Alam Gets Entitled at Riverhead
In a North American rights agreement, Sarah McGrath at Riverhead acquired two novels by Rumaan Alam (Leave the World Behind). The National Book Award finalist sold Entitlement, along with a currently untitled novel, in a deal brokered by Julie Barer at the Book Group. Riverhead said Entitlement is “an exhilarating novel about money, morality, class, consumption, race, and privilege—and the point at which these things can tip us toward madness.” No publication date is set for either novel yet.
Gallery Unwraps Zwick’s ‘Illusions’
Filmmaker Ed Zwick sold a memoir, Hits, Flops, and Other Illusions: My Fortysomething Years in Hollywood, to Max Meltzer at Gallery Books. The world rights agreement was brokered by Gail Ross at William Morris Endeavor (Ross’s agency, Ross Yoon, was recently acquired by WME), John Burnham at Atlas Artists, and Bob Bookman. The publisher said that in the book, Zwick, who directed such movies as Legends of the Fall and About Last Night, “recalls the head-spinning ascents and vertiginous plunges that define a career in Hollywood—with equal emphasis on craft and luck.” Hits, Flops, and Other Illusions is set for February 2024.
Song’s ‘Fire’ Alights at Ace
For Ace Books, Anne Sowards bought a fantasy duology by K.X. Song (An Echo in the City). The first title under the North American rights deal, handled by Peter Knapp at Park & Fine Literary, is The Night Ends with Fire. Ace said Night is inspired by the Chinese folktale about Mulan, a female warrior, as well as the 14th-century Chinese historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms; it’s about “a brave young woman who goes to extraordinary lengths to rewrite her destiny and escape the forces that would conscript her to a life without agency.” Fire is slated for summer 2024.
Putnam Nabs Japanese Bestseller
Tara Singh Carlson at Putnam won North American rights at auction to Hisashi Kashiwai’s The Kamogawa Food Detectives. Originally published in Japan, the novel became a bestseller and was adapted into a television series there. It’s about a father-daughter detective team who also owns a restaurant. Putnam said they “recreate dishes from their customers’ pasts—dishes that just might hold the keys to forgotten memories and future happiness.” According to the publisher, the book has sold in 18 countries to date; it’s set for a spring 2024 release here. Jon Mitchell at Macmillan UK sold the book.
Kazumi’s ‘Darling’ Cozies Up to Bantam
At Bantam, Jesse Shuman preempted North American rights to the debut thriller by Callie Kazumi in a two-book deal. Kazumi is a senior marketing manager at British publisher Hodder & Stoughton and was represented in the agreement by Camilla Bolton at Darley Anderson. Claire, Darling follows a woman who, Bantam said, “becomes obsessed with uncovering the other life of the fiancé who ghosts her, weaving together the present day and flashbacks of the deeply toxic relationship she shared with her narcissistic mother and constantly twisting an understanding of the truth.” Century acquired the title in the U.K. at auction.
Spiegel & Grau Goes on Kix’s ‘Mission’
Paul Kix (The Saboteur) sold The Final Mission to Cindy Spiegel at Spiegel & Grau in a preempt. David Granger at Aevitas Creative Management handled the world rights agreement. The publisher said the nonfiction book is Kix’s account of “the as-yet-untold ongoing campaign by three brothers from Omaha—two of whom are former Special Forces—to rescue and evacuate the more than 200,000 American allies left behind when the U.S. government ceded Afghanistan to the Taliban.”
