That's Dave Pelzer, whose wretched childhood and development into bestselling author has been chronicled in a series of books beginning with A Child Called It. In a new book, so far untitled, that's just been signed by Carole Baron at Dutton, Pelzer will tell of his high school days, and how two friends helped him get through them and begin to rise above his past. Baron got world English rights, for her Dutton and Plume imprints here and for Michael Joseph, a Penguin imprint in London. They were sold by Pelzer's longtime agent, Laurie Liss, now at Sterling Lord Literistic. Dutton editor-in-chief Brian Tart, who will be editing, plans to publish in January 2004, followed later by a Plume paperback.