DEAL OF THE WEEK

Ten Speed Dons Parton’s ‘Rhinestones’

In a world rights agreement, Matt Inman at Ten Speed Press bought Dolly Parton’s Behind the Seams: My Life in Rhinestones. The publisher said the illustrated title, sold by Jeff Kleinman and Steve Troha at Folio Literary Management, is a “celebration of the global superstar’s iconic sense of style, drawing on personal anecdotes and the largest reveal of her private costume archive to tell the full story behind her lifelong passion for fashion.” Behind the Seams is set for October.


Dyer Gets ‘Strange’ at Atria

For Atria, Natalie Hallak acquired Alli Dyer’s debut novel Strange Folk. Dyer was represented by Alexandra Machinist at Creative Artists Agency in the two-book, North American rights agreement. Strange Folk, Atria said, is a “fantastical, suspenseful literary novel” that follows a young woman who, after two decades, comes home to her estranged family in Appalachia, where the community has been unnerved by the mysterious death of a local teacher. Set for a 2024 release, Strange Folk explores “the intersection between the power of the land, the darkness of human nature, and the healing force of community.”

TherapyJeff Talks for Little, Brown

For Little, Brown’s Voracious imprint, Thea Diklich-Newell acquired Jeff Guenther’s currently untitled book about creating healthier relationships in a six-figure, world rights deal. The publisher said Guenther, a therapist and TikTok star known on the platform as TherapyJeff, is writing “a road map to healthy relationships in the modern dating landscape.” The book, cowritten by Kate Happ and set for 2024, “takes readers through unlearning toxic family dynamics, circumventing lies told by capitalism and
Hollywood, and showing up to each stage of the dating/relationship cycle as one’s most authentic self.” Adriana Stimola at the Stimola Literary Studio brokered the agreement.

Rodale Re-ups Haver

Mary Claire Haver sold world rights to The New Menopause to Rodale’s Marnie Cochran (who previously acquired the author’s The Galveston Diet). Haver is an MD and founder of a medical practice that focuses on women in middle age, and Rodale said the book offers “a dramatic new vision for living well with the changes brought on by perimenopause and menopause.” Haver was represented by Heather Jackson at Heather Jackson Literary.


Morris Enjoys ‘Silence’ at Open Road

Open Road Media’s Mara Anastas took world English rights to The Silence by Mary McGarry Morris. The new book by the PEN/Faulkner Award finalist and author of seven prior novels is a work of psychological suspense about a woman who must face up to the man who murdered her childhood friend. Jennifer Weltz at the Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency sold The Silence, which is slated for September.


Gunn Goes ‘Nowhere’ at Atria

North American rights to Nowhere, the debut novel by Allison Gunn, were acquired by Atria’s Loan Le in a preempt. Le described the book as Mare of Easttown meets Stephen King. It follows “a grief-stricken family grappling with the strange disappearances of children in a small fundamentalist town and the scapegoating that follows as ominous forces close in.” Logan Harper at the Jane Rotrosen Agency represented Gunn, who is a professional researcher and technical writer in Washington, D.C.