Philomel Nabs WWII Debut

Philomel publisher Michael Green bought world rights, at auction, to a debut YA novel called Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys. The daughter of Lithuanian refugees, Sepetys relied on research and stories she collected from relatives for the book, about a 15-year-old Lithuanian girl who saves her family—her sketches draw the positive attention of Soviet guards—after the clan is shipped to Siberia as part of Stalin's “cleansing” of the Baltic region during WWII. Former Writers House agent Lindsay Davis (who has since left the publishing industry) brokered the deal; the agency's Ken Wright is now representing Sepetys. Philomel is planning a spring 2011 publication.

Dykstra Goes with 'Plan B'

Entrepreneur David Murray has inked a deal for his new book, Plan B: The Art of Making Things Happen, with Simon & Schuster's Free Press. Emily Loose pre-empted world English rights to the book from Sandra Dijkstra. Murray penned the 2009 book Borrowing Brilliance (Gotham), which hit a few national bestseller lists and was named one of the year's best by Inc. magazine. The new book tackles the nature of idea generation, specifically the way our back-up plans can often be the thing, as the agency put it, that “lead to real achievement.”

Lyons Press Goes with 'Irish' Jerry

Agent Bob Diforio at D4EO Literary sold world rights to a new biography about boxer “Irish” Jerry Quarry, written by Steve Springer and Ever Chivas, to Lyons Press editor Keith Wallman. Quarry, dubbed “the Great White Hope” during a period dominated by black fighters, fought against the greats of the era, including Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier. Quarry's career, as Diforio notes, was marked by dramatic highs and lows; he indulged in his share of celebrity excess and ultimately fell victim to dementia pugilistica (the type of dementia that often afflicts boxers and is also known as boxer's dementia). Lyons Press is planning a March 2011 publication.

ST&C Is Goin' to the Chapel

Stewart, Tabori & Chang's Jennifer Levesque took North American rights at auction to Matthew Robbins's currently titled Hunting & Gathering: A Field Guide for Styling Your Perfect Wedding. Foundry Literary + Media's Yfat Reiss Gendell brokered the deal for Robbins, an event stylist for Vera Wang and contributor to Martha Stewart Weddings. According to Foundry, Robbins, who also runs a design business, will offer brides-to-be tips on how to create the wedding of their dreams on any budget by “translating the look and feel of their favorite mementos” into their big day.

Long's Long Run

Colin Dickerman at Rodale pre-empted world English rights to a memoir of athleticism (and hope) lost and found called The Long Run by Matt Long. Long, a New York City firefighter and onetime triathlete, was nearly killed after being hit by a bus in 2005. That traumatic event, however, didn't stop Long from trying to return to his former athletic glory. The book, which Long is writing with Charles Butler, will be expanded from his magazine piece in the March 2009 issue of Runner's World about his training for the 2008 New York City marathon. (Long literally had to learn to walk, and then run, after the accident.) Farley Chase at the Waxman Agency brokered the deal.