Brian Murray and Liate Stehlik at HarperCollins and William Morrow acquired world all-language rights to an untitled thriller cowritten by James Patterson (far l.) and YouTuber MrBeast (l.), with Robert Barnett and Deneen Howell of Williams & Connolly representing the former and Byrd Leavell and Albert Lee of UTA the latter. The publisher said the novel centers on “an extreme global competition” in which 100 contestants attempt to “survive dangerous tests” in an effort to win a billion-dollar cash prize. Publication is set for 2026.

Elisabeth Schmitz at Grove Atlantic picked up world rights to Heart the Lover by Lily King from Julie Barer at the Book Group. The publisher called the novel “a tale of desire, friendship, and the lasting impact of first love.” U.K. rights were acquired at auction by Jenny Fry at Canongate from Amy Hundley at Grove Atlantic; foreign rights have sold to HarperCollins Canada, Albin Michel in France, C.H. Beck in Germany, Fazi in Italy, and Urano/Plata in Spain. Release is set for October.

Chris Ryall at Abrams ComicArts took world rights to Megalopolis: An Original Graphic Novel by Francis Ford Coppola, adapted by Ryall and illustrated by Eisner Award–winning artist Jacob Phillips. The publisher called the graphic novel “an immersive new version of Coppola’s iconic cinematic story” exploring “the gripping narrative of idealism versus corruption” in the futuristic city of New Rome. Publication is set for October.

Molly Turpin at Random House won North American rights, at auction, to Desert Dreams by Meg Bernhard from Allison Devereux at Trellis. The “sweeping natural history of deserts,” per the publisher, details their “potential for unbelievably swift transformation, the critical services deserts provide other ecosystems, and how Indigenous peoples have thrived within them for millennia, to show what Earth’s most extreme and misunderstood places have to teach us about life on a rapidly warming, drying planet.” Alice Skinner at Bodley Head acquired U.K. and Commonwealth rights, also from Trellis. No release date has been announced.

Suzanna Tamminen at Wesleyan UP secured world rights to Camille T. Dungy’s poetry collection America, a Love Story from Samantha Shea at Georges Borchardt. The publisher said the collection features “lyric poems exploring the condition of being a Black woman and mother in America with Dungy’s blend of attention to parenthood and contemporary social, cultural, and environmental concerns.” Publication is set for next February.

In Brief

  • Elizabeth Mitchell at HarperOne acquired U.S., Canadian, and open market rights to Ethel: Faith, Hope, Family, and an Extraordinary American Life, a biography of Ethel Kennedy by Kerry Kennedy, with Maryanne Vollers, from David Kuhn at Aevitas, for a tentative fall 2026 release.
  • Megan Lynch at Flatiron landed North American rights to Future Boy: “Back to the Future” and My Journey Through the Space-Time Continuum, by Michael J. Fox with Nelle Fortenberry, from Amanda Urban at CAA, with Zachary Wagman to edit, for an October release.
  • Ryan Doherty at Celadon preempted North American rights to screenwriter Andy Callahan’s thriller Nobody Deserves This, “following 21-year-old screw-up Sean Mulcahy as he and his estranged father investigate the disappearances of local female athletes, including Sean’s beloved younger sister,” from Douglas Stewart at Sterling Lord. Pub date TBD.
  • Anton Mueller at Bloomsbury bought World rights to Ukrainian reporter Illia Ponomarenko’s popular history of Ukraine, The Land of Tears and Hope, in an exclusive, unagented submission, for a 2027 release.
  • Sara Rodgers at Mira bought North American rights, at auction, to Victoria S. Walsh’s Iron Hex trilogy, following “a curvy potions witch who can’t remember her past,” from Jenny Bent at her eponymous agency. Publication is set for summer 2026.

Correction: Schmitz at Grove Atlantic picked up world rights to King’s Heart the Lover, not North American rights.