Short Takes

African-American author/dramatist Pearl Cleage has signed for another two novels with Ballantine's Nancy Miller, for the house's One World imprint. The first is Baby Brother Blues; the second is untitled. The world rights deal was signed with agent Howard Rosenstone. Cleage still has a book to go on her old contract, Babylon Sisters, set for next April.... Michael Thurmond, who is a fitness expert on TV's Extreme Makeover, has signed with Warner Books'Diana Baroni for a book called 6-Day Body Makeover, which promises big weight loss in a week. It was a seven-figure buy from Barbara Lowenstein at Lowenstein-Yost.... Thriller author Colin Harrison has re-upped with editor John Glusman at FSG for two more of the same, the first about three women and a prominent New York doctor; it was a world rights hard/soft deal, signed with ICM's Kris Dahl.... At HarperCollins, Terry Karten bought a new book from British Africa expert and journalist Michela Wrong, about the struggles of the small country of Eritrea as it battles the legacy of colonialism and present-day big power politics. The signing, with agent Joy Harris, was for the U.S., the Philippines, nonexclusive open market and first serial.... An unusually large bid from illustrated books publisher Bulfinch was its seven-figure one to win popular TV personality and author Katie Brown, an expert in home decorating, gardening, cooking and entertaining. Bulfinch publisher Jill Cohen made the bid to Ira Silverberg at Donadio & Olson for four illustrated books in Brown's fields, luring her away from Harper.... Beloved children's author-illustrator Eric Carle is still active at 75, and just signed (personally) a deal for a new picture book, 10 Little Rubber Ducks, with executive editor Antonia Markiet at HarperCollins Children's Books, for publication next winter.