Grand Central Inks Stephanopoulos

Ben Sevier at Grand Central Publishing has acquired world rights to The Situation Room, a new book by political journalist and Good Morning America cohost George Stephanopoulos, written with Lisa Dickey. Grand Central calls the book a “fast-paced, gripping account” that explores the “behind-the-scenes history of the White House Situation Room as told through the crucible moments that have tested the mettle of American presidents.” The deal was brokered by Matt Latimer of the Javelin Agency. A May 2024 publication has been set.

 

Rushdie Sells Memoir to RH

Booker Prize–winning novelist and free speech advocate Salman Rushdie sold Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder to Random House. The deal, for multiple territories, was brokered by Rushdie’s longtime agent Andrew Wylie at the Wylie Agency. The publisher said the book is a deeply personal account of the attempt on the author’s life by a knife-wielding terrorist in Chautauqua, N.Y., in August 2022, some 30 years after a fatwa was ordered against him by Ayatollah Khomeini for writing The Satanic Verses. Penguin Random House will publish Knife simultaneously in 15 territories in April 2024.

St. Martin’s Buys Barrat’s AI Primer

In a preempt, author and documentary filmmaker James Barrat sold world rights to The Intelligence Explosion to executive editor Pete Wolverton at St. Martin’s. The deal was brokered by William Clark at William Clark Associates, who described the book as an exploration of the “myriad issues raised by generative AI,” which holds “the potential for immeasurable benefit and ultimate harm.” Barrat’s previous book on AI, Our Final Invention, was singled out by Elon Musk as a must-read. The Intelligence Explosion will be published in 2025.

Austen’s Debut Goes to Grove Atlantic

Elisabeth Schmitz at Grove Atlantic has acquired North American rights to screenwriter and producer Alice Austen’s debut novel, 33 Place Brugmann. The deal was brokered by Dorian Karchmar at WME, with publication planned for spring 2025. Grove Atlantic described the book, which is set in a Beaux-Arts apartment house in Brussels in 1939, as “weaving mystery, love story, and a philosophical puzzle into the story of two families, neighbors and dear friends, whose fates are entwined.” Austen cowrote and was a producer on the 2019 film Give Me Liberty.


Viking Gains Berry’s ‘Trust’

In a two-book deal, Lindsey Schwoeri at Viking acquired world rights to bestselling author Flynn Berry’s spy thriller, Trust Her, along with a second, untitled book. The sale was handled by Emily Forland at Brandt & Hochman. Viking said Trust Her follows two Northern Irish sisters “living peaceful lives under assumed identities in Dublin—until their past catches up with them, forcing them back into increasingly high-stakes webs of deceit involving the IRA, British intelligence, and the local police.” It will be published in summer 2024.


Morrow Treats Taff’s ‘Paper Cut’

William Morrow senior editor Danielle Dieterich won North American rights to Rachel Taff’s debut suspense novel Paper Cut after an auction. The two-book deal (which also includes an untitled novel) was negotiated by Madeleine Milburn at her eponymous agency. Morrow said the book is a “twisty and evocative” story about a true crime memoirist who 20 years earlier escaped “a mysterious cult” and must now confront the secrets of her past. Publication is set for spring 2025.