A ‘Full House’ at Zondervan
In a deal brokered by Allison Cohen with the Gersh Agency, acquisitions editor in the trade division at Zondervan Stephanie Smith bought world rights to two books by Full House star Candace Cameron Bure. The first title under the deal is a gift book about inner and outer beauty, Staying Stylish: Cultivating a Confident Look, Style, and Attitude. It is slated to release in fall 2017. A yet-to-be-titled trade book that, Zondervan said, gives readers “permission to go off-script, stand their ground with elegance, and stay true to themselves despite others’ expectations” is slated to publish in spring 2018.
Biblical Scholar Debuts at Baker
New Testament scholar Jeremiah J. Johnston closed a three-book, world rights deal brokered by Curtis Wallace of the Wallace Literary Agency with acquisitions editor Jeff Braun at Bethany House Publishers (a division of Baker Publishing Group). Johnston’s debut, Unimaginable: What Our World Would Be Like Without Christianity, explores the historical significance of Christianity and its positive influence. It’s scheduled to be published in November 2017, while the next two books in the deal are slated to publish in fall 2018 and fall 2019, respectively.
Suzanne Stabile Re-Ups at IVP
Intervarsity Press’ associate publisher Cindy Bunch took world rights to Suzanne Stabile’s currently titled The Path Between Us: The Enneagram and Relationships in a deal negotiated by Sheryl Fullerton. The book is a follow-up to Stabile’s 2016 The Road Back to You, which sold over 40,000 copies within six months of publication, according to the publisher. It continues the author’s exploration of the Enneagram—a system of personality typology with roots in Christian and Islamic mysticism/. The book described ways readers can use the Enneagram to improve relationships of all kinds. The Path Between Us is slated for publication in early 2018. [http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-8308-4619-1]
Zondervan Lands Hannah Brencher
Stephanie Smith of Zondervan took North American rights to two books by Hannah Brencher, a TED Talk speaker and the founder of the community-building website The World Needs More Love Letters. The first book, You Are Here, features Brencher’s tips for, Zondervan said, “appreciating the sometimes slow and difficult process of building a meaningful life.” The book explains, among other things, how to be present and cultivate relationships. It’s slated to publish in August 2018. The second untitled book does not have a release date yet. Mackenzie Brady Watson at the Stuart Krichevsky Literary Agency sold the books.
Life Coach Brings Love to Fortress
Fortress Press’ editor Lisa Gruenisen acquired world rights to life coach Rozella Haydée White’s debut, Love Big, slated to be published in fall 2018. In it, White builds a case for how “radical love” and “revolutionary relationships” can heal the heart, mind, and body, according to the publisher.
Loyola Confronts the Pharaoh
Director of trade books at Loyola Press, Tom McGrath, and Loyala executive editor Joe Durepos acquired world rights to Confronting Pharaoh: Organizing to Build God’s Kingdom and Rebuild the Church by Alex Tindal Wiesendanger. The author is a faith-based community organizer and the national organizing director at Jobs to Move America. The book, which is scheduled to release in June 2018, underscores the importance of the message of justice and mercy in the gospel and encourages readers to view their churches as places that can campaign for things like community benefits and education reform.
FaithWords Gets Audacious
Keren Baltzer, acquisitions editor at FaithWords, took world rights to The Audacious Molly Bruno by Marie Armenia. The book is a mentoring guide aimed at women; it offers wisdom and stories from the life of Armenia’s mother, 92-year-old Molly Bruno. The Audacious Molly Bruno is slated to go on sale in May 2018.
Sounds True Risks Happiness
Sounds True editor Caroline Pincus took world English rights to May Cause Happiness by Catholic Benedictine monk David Steindl-Rast. The book, which is scheduled to be published in March 2018, is based on Steindl-Rast’s teachings that gratefulness is not the result of happiness, but the cause of happiness.
Kogan Brings ‘More’ to Sounds True
In a world English rights deal brokered by Janis Donnaud, Sounds True editor Jaime Schwalb bought More Than Happier by Nataly Kogan, co-founder and CEO of the gratitude-sharing app Happier. In the book, Kogan lays out ways to build, the publisher explained, an “emotional immune system and find resilience when faced with difficulty and heartbreak.” More Than Happier is slated to publish in June 2018.
This article has been updated with a correction.
