| |
The following extracts are random entries from a report that runs 20 + pages in hard copy.
AGENT (North American)
Section I - Name/Address
Name: Andrew WYLIE
Address: The Wylie Agency, Inc.
250 West 57th St., Suite 2114
New York, NY 10107
Tel: (212) 246-0069
Email: awylie@wylieagency.com
The Wylie Agency (UK), Ltd.
17 Bedford Square
London WC1B 3JA
Tel 020-7908-5900
Fax 020-7908-5901
Section II Employer
Current: WYLIE Agency Inc.: 1996 to present
(A) Immediate previous: WYLIE, Aitken & Stone 1986 to - 1996
(B) Second previous: Andrew WYLIE Agency estimated 1983 to 1986, prior to which he was with the agency now known as JCA from ? to 1983. (It was Jane Cushman Associates and is now pretty much moribund.)
Section III Biography
General: Until its break up in 1996, Andrew Wylie was president of Wylie, Aitken & Stone, and a director of London's Aitken & Stone Ltd. Some years later he opened a London branch of his NYC operation.
London’s Private Eye reported Andrew Wylie attempted to recruit novelist Julian Barnes to his agency (apparently) not realizing Barnes's agent (Pat Kavanagh) was also the author’s wife. See also Rushdie et al vis-a-vis Deborah Rogers, one of Rushdie’s previous agents. (But it should be said here that Wylie was the Rushdie agent during all of the fatwah carry-on and the author has nothing but praise for his agent’s support.) In the UK Wylie is known as the Jackal. Since '96 Wylie is president of his NYC agency and continues to operate aggressively on both sides of the pond. Like virtually every agent in the business, he would be happy to represent a debut author with a book he (Wylie) destined for bestsellerdom and literary greatness. But also like so many, he is not willing to wade through ten years of slush to maybe someday find that work of genius. We only recommend Wylie to previously published clients with impressive reviews. Sales numbers are not anywhere near as relevant for this agent who frequently prides himself on being able to make a writer with huge talent successful when others have not been able to accomplish that. (Incidentally, Al Zuckerman is another who loves that kind of challenge.)
(A) Yr. of Birth: ca. 1947
(B) Picture 1989 (PW 11/3/89 F'kft '89), 1990 (PW 1/5/90 Looking Back)
Section IV Clients, Mss & Sales
CLIENTS FOR WHOM THE LATEST (OR FIRST) SALE WAS MADE IN 2007
Benazir BHUTTO: Exiled former prime minister of Pakistan (a sale made before Bhutto’s assassination at a political rally in her homeland.) In September of 2007, WYLIE announced the sale of RECONCILIATION: Islam, Democracy and the West, part memoir and part political book, offering a "look at the mistakes we've made in the region and what we can do to correct them - as well as what the consequences will be if we don't". The book went to Tim Duggan at Harper, for publication in spring 2008.
Mark Malloch BROWN: Former Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations. In November of 2007, WYLIE announced the sale of THE UNFINISHED GLOBAL REVOLUTION, a sweeping examination of the need that globalization has created for more, not less, government and what this means. The book went to Diane Turbide at Penguin Canada, in a co-publishing agreement with Penguin, for publication in May 2008.
David CRONENBERG: Film director. In November of 2007, WYLIE announced the sale of his first novel, partially set in Toronto. The book went via a pre-empt of WYLIE’s auction to Nicole Winstanley at Penguin Canada, for publication in early 2010.
Louise ERDRICH: In July of 2007, WYLIE announced the sale of world English rights in COLLECTED STORIES and SHADOW TAG. The books went in a deal of more than half a million dollars to Terry Karten at Harper, for publication in 2009.
Bill GATES, Sr.: In November of 2007, WYLIE announced the sale of North American rights in SHOWING UP FOR LIFE, about the principles and experiences that have shaped the author's extraordinary life and world view, discussing the values by which Gates has lived, which he and his late wife Mary instilled in their three children, and which he draws upon today as the co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in helping others around the globe. The book went to Roger Scholl at Doubleday Currency, for publication in 2009.
Claudio MAGRIS: In November of 2007, WYLIE announced the sale of Canadian rights in THE BLIND, intertwining history and delusion, myth and memory, called part confession, part clinical report and part fictional autobiography, as it journeys through time. The book went to Nicole Winstanley at Penguin Canada, for publication in September 2009.
Nandan NILEKANI: In November of 2007, WYLIE announced the sale of IMAGINING INDIA, promising an original take on why India could be a key player in the world of the twenty-first century. The book went to David Davidar at Penguin Canada, for publication in October 2008.
Heather ROGERS: In September of 2007, WYLIE announced the sale of North American rights in MADE IN THE SHADE, an investigation into the hidden environmental and social costs of the "greening" of the marketplace. The book went to Colin Robinson at Scribner, for publication in Spring 2009.
Norman RUSH: National Book Award winner and Pulitzer Prize finalist. In May 1986 paperback rights to Knopf's WHITES, the author's first novel, went to Collier/Macmillan for $7,700 using their topping option. His second novel, MATING was chosen as a BOMC alternate and released by Knopf in 9/91. The agency retained foreign rights. In April of 2007, WYLIE announced the sale of Italian rights in MATING, MORTALS and WHITES, two novels and a short story collection. The books went in a four to low five figure deal to Elliot Edizioni.
Lawrence SUMMERS: Former Harvard president. In June of 2007, WYLIE announced the sale of North American rights in a book on universities, for publication in 2009, and a book on the global economy. The books went to Eric Chinski at Farrar, Straus.
Ron SUSKIND: Author of THE ONE PERCENT DOCTRINE. In January of 2007, WYLIE announced the sale of his next two books. The books went to Tim Duggan at Harper.
....
CLIENTS FOR WHOM THE LATEST (OR FIRST) SALE WAS MADE IN 2005
David LEAVITT: A WYLIE client since 1981, Leavitt's 1984 story collection, FAMILY DANCING, from Knopf was sold in 1985 in England, France, Italy, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Holland via a battery of coagents. It was optioned by producer Richard Roth through Catlin BUCHMAN. His first novel THE LOST LANGUAGE OF CRANES was published in the fall of 1986 also by Knopf, and sold through Gillion AITKEN to Viking Penguin in the UK. CRANES was also sold to Italy's Mondadori; Spain's Versal; Denoel in France, and Holland's De Harmonie. At Frankfurt 1988 Leavitt's 2nd novel, EQUAL AFFECTIONS, garnered a $75,000 floor for Weidenfield & Nicolson pending its paperback auction in the U.S. In September 1990 Viking published A PLACE I'VE NEVER BEEN, a collection of short stories. It had already been published in Italy. In April 1997 ARKANSAS: Three Novellas was published by Houghton Mifflin, 1st serial right having gone to Esquire, and it had been sold into Italy and Holland. In September 2000 Houghton Mifflin released MARTIN BAUMAN: Or A Sure Thing. Three months later, WYLIE moved his client to Bloomsbury USA. North American rights to THE BODY OF JONAH BOYD was acquired by them in January of 2001. No mention was made of the advance. The book is to be based on the life of sex researcher Alfred Kinsey, scheduled for the fall of 2002. In September 2001 Houghton Mifflin published THE MARBLE QUILT, a collection of nine short stories by Leavitt about the gay life. In January of 2005, WYLIE announced the sale of world English rights in THE INDIAN CLERK, based on the true story of the strange and ultimately tragic friendship between the esteemed British mathematician G.H. Hardy and an unknown unschooled mathematical genius from India, followed by an untitled memoir. The books went to Colin Dickerman at Bloomsbury.
The ROYAL SHAKESPEARE COMPANY: In July of 2005, WYLIE announced the sale of North American rights in a new complete edition of the works of William Shakespeare, edited by scholar Jonathan BATE, with textual editing by Eric Rasmussen, presenting a modernized and editorially corrected version of the First Folio. The book went to Jane von Mehren for the Modern Library, for publication in fall 2006. Palgrave Macmillan will publish in English everywhere except North America.
Will SELF: In February of 2005, WYLIE announced the sale of THE BOOK OF DAVE, a collection of previously published short fiction, and YOU ARE HERE, a nonfiction book about London. The books went to Karen Rinaldi at Bloomsbury (which also bought rights for the UK and Germany).
Garry WILLS: Historian. After Scott MEREDITH died in 1993, Meredith agent Ted CHICHAK was for a short time with the agency that arose from the old MEREDITH, Scovil, Chichak & Galen. Soon afterward Chichak established his own agency and Wills moved to Anne SIBBALD at JANKLOW and Nesbit where WILLS’s daughter Lydia (a literary agent by the mid 1990s) was working. In 1995 WILLS's daughter had moved to the New York's ARTISTS Agency and in 1996 WILLS moved to WYLIE. Earlier credits can be found in the files of CHICHAK and SIBBALD. In October of 2002, WYLIE announced the sale of NEGRO PRESIDENT, offering the theory that Thomas Jefferson's election was due a vote “that reflected slave power”. The book went to Eric Chinksi at Houghton Mifflin. In February of 2005, WYLIE announced the sale of ENLIGHTENED RELIGION, about the tensions between tolerance and faith-based intolerance that have roiled this country from Colonial times to the present, for publication in fall 2006, and WAR IN PEACE, following the burgeoning role of governmental secrecy from the Manhattan Project to the present. The books went to Eamon Dolan at Houghton Mifflin.
....
CLIENTS FOR WHOM THE LATEST (OR FIRST) SALE WAS MADE IN 1999 OR PREVIOUSLY
For Gillon AITKEN’s client:
Bill BUFORD: US rights to AMONG THE THUGS were sold by WYLIE in early 1987 to Norton for $40,000.
Aaron APPELFIELD: Previously represented by an unidentified US agent. Appelfield moved to WYLIE in 1990. At the time his best known book was said to be 1983's TZILI: The Story of a Life. WYLIE represented Applefield for Random's KATERINA (1992) and UNTO THE SOUL in 1993, followed by a collection of essays, BEYOND DESPAIR, out in 1994 from Fromm International. WYLIE took his client back to Random House for January 1998's THE IRON TRACK. By that date Appelfield’s books had been translated into 27 languages. That year another of his Holocaust novels, THE ICE MINE was published in Israel. No US publisher had bought it at that point.
Corazon AQUINO: The Philippines' president was to have her (untitled) autobiography published by Random House in the winter of 1987-1988. In addition WYLIE sold UK rights to Collins/Fontana for £100,000 plus.
John BARTH: previously a client of Lynn NESBIT. Following his TIDEWATER TALES published in the UK by Methuen and Minerva, his Little, Brown THE LAST VOYAGE OF SOMEBODY THE SAILOR was bought in the UK by Hodder & Stoughton. Also in January 1991 sales were reported into Italy. Hodder, buying with Sceptre paid "a five-figure sum" which AITKEN, rather than WYLIE, was credited with. The hardback was due in August 1991.
Frederick BARTHELME: Following his first collection of stories MOON DELUXE, his first novel, SECOND MARRIAGE, was sold by WYLIE and published September 1984 by Simon & Schuster, while first serial rights went to The New Yorker. 20th Century-Fox (Entertainment Group) optioned it, through CAA, acting as sub-agent for WYLIE, in early 1985 for a possible movie, and the author had drafted a screenplay by the end of the year. TRACER was published August 1985 by S&S and through Catlin BUCHMAN an option was signed with Wolfgang Productions. See BUCHMAN's file. The author’s seventh novel, BOB THE GAMBLER, was his first with Houghton Mifflin, WYLIE having moved his client from Viking who published THE BROTHERS in 1993.
Donald BARTLETT and James STEELE: Their AMERICA: What Went Wrong was published in the spring of 1992 by Kansas City's Andrews and McMeel, and was a QPBC alternate and the subject of a three part PBS documentary by Bill Moyer in April 1992. EMPIRE: The Life, Legend, And Madness Of Howard Hughes went to W. W. Norton. In May 1998 EMPIRE was reported "sold" by CAA "for motion picture and TV production".
John BERGER: The author of PIG EARTH and ONCE IN EUROPA moved to WYLIE from his unidentified previous agent. In May 1990 Granta was reported as having purchased the third of his trilogy "Into Their Labors". Titled LILAC AND THE FLAG it cost "a staggering five figures" and was due out in January 1991.
Louis BERGREEN: Previously a client of Wendy WEIL, whose file has earlier credits. In June 1997 LOUIS ARMSTRONG: An Extravagant Life was out from Broadway Books. All other rights were retained by WYLIE.
....
|
