DEAL OF THE WEEK

Pember Does Double at Pantheon

In his first acquisition at Pantheon, David Treuer preempted two books by journalist Mary Annette Pember. The publisher said the North American rights agreement was struck after a nine-publisher auction and includes the author’s debut work of nonfiction, about “her mother’s experience at a Native American boarding school, their complicated relationship, and the history and ongoing trauma of America’s policy of forced assimilation of Native peoples.” The second book is “an embedded, reported book about missing and murdered Indigenous women.” The author, who was represented by Adam Eaglin and Isabel Mendía at the Cheney Agency, is a national correspondent at Indian Country Today. Pantheon said the first book is slated for release in fall 2024.

Knopf Takes Cisneros’s Poetry Collection

Sandra Cisneros (The House on Mango Street) sold her first poetry collection in 28 years, titled Woman Without Shame, to John Freeman at Knopf. Stuart Bernstein at Stuart Bernstein Representation for Artists handled the U.S. rights agreement. Set for September, the title will, Knopf said, be “a moving collection of songs, elegies, and declarations that chronicles Cisneros’s pilgrimage toward rebirth.”

Chokshi’s Adult Debut Goes to Morrow

In a six-figure, two-book deal, Roshani Chokshi (the Gilded Wolves series) sold her adult debut at auction to William Morrow’s Jessica Williams. The North American rights agreement was brokered by Thao Le at the Sandra Dijkstra Agency. Morrow said the first title, The Last Tale of the Flower Bride, is “a fairy-tale-laden gothic novel about a marriage that slowly unravels as a husband picks at the threads of a dangerous secret his wife is keeping.” Publication is planned for winter 2023.

Bradley’s ‘Wayward’ Path Leads to HC

Sara Nelson at HarperCollins acquired North American rights to Marcia Bradley’s debut novel, Home for Wayward Girls. Cynthia Manson at the Cynthia Manson Literary Agency handled the deal. The book, Manson said, is about a teenager who “escapes years of abuse at her parents’ program for ‘bad’ girls to begin a new life in New York City.”


Benedict Moves to St. Martin’s

For St. Martin’s Press, Sally Richardson took world English rights to three new books by bestseller Marie Benedict (The Personal Librarian). Laura Dail at the Laura Dail Agency handled the deal for Benedict, and Charles Spicer will edit the title. The first novel under contract is set for spring 2024.

RH Makes ‘Quantum’ Leap with Chopra

Bestseller and spiritual leader Deepak Chopra, writing with Brian Fertig and Jack Tuszynski, sold Toward Quantum Medicine for six figures to Diana Baroni at Random House. Robert Gottlieb at Trident Media Group, who brokered the agreement, said the title is “a major work on quantum biology.”

Pompeo Gets Broadside-d

Eric Nelson at Broadside Books took world English rights to a currently untitled book by Mike Pompeo. The former secretary of state, who was represented by David Vigliano at Vigliano Associates, will, Broadside said, offer “a candid and thoughtful recounting of how the Trump administration navigated the world’s most pressing foreign policy challenges to deliver winning outcomes for the American people.” The title is slated for November.