Francis Collins Brings 'Wisdom' to Hachette Imprints
Francis Collins (The Language of God), former director of the National Institutes of Health and cofounder of BioLogos, a non-profit organization that promotes ties between science and religion, sold The Road to Wisdom: On Truth, Science, Faith, and Trust to two Hachette Book Group imprints, which will co-publish the book. Bruce Nichols, senior v-p and publisher for Little, Brown & Company, and Daisy Hutton, v-p and publisher for Worthy, acquired North American rights from Gail Ross of William Morris Endeavor. Publication is planned for fall 2024.
Ink & Willow Calls for 'Joy'
Jamie Lapeyrolerie, editor for WaterBrook’s Ink & Willow gift line, has signed a world rights deal with Tracey Michae’l Lewis-Giggetts (Black Joy: Stories of Resistance, Resilience, and Restoration) for Black Joy Playbook, a gift book filled with prompts and questions to help readers find out what joy looks like to them and create a strategy to experience it now. Cait Hoyt at Creative Artists Agency brokered the deal for the fall 2024 release.
Psalm Inspires Bedtime Picture Book
In an unagented deal, Rachel Joy Welcher (Talking Back to Purity Culture) sold world rights to her first picture book to IVP Kids managing editor Elissa Schauer. The God Who Never Sleeps, based on Psalm 121, features a little boy who is afraid to go to bed until his mother tells him God is always watching over us. Publication is planned for winter 2025.
FaithWords Signs Grammy Winner/Pastor
Shannon Marven at Dupree Miller has sold world rights to Daisy Hutton and Beth Adams at FaithWords/Hachette for Steven Furtick’s Do the New You: 6 Mindsets to Become Who You Were Created to Be. It's an exploration of principles and beliefs that lead to a life of authenticity. Furtick is a bestselling author, Grammy-award winning songwriter, and founder and pastor of Elevation Church and Elevation Worship in Matthews, N.C. Publication is set for February 2024.
Racial Healing Addressed
Greg Thompson—co-director of Voices Underground, documentary filmmaker (Repairing America), and food/culture writer for Comment magazine—signed a world rights deal with Katelyn Beaty, editorial director for Brazos Press, for a book unofficially titled Blood from the Ground. The unagented book, which focuses on working toward truthful public memory to encourage racial healing, is set for spring 2025.
Burnout Book to Bethany
Andy McGuire, executive acquisitions editor at Bethany House, has taken world rights, via Janet Kobobel Grant of Books & Such Literary Management, to Stress Fracture: How to Win Your Battle with Burnout by Jonathan Hoover. Hoover, who holds a doctorate in psychology and pastors at NewSpring Church in Wichita, writes about ways dealing with stress can make someone stronger and more effective. A fall 2024 pub date has been set.
Scholastic Takes a Hanukkah Turn
Rachel Matson, while at Scholastic, acquired world rights to Little Dreidel Learns To Spin by Rebecca Gardyn Levington (Whatever Comes Tomorrow; Brainstorm!), a rhyming Hanukkah picture book about a wobbly dreidel who uses persistence, positivity and momentum to learn to twirl. Cindy Kim will edit and Taryn Johnson will illustrate. Kaitlyn Sanchez at Bradford Literary represented the author, and the illustrator represented herself. Publication is planned for fall 2024.
