A first novel by Laura Dave, a young journalist for Self and Glamour, was bought by Carole Desanti for Viking. It's called London Is the Best City in America and is a humorous tale about the marital affairs of a young woman and her much-admired brother; the world English and audio rights buy was from GailHochman at Brandt & Hochman.... Bill Press is doing a book called How the Republicans Stole Christmas, suggesting that conservatives have hijacked religious issues for their own purposes, often twisting them in the process. It was bought for six figures for world English rights by Doubleday's Trace Murphy from agent Ronald Goldfarb.... Rock star Tom Petty signed with little Omnibus Press for what will in effect be his autobiography, a book of conversations about his life and music with music journalist Paul Zollo. The book was signed by Omnibus's Andrea Rotondo and will be published, with pictures, for Christmas next year.