Life on the Inside
Agent Stuart Krichevsky just concluded an auction for a memoir by Piper Kerman titled Orange Is the New Black: My Year at "Club Fed"; Julie Grau won North American rights for Spiegel & Grau. The book chronicles Kerman's 15-month sentence at a women's federal correctional facility in Danbury, Conn., after the mistakes of an adventurous youth caught up with her in the form of a federal indictment in a 10-year-old narcotics charge. Kerman presents a detailed and compassionate portrait of life on the inside in a colorful and surprising community of women. Spiegel & Grau plans to publish in fall 2008.
Gen. Clark to Palgrave
Airie Stuart at Palgrave Macmillan has acquired world English rights to Gen. Wesley K. Clark's next book, American Son, via Trident's John Silbersack. Clark will offer a personal account of military events that have shaped his world view, as well as his vision for America's future. Clark is also the series editor for Palgrave Macmillan's Great Generals Series. Alessandra Bastagli will edit and the book is scheduled for a fall 2007 publication.
FSG Signs Adrian
Eric Chinski at FSG has preempted a yet-untitled story collection and novel by Chris Adrian from Eric Simonoff at Janklow & Nesbit, who sold North American rights. The collection, to be published first, in early 2008, will include stories previously published in the New Yorker, the Paris Review, McSweeney's and Zoetrope. The novel will reimagine A Midsummer Night's Dreamset in the present day in a public park. An earlier Adrian novel, The Children's Hospital, is soon to be reissued as part of a Grove/McSweeney's paperback line. Adrian is currently studying at Harvard Divinity School.
A Baby Name Book
Elizabeth Beier at SMP has preempted world rights to Laura Wattenberg's Namerology, a baby-naming trend book, from Stephanie Kip Rostan at Levine Greenberg. The book will look at how class and culture influence baby names around the world, and explain why certain names do or don't predict success in life; why blue-state liberals choose Old Testament names and red-state conservatives choose progressive ones; and how current celebrity baby-naming practices trickle down.
How to Cartoon
Robert Weil at Norton has acquired world rights to three volumes from late comics legend Will Eisner, including a new book he drafted just before his death, to be the final book in a planned trilogy, from agents Judy Hansen and Denis Kitchen. Will Eisner's Comics and Sequential Art, Will Eisner's Graphic Storytelling and Will Eisner's Expressive Anatomy will all be published in trade paperback format. Peter Poplaski, an Eisner protégé, will help complete the final volume, while the first two titles will be completely redesigned. Norton is targeting a late summer 2008 release date for all titles.
The Briefing
Molly Barton at Penguin has acquired North American rights to Ceridwen Dovey's debut novel, Blood Kin, directly from Alison Lowry at Penguin South Africa (Sarah Chalfant at the Wylie Agency now represents Dovey). This is a parable of a military coup as told by the ex-president's barber, portraitist and chef. Dovey, who grew up in South Africa and Australia, is currently a Ph.D. candidate in anthropology at NYU; Viking plans to publish in winter 2008.... Rob Kirkpatrick at Lyons Press has preempted Steven Levingston's Dancing on the Volcano, about a murder that took 1888 Paris by storm, resulting in an international manhunt and a sensational trial for a young murderess. Dan Lazar at Writers House sold North American rights.
