Emme Muñiz Makes Her Debut
Crown Books for Young Readers/Random House Children’s Books announced Wednesday the acquisition of Lord Help Me, a picture book featuring prayers by Emme Muñiz, the 12-year-old daughter of Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony. Emily Easton, v-p and publisher for Crown Books for Young Readers, acquired world rights from Byrd Leavell at UTA and Raymond Garcia at Major Books . Easton will edit the project. The book is slated for publication in English and Spanish on September 29, with an initial print run of 100,000 copies.
Convergent Takes Two
Convergent senior editor Porscha Burke acquired world rights from Rachelle Gardner at Books & Such to a debut book by theologian, essayist, and cultural commentator Candice Marie Benbow. The title, Red Lip Theology, features a collection of essays on the intersection of faith, womanism, and pop culture, touching on issues related to freedom, self-love, and wholeness for black women, according to the publisher. The book is slated for publication in spring 2022.
Derek Reed, also a senior editor at Convergent, took world rights from CAA to Grace-ish, a new nonfiction title by CNN’s Kirsten Powers. In it, Powers describes “her quest to maintain sanity while working as a political pundit during the Trump presidency,” including how she maintained her ethical and moral convictions, according to the publisher. Grace-ish is scheduled for publication in fall 2021.
A ‘Holy Hot Mess’ Lands at Hachette
Hachette Nashville’s Daisy Hutton and Karen Longino took North American rights to Holy Hot Mess, a work of nonfiction by blogger Mary Katherine (MK) Backstrom (Mom Babble). The book, which is slated for publication in early fall 2021, will feature personal experiences with heartbreak blended with humor about “the messiness of life” and God’s role in it, according to the publisher. Mike Salisbury at Yates & Yates represented the author in the deal.
WorthyKids Gets ‘Flooded’
Peggy Schaefer at WorthyKids bought world rights from Mary Cummings at Betsy Amster Literary Enterprises to A Flood of Kindness, a picture book by Ellen Leventhal. It follows a girl who discovers hope and healing through kindness after her home is destroyed in a flood, according to the publisher. Blythe Russo will illustrate A Flood of Kindness, which is slated for publication in spring 2021. Molly O’Neill at Root Literary represented Russo in the deal.
