Maddow Takes ‘Fight’ to Crown
For Crown, Gillian Blake took world rights to Rachel Maddow’s Prequel. The book, subtitled An American Fight Against Fascism, traces, the PRH imprint said, “the rise of a radical strain of authoritarianism that has been alive and well in America for the better part of a century.” Going back to the start of WWII, Maddow details how extremism has been a part of American politics for decades, and offers “a road map from U.S. history, marked both with heroics to emulate and traps and pitfalls to avoid.” The book, sold by Laurie Liss at Sterling Lord Literistic, is slated for October 17.
Nelson Twists In-N-Out
The president and owner of In-N-Out Burger, Lynsi Snyder, sold a book about her family company to Nelson Books. The Ins-N-Outs of In-N-Out Burger: The Inside Story of California’s First Drive-Thru and How It Became a Beloved Cultural Icon tells the history of the California fast food chain and will be released in October, timed to the company’s 75th anniversary. In-N-Out now has more than 390 locations in seven states, and the book, Nelson said, offers “an honest reflection of the company’s history and how it stayed true to itself despite all obstacles.” Jenny Baumgartner, who is no longer at Nelson Books acquired world rights from Tom Dean at A Drop of Ink Literary. Janet Talbert will be editing the title.
Avid Reader Wins Ukrainian Novel
In a North American rights agreement, Lauren Wein at Avid Reader Press acquired the novel Amadoca by Sofia Andrukhovych at auction. Elianna Kan at Regal Hoffman & Associates represented the author on behalf of Ivan Fedechko at the Ukrainian publisher Old Lion. Written before Russia’s most recent invasion of Ukraine, the book is, Avid Reader said, “a sweeping literary epic that interweaves the major events of Ukrainian 20th-century history” up to the war in Donbas in 2014. Andrukhovych is Ukrainian, and the novel was first published there in 2020. The title does not yet have a U.S. publication date.
Bryant Gets ‘Elementary’ at Berkley
Elise Bryant’s It’s Elementary was preempted in a two-book, North American rights agreement by Berkley’s Esi Sogah. Bryant (Happily Ever Afters) was represented by Taylor Haggerty at Root Literary and the novel, her first for adults, follows, per Berkley, one of the few Black parents at a California elementary school, who finds herself juggling PTA commitments, bake sales, and, unexpectedly, “the investigation into the school’s missing principal.” It’s Elementary is set for August 2024.
West Meets Cute at Griffin
YA novelist Kaise West’s adult romance debut, We Met Like This, sold in a two-book, North American rights agreement to Sara Goodman at St. Martin’s Griffin. The paperback original, slated for winter 2025, is, Griffin said, about an aspiring literary agent who, down on dating apps, longs to meet someone IRL, but “the longest relationship she’s had has been with Oliver, the guy she keeps re-matching with online.” Michelle Wolfson at Wolfson Literary represented the author.
TarcherPerigee Gets Human with Parcak
For six figures, Jacob Surpin at TarcherPerigee preempted North American rights to Sarah Parcak’s nonfiction work, Humanity. The book, subtitled A Survival Guide: The Eight Traits That Define Us as Human and Have Allowed Us to Thrive, is, the publisher said, “a guided tour of the amazing survival story that is human history, centered on eight traits that have come to define us over the last 330,000 years.” Parcak (Archaeology from Space) was represented by Steve Ross, who has an eponymous agency. The book is set for fall 2025.
