Patterson joins WMA for repping in pix, lit
'Spider' author ankles CAA
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Patterson, whose novel "Roses Are Red" is currently the nation's top-selling fiction paperback, is a repeat bestseller with a growing Hollywood track record. Paramount has already produced two of his Alex Cross thrillers, and last year, NBC bought rights to "First to Die," his first novel in a new series involving a group of female sleuths.
Patterson has now switched publishing agents twice in a year, having left longtime agent Richard Pine last fall.
With WMA negotiating Patterson's next book contract, the signing could also eventually spell an end to his longtime relationship with publisher Little, Brown, where he has a multibook contract.
WMA is likely to focus, for now, on breaking Patterson out as a Hollywood franchise. Some of the highly prolific author's recent books, namely "Beach House," which circulated last summer, haven't found a Hollywood studio buyer.
WMA New York lit co-head Jennifer Rudolph Walsh, who signed Patterson with WMA worldwide head of motion picture lit Dave Wirtschafter, said Patterson will benefit from a shop that reps all his rights in concert.
WMA's strategy for Patterson, she said, "is going to revolve around branding. That's the name of the game, from lectures to film, TV and merchandising."
Patterson is the kind of author WMA's newly reconstituted New York lit office hopes will provide a consistent flow of bankable material for its Hollywood pipeline. And the WMA signing is likely the harbinger of a sizable film deal.
