O’Donnell Pens Women’s History Tome

Veteran journalist, CBS News anchor, and 60 Minutes correspondent Norah O’Donnell has signed with executive editor Mary Reynics at Ballantine to write “a female-focused retelling of American history.” The deal for world English rights was brokered by Matthew Latimer and Keith Urbahn at the Javelin Group. Ballantine says the book will be “wide-ranging, deeply researched, and revelatory” and will feature “women who have been forgotten, marginalized, or deliberately erased from our country’s narrative.” The yet-to-be-titled work is set to be published in the first half of 2026.

Kingsbury Sells Three to Forefront

Bestselling author Karen Kingsbury has signed a three-book deal with Nashville-based indie press Forefront Books. Forefront publisher Jonathan Merkh acquired world rights from Rick Christian at Alive Literary Agency. The deal will once again pair Kingsbury with editor Becky Nesbitt, now associate publisher of Forefront. The two previously worked together at both Simon & Schuster and Tyndale. The first, as-yet-untitled book is slated to be released in early 2025. Kingsbury’s final book with Simon & Schuster, Just Once, was published on November 14.

Park Row Takes Dave’s ‘Guilt Pill’

After an auction, Nicole Luongo at Park Row Books landed North American rights to Saumya Dave’s The Guilt Pill. The deal was brokered by Claire Friedman at InkWell Management. Park Row described the novel as “high-concept speculative women’s fiction” that follows “a CEO on maternity leave who becomes addicted to a supplement that erases female guilt.” Dave, a psychiatrist and frequent mental health contributor to NBC News, is also the author of What a Happy Family, which was the July pick for the Good Housekeeping Book Club. Guilt Pill is set for early 2025.

Redhook Nabs Graudin’s Adult Debut

In a two-book deal, Priyanka Krishnan at Redhook acquired world English rights to popular middle grade and YA author Ryan Graudin’s adult debut novel, The Enchanted Lies of Céleste Artois, along with an untitled novel set in the same world. Alyea Canada will edit. The deal was negotiated by Tracey Adams at Adams Literary. Pitched as The Night Circus meets Addie LaRue, the story, Adams says, follows “a forger who stumbles across an enchanted artists’ salon in Belle Epoque Paris—where imaginations come to life and devilish deals can change one’s destiny.” Enchanted is scheduled for publication in summer 2024.


Kincaid’s ‘Garden’ Grows at Timber

Antiguan American author Jamaica Kincaid has sold world rights to an untitled book about her beloved Vermont garden to Makenna Goodman at Timber Press. The deal was brokered by Jeff Posternak at the Wylie Agency. Photographed by Ngoc Minh Ngo, the work will highlight Kincaid’s “horticultural passion, expertise, and longtime commitment to collecting and communing with plants,” according to the publisher, and will feature storytelling centered on “the garden as a space for enjoyment, education, and political engagement.” The book will be published in fall 2026.


Bloomsbury Orders the ‘Lobster’

Nancy Miller at Bloomsbury has acquired world rights to Mark Kurlansky’s Lobsters. Kurlansky is represented by Danielle Svetcov at Levine Greenberg Rostan Literary, who submitted the project exclusively to Miller for the editor and author’s 22nd book together. Bloomsbury said the work is “a portrait of our most delectable crustacean, including recipes,” from “a native New Englander and man of the sea.” Lobsters is due out in spring 2026.