Hoffmann and Associates handled the world rights deal for Young, who has contributed to the Atlantic and the Washington Post. Wheeler described the novel, set in Missouri, as something “Mark Twain would have written if Becky Thatcher had gone home for her high school reunion and found Tom Sawyer.”

Rose Signs with Berkley for Multiple Titles
In a multibook North American (and nonexclusive open-market English-language) rights agreement, Berkley’s Claire Zion signed Karen Rose to do three mass market novels in a new series. The California-set series will launch in 2019. Additionally, Zion bought a romantic suspense e-novella set in the world of Rose’s Baltimore series. Rose was represented by Robin Rue at Writers House.

Soho Press Buys ‘Mort(e)’ Sequel
Mark Doten at Soho Press took North American and open market rights to Robert Repino’s novel, Culdesac. The book is a sequel to Mort(e), the author’s critically acclaimed sci-fi work, which Soho released in 2015. The new work, the publisher said, follows “a ragtag band of animal soldiers fighting in an apocalyptic war, led by the titular Culdesac, a brutal and very badass bobcat.” Jennifer Weltz at Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency brokered the agreement with Doten.

Briefs
Flo Nicoll at Harlequin’s HQN imprint bought world rights to three new titles in Sarah Morgan’s From Manhattan with Love series. Susan Ginsburg at Writers House brokered the agreement for New York, Actually; Meet Me in the Hamptons; and Moonlight over Manhattan. The publisher said the series is about “embracing life, and falling in love, in New York.” The first book in the deal is set for a summer 2017 release.

In a North American rights deal, Megan Lynch at Ecco bought two currently untitled novels by Rumaan Alam (Rich and Pretty). Julie Barer at the Book Group represented Alam, and the first book in the agreement, set for 2018, will, Ecco said, explore “the complex relationship between a woman and her child’s nanny.”

Bestselling and Rita Award–winning romance author Tessa Dare signed a new three-book deal with Avon’s Tessa Woodward. Steven Axelrod, who has an eponymous shingle, brokered the world English rights agreement for Dare, who writes such series as Spindle Cove and Castles Ever After.

Rich Dent sold a graphic novel called Myopia to Nick Barrucci at Dynamite Entertainment. Dent, who negotiated the world English rights agreement himself, wrote the book with the help of a Kickstarter campaign supported by authors such as Neil Gaiman and Margaret Atwood. Myopia is set in a near-future world where, Dent said, “special lenses allow the government to cover up a civilization on the brink of extinction.” The book is set for a November release.