Dutton Kids Gets 'Remarkable'
In a two-book pre-empt, Nancy Conescu at Dutton Children's Books bought world English rights to Elizabeth Foley's debut novel, Remarkable. Faye Bender, of Faye Bender Literary, brokered the deal. The book follows a 10-year-old named Jane Doe who is the only "normal" person living in a town called Remarkable that is otherwise full of gifted people. According to Bender, Jane stumbles on a long-buried town secret that leaves her in a position to "decide just how remarkable she wants to be." Remarkable is slated for spring 2012.
Minotaur Poaches Eisler
After two books at Ballantine, Barry Eisler is moving to Macmillan. Dan Conaway, at Writers House, closed a two-book deal with Minotaur Books' editorial director, Kelley Ragland. Ragland took North American rights in the acquisition, and the first book, The Detachment, which marks the seventh entry in Eisler's thriller series featuring master Japanese-American assassin John Rain, is scheduled for early 2012.
Undead Goes to Soho
Doug Stewart at Sterling Lord sold world English rights to J. Ross Angelella's Zombie. Mark Doten at Soho Press acquired the novel by the Bennington M.F.A., which is narrated by a 14-year-old boy obsessed with both zombie movies and women's magazines. The narrator copes with life at an all-boys Catholic school and his father's escalating disturbing behavior through the twin obsessions. The book is scheduled for spring 2012.
Putnam Continues with ‘Monkeewrench'
Christine Pepe at G.P. Putnam Sons has re-upped the mother-daughter writing team of Patricia Lambrecht and Traci Lambrecht, known to readers as PJ Tracy. Through the deal Pepe, who is the Lambrechts' longtime editor, took North American rights to the sixth novel in the authors' Monkeewrench series from agent Ellen Geiger of Francis Goldin Literary. The book follows the titular Minnesota software company and the offbeat techie geniuses who work there as they partner with the police to solve a local murder. (The 2003 book that launched the series, Monkeewrench, was a Richard and Judy Pick in the U.K.; per Putnam, the series is an international bestseller.) The latest title has a planned publication date of 2012.
D'Souza Re-Ups with Regnery
Harry Crocker at Regnery Publishing signed author Dinesh D'Souza (The Roots of Obama's Rage) to a new world rights two-book deal. Both books are currently untitled, the first slated for early 2012, and the second planned for 2013. A noted Christian conservative, D'Souza, who closed the deal without an agent, is currently president of the King's College in New York and has written such righty titles as The Cultural Left and Its Responsibility for 9/11 (Doubleday) and Illiberal Education: The Politics of Race and Sex on Campus (Free Press).
Crowe Gets Sporty
Da Capo editor Jonathan Crowe acquired two sports books, one on baseball and the other on golf. Crowe took North American rights to Johns Hopkins professor Tim Wendel's Sixty-Eight: The Year of the Pitcher—When Baseball Saved America from Chris Park at Foundry Literary + Media. Wendel focuses on that eponymous season when, thanks to things like a bigger strike zone, pitchers began to dominate the game. The baseball season is then set against what Da Capo called "one of the most divisive and turbulent years in American history." Crowe also bought world rights to The Magnificent Masters, NBC Sports producer Gil Capps's book about the 1975 tournament that broke the color barrier in professional golf. Farley Chase at the Waxman Agency brokered the deal. Both titles are scheduled for spring 2012.
