DEAL OF THE WEEK

Pence Takes His Autobio to S&S

In a two-book, world rights agreement, Dana Canedy, senior v-p and publisher at Simon & Schuster, bought world rights to Mike Pence’s autobiography. S&S described it as “the story of Pence’s faith and public service, covering his trajectory from Columbus, Ind., to his time as the second-highest-ranking official in the Trump administration.” The publisher also promised that the former v-p will “address the many pivotal moments of the administration.” David Vigliano and Thomas Flannery at Vigliano Associates represented Pence, and the currently untitled book is tentatively set for 2023.

 

FROM THE U.S.

Strout’s ‘William’ Is Welcomed at RH

Elizabeth Strout, who won a Pulitzer Prize for Olive Kitteridge, sold world rights to Oh William! to Andy Ward at Random House. The novel, RH said, is about a formerly married couple who are now friends. They watch their children grow up and reckon with their own pasts as they “unearth the kind of long-buried family secret that rearranges everything we think we know about those closest to us.” Strout was represented by Molly Friedrich and Lucy Carson at the Friedrich Agency, and Oh William! is slated for October.

Putnam Goes ‘Orange’ for Yoon

Putnam’s Mark Tavani took North American rights to City of Orange by David Yoon (author of Frankly in Love and the forthcoming Version Zero). The adult novel is, Putnam said, an “intimate” tale about “a man who wakes up alone and injured in a postapocalyptic landscape and must find his way home.” Jodi Reamer at Writers House brokered the deal on behalf of Yoon.

Grohl’s ‘Storyteller’ Talks to Dey Street

Nirvana drummer and Foo Fighters front man Dave Grohl sold The Storyteller to Dey Street Books. Carrie Thornton took North American rights from William Morris Endeavor. The HarperCollins imprint said the book, set for October, grew, in part, out of a piece Grohl wrote for the Atlantic in May 2020 about how he misses performing, and watching, live music. The article spurred Grohl to create the Instagram account @davestruestories, which Dey Street said has been filled with Grohl’s “extraordinary—and funny—stories” and will be the platform for the book. Storyteller “is as much a celebration of music as it is about the moments that have molded Grohl into the man he is today.”

Bloomsbury Buys Langer’s Latest

Bloomsbury’s Elizabeth Ellis took North American rights to a novel by Adam Langer (Crossing California). Tentatively titled Cyclorama, the book was sold by Stéphanie Abou at Massie & McQuilkin Literary Agents and is, Bloomsbury said, “the story of 10 teenagers brought together by a high school production of The Diary of Anne Frank, which will shape and influence the rest of their lives.”

Kokila Enters Quintero’s ‘State’

With a six-figure preempt, Kokila’s Namrata Tripathi bought world rights to Isabel Quintero’s Golden State. In the YA novel, Quintero (Gabi, a Girl in Pieces) follows an 18-year-old who, after discovering her father has a secret family, embarks on a road trip to meet her half brother. Peter Steinberg at Fletcher & Co. represented Quintero.

Newman’s ‘Men’ Join Grove

Sandra Newman (The Heavens) sold The Men to Peter Blackstock at Grove Atlantic. The publisher said the novel is about “feminist utopias and impossible choices, set in a world where men have disappeared from the Earth.” Blackstock took North American rights from Victoria Hobbs at A.M. Heath.