Hyperion has signed Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick to a two-book deal, with the first title set to appear exclusively in digital. The title, called Faith In the Dream: A Call to Our Nation's Liberal Majority to Restore American Values, will be priced at $2.99 and scheduled for May 2012, to tie in to the presidential election. The e-book is also intended to launch a dialogue with readers that will inform the second, currently untitled, book in the deal.
Christine Pride, senior editor at Hyperion, took North American (as well as first serial, audio and e-book) rights in the deal, which she brokered wiith agent Todd Shuster of Zachary Shuster Harmsworth. Pride worked on Patrick's first book, 2011's A Reason to Believe. Faith, Hyperion said, will build on Patrick's existing investment in interacting with his constituents via social media, and the digital title will encourage readers to share their own stories about their notion of what the American dream is and how they have gone after it, as well as helped others to do so. Those stories will then be used in Patrick's other title, which will be released simultaneously in e-book and hardcover, in 2014. Patrick will be donating a portion of the proceeds from the titles to charity.
Speaking to the deal, Ellen Archer, president and publisher of Hyperion, said she was particuarly attracted to the notion of doing a digital exclusive. "While traditional books by political figures are a publishing staple during election cycles, releasing an electronic exclusive opens up a whole new space—the digital frontier—and allows us to spread the Governor’s visionary message far and wide in ways that were never before possible. With its affordable price point, and technology-friendly format, we expect this eBook will achieve a broad grassroots reach and create a unique user experience"
