The Adams Family
David McCullough's biography of John Adams spent 60 weeks on the New York Times hardcover bestseller list; now Adams's wife will have a new biography of her own. Bruce Nichols at the Free Press preempted an emerging auction among six publishers for Abigail Adams by University of Richmond history professor Woody Holton; agent Jim Hornfischer sold North American rights. The book will develop an entirely new interpretation of Abigail Adams's personality, attitudes, relationships and influence, based on Holton's archival discoveries, and will recast the story of one of the most consequential presidential couples in history. Among the book's revelations will be Abigail's vastly profitable speculation in depreciated government securities as well as her insistence on gender equality within her own household. No pub date has been announced.
Fatsis the Kicker
Houghton's Eamon Dolan has acquired a new book by Word Freak author Stefan Fatsis, titled A Few Seconds of Panic; agent Robert Shepard sold North American rights. In the new book, Fatsis will investigate the world of pro football players, detailing his own Plimptonesque efforts to become an NFL-caliber kicker through participation in the Denver Broncos preseason training camps—he had a locker, he suited up and he lived with the Broncos' kickers. The book will pierce the veneer of mystery that usually stands between reporters and NFL teams, and at the same time explore the premise that anyone can turn himself into the cream of the crop through hard work and perseverance. Fatsis is also a reporter for the Wall Street Journal and a commentator on NPR's All Things Considered; Houghton plans a fall 2008 publication.
Black Women and Men
Tracy Behar at Little, Brown acquired Brothers (and Me) by Washington Post columnist Donna Britt in an auction conducted by David Black, who sold North American rights. Britt will look at how the death of her brother moved her to be more present for the men in her life, particularly black men. Britt will also examine the complex relationship between black women and men, and how women generally need to find balance in their relationships with men. Little, Brown plans to publish in fall 2008.
Two-Book Debut
Knopf's Jordan Pavlin has acquired North American rights to a first novel by Michael Harvey titled The Chicago Way; agent David Gernert made the two-book, six-figure deal. The first book is described as a Chicago Irish cop novel and takes its title from a line delivered by Sean Connery in the film The Untouchables. Harvey is the Emmy-winning creator and executive producer of the series Cold Case Files on A&E and was nominated for an Academy Award for his documentary Eyewitness. No pub date has been announced.
Positive Psychology
Crown's Heather Jackson bought North American rights to Dr. Barbara Fredrickson's Positivity: Using Your Emotions to Broaden Your Mind and Build the Life You Want in a deal brokered by Inkwell's Richard Pine. Fredrickson, well-known in the field of positive psychology and a winner of the American Psychological Association's Templeton Prize in positive psychology, will share her research into the positivity ratio: the amount of positive to negative thoughts and feelings a person needs to live a healthy, fulfilling life. Crown tentatively plans a fall 2008 publication.
Big YA Deals
Agent Joelle Delbourgo just wrapped up an auction for 20-year-old Ashley Rhodes-Courter's memoir Three Little Words; Simon & Schuster's Elizabeth Law won North American rights. It took 44 caseworkers, 23 lawyers, 19 foster parents as well as the determination of the author to get herself out of the foster care system and adopted into a stable home at age 12. Now a college senior, Rhodes-Courter is a national crusader for the rights of foster children. S&S will publish in spring 2007 and plans to cross-sell the book into the adult market.
Jennifer Cayea at Avenue A Literary accepted a preempt from Erin Clarke at Knopf for two novels by Sofia Quintero. Set in the South Bronx, Efrain's Secret is the story of an ambitious high school senior who leads a double life in order to attend the Ivy League college of his dreams; Show-n-Prove follows the friendship of two boys during the summer of 1982, set against a backdrop of urban blight, Reaganomics and the epidemics of crack and AIDS. Knopf holds North American rights in English and Spanish.
The Briefing
Jacqueline S. Hackett at Watkins/Loomis has sold Darker Mask, an illustrated anthology of superhero and fantasy short stories edited by Christopher Chambers and Gary Phillips and featuring work by Eric Jerome Dickey and Walter Mosley, among others; Eric Raab at Tor bought North American rights and a January 2008 publication is anticipated.
