New Deal for Doctorow
Novelist E.L. Doctorow, a Random stalwart for nearly 35 years, with a new novel, The March, about the Civil War, coming out in the fall, has just signed a new two-book deal with KateMedina. It calls for, first, a book of essays for fall 2006 (along with the March paperback), then another new novel. The North American hard/soft deal was made with ICM's AmandaUrban. Random, by the way, is expecting great things of The March, which heads our list of "Galleys to Grab" at BEA (p. 36).
Ordering Up 'Monk Boy'
It's not often these days that a publisher gets to order up a book, but that's what Martha Levin at Free Press just did. She was so intrigued by a recent Wall Street Journal story about an American boy abandoned at a Tibetan monastery 40 years ago by his hippie parents that she asked editor Martin Beiser to track down the author. WSJ Pittsburgh bureau chief Clare Ansberry was happy to expand her article about Daja Meston into a book. Monk Boy will be an as-told-to, as negotiated with Laurie Liss at Sterling Lord for North American and audio rights. Meston certainly lived a bookworthy life: he was raised by the monks, came back to the U.S. for college and returned to fight in the Tibetan revolution. He eventually cared at home for the ailing dad who gave him away.
Bridget Jones at 60
That's how they're pitching a book just bought from Britain by Clare Ferraro for Viking. It's called No, I Don't Want to Join a Book Club: Diary of a Sixtieth Year, and the author is Virginia Ironside, a columnist for the Independent newspaper in London. She writes of the pleasures of getting on in life, including no longer having to pretend to like things she doesn't or feeling guilty about not having done all the things she thought she should do. Ferraro said she found Ironside just as funny as Bridget and just as universal a female figure. The U.S. rights deal was made with Clare Alexander at Gillon Aitken, who also sold it to Viking in London; publication is set for late 2006 or early 2007.
Lid Off Casino Scandal
The scandal roiling Washington over lobbying activities on behalf of Indian tribes seeking casino deals is to become a book, written by the reporter who began uncovering it, Peter H. Stone of National Journal. His untitled opus, planned for publication before the midterm elections next year, was signed for FSG by Eric Chinski directly with Stone. It's expected to make waves because among the stars are mega-lobbyist Jack Abramoff, whose relationship with House majority leader Tom DeLay and such Bush stalwarts as former Christian Coalition leader Ralph Reed are already under close scrutiny. FSG has world and—better still—first serial rights.
Short Takes
You can't keep a good murder case down, and those Peterson offshoots keep springing up. Latest is one from Laci's mom, Sharon Rocha, offering For Laci, taken by Crown publisher Jenny Frost, who signed with Dan Stroneat Trident; publication, however, is not till next year.... Jennifer Enderlin at SMP signed a new novel by David Blaine, whose The Preservationist won accolades last year, even before his second book, Fallen, is out. In the new one, The Book of Samson, the Jewish hero tells his story. Agent was Scott Hoffman at PMA.... Blogging is taking over, and the latest in thrall is the business world. David Kline, a Silicon Valley expert, has penned The Human Element: Blogs and the Transformation of Business, won at auction by John Mahaney for Crown Business. He bought world rights from James Levine at Levine Greenberg.
