Quick’s Next YA Goes to LBYR
Alvina Ling at Little, Brown Books for Young Readers has taken North American rights to Matthew Quick’s latest novel, Every Exquisite Thing. The YA title from the Silver Linings Playbook author is set for spring 2016; it centers on Nanette O’Hare, a high school girl whose life is changed after she receives a mysterious book—a “cult classic,” as LBYR explains—from her favorite teacher. In the novel, O’Hare, a star student and athlete, has her rebellious side sparked by the book. Despite Nanette’s revelation, LBYR added, “she quickly learns there will be a high price to pay, as she attempts to insert her true self into the world with wild abandon.” The Weinstein Co. (which also produced the movie adaptation of Silver Linings Playbook) has already acquired film rights to Every Exquisite Thing. Douglas Stewart at Sterling Lord Literistic represented Quick.

Graywolf Grabs Teicher’s Essay Debut
PW’s own director of digital operations, Craig Morgan Teicher, sold his first essay collection to Jeffrey Shotts at Graywolf Press. Shotts took world rights to the book, We Begin in Gladness: Essays on Poetic Development, which the publisher said charts the work of contemporary poets ranging from Sylvia Plath to D.A. Powell. The book is set for winter 2017. Teicher did not use an agent in the deal.

Kelly’s ‘Rendezvous’ with Atria
Iowa Writers’ Workshop grad Victoria Kelly sold her debut, Mrs. Houdini’s Rendezvous, to Sarah Cantin at Atria. Trena Keating at Union Literary represented Kelly, and Atria took world English rights in the deal. Kelly, who has a B.A. from Harvard and a masters in creative writing from Trinity College Dublin, has had her nonfiction appear in a number of anthologies and literary magazines, including Best American Poetry 2013. Her chapter book Prayers of an American Wife won the Coal Hill Prize in 2012.

Wendig’s Miriam Black Lands at Saga
For Simon & Schuster’s new SF imprint, Saga Press, Joe Monti took world English rights, in a six-book deal, to Chuck Wendig’s Miriam Black series. The books follow the titular heroine, who is cursed with the ability to see the death of every person she touches. Through the deal, Saga will release the three backlist titles in the series—Blackbirds, Mockingbird, and The Cormorant (all originally released by Angry Robot)—first as e-books, then as trade paperbacks. The deal also covers three new titles. The books are currently in development as a TV series with the cable channel Starz. Wendig was represented by Stacia Decker at the Donald Maass agency.

Pegasus Goes ‘Chicken’ for Rude
Food writer Emelyn Rude has sold a book about one of American’s most popular foods to Jessica Case at Pegasus Books. In Tastes Like Chicken, which Case acquired world rights to, the author provides a history of the country’s obsession with this particular protein. (According to Pegasus, Americans consume over 73 million pounds of chicken a day.) The book is subtitled A History of America’s Favorite Bird and, Case explained, delves into the question: “How did chicken achieve the culinary ubiquity that it has today?” Rude, who was represented by Matt Wise at Foundry Literary + Media, has written for Vice and the book is her debut. Tastes Like Chicken is currently set for fall 2015.