DEAL OF THE WEEK

Pantheon Checks In to Lalami’s ‘Hotel’

In a high-six-figure acquisition, Lisa Lucas at Pantheon bought North American rights to Laila Lalami’s sixth book, The Dream Hotel. The novel, which Naomi Gibbs will edit, is set in the near future and, the publisher said, follows “a museum archivist who gets detained after a predictive algorithm uses her dreams to determine she will commit a crime.” Ellen Levine at Trident Media Group represented Lalami, a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award and a winner of the American Book Award.

Shteyngart’s Latest Goes to RH

For Random House, David Ebershoff bought world rights to Gary Shteyngart’s currently untitled and unscheduled novel about three generations of a Russian American/Korean American family. Denise Shannon at Denise Shannon Literary represented the author. Elaborating, RH said the novel follows the imploding clan “against the backdrop of a country that’s barely holding it together.”

Potter Preps Berry’s Updated ‘Bible’

British culinary personality and former judge on The Great British Baking Show Mary Berry sold Mary Berry’s Baking Bible, Revised and Updated to Clarkson Potter. Jennifer Sit and Lydia O’Brien acquired North American rights to the book, which will be edited by Susan Roxborough. CP said the title, an update of the 2010 title set for spring 2023, features “revised recipes to suit the needs and tastes of today’s home bakers.” Anjali Nathani at Penguin Random House UK handled the North American rights agreement for Berry.

Atria Lands Pride and Piazza’s ‘Mine’

You Were Always Mine by Christine Pride and Jo Piazza was acquired in a U.S. and Canadian rights deal by Atria’s Lindsay Sagnette. The novel, which Pilar Queen and Byrd Leavell at United Talent Agency sold, is set for spring 2024. The publisher said the book follows a Black woman whose life is upended when she finds an abandoned white baby, “sparking provocative questions about race and motherhood, family and belonging.” The authors’ 2021 novel, We Are Not Like Them, was a Good Morning America Book Club pick.


Wilsner Meets ‘Cute’ at Griffin

Vicki Lame at St. Martin’s Griffin bought North American rights, in a two-book agreement, to Meryl Wilsner’s Cleat Cute. The book, which Patrice Caldwell at New Leaf Literary & Media sold, is, Lame said, “a funny, sizzling” lesbian romance between rival soccer teammates, and is set for summer 2023.

Hoover Takes ‘Us’ to Atria

Bestseller Colleen Hoover sold a new novel, It Starts with Us, to Libby McGuire at Atria. The book, set for October, is the sequel to Hoover’s hit It Ends with Us (first published by Atria in 2016), which, the publisher said, has sold over one million copies, thanks in part to the support of promotion by TikTok users. Jane Dystel at Dystel, Goderich & Bourret represented Hoover, who has published more than 23 books. The novel is set to be edited by Melanie Iglesias Pérez.

Celadon to Publish January 6 Report

In collaboration with the New Yorker, Celadon Books will publish The January 6th Report, detailing the findings of the select committee investigating the attack on the U.S. Capitol. The title, set to be released simultaneously alongside the release of the report itself, will feature an introduction by New Yorker editor David Remnick. Deb Futter brokered the deal with WME’s Eric Simonoff, and Celadon’s Bill Hamilton will edit.