Josh Piven, who writes the bestselling Worst Case Scenario Survival Handbook series with David Borgenicht, is doing a stand-alone book for his next appearance. It's called Pure Luck, and will tell true stories about how both bad and good luck have impacted a range of people. The buyer, for a high six figures for North American rights, was Villard editorial director Bruce Tracy, and the deal was done with Dallas agent David Hale Smith at DHS Literary.
Another recent buy by a busy Tracy was a first novel called Girl Cook, as part of a two-book deal with a new author, former professional chef Hannah McCouch. Her book, said to offer a Nanny Diaries—type inside look at the Manhattan restaurant world, is about a chef trying to mix love and career. The world rights buy was negotiated with Simon Green at the POM agency, and Tracy bought the package with Katie Zug; publication is next summer.
