Overall deal reports remained strong in the third quarter, running ahead of the consumer marketplace, though there was some softening in what has been a long run of new records for major deals in particular and six-figure deals overall. After a soft second quarter (when deal reports declined 4.7 percent, due to a big drop in reports from digital publishers), third quarter deals were up 4.8 percent over the same period in 2024. Fiction remained strong, up over 9 percent, while adult fiction and children’s books declined modestly, and digital publisher deals recovered after a weak first half of the year. […]
Deals
Former President Joe Biden’s Next Memoir Reportedly Sold to Little, Brown
Former President Joe Biden is said to have sold a memoir of his presidency to Little, Brown “for an advance in the range of $10 million, according to people familiar with the matter,” the WSJ reports. The 82-year-old had indicated earlier this month at an event that he was “working my tail off” to write the book. As was the case in his previous book deal with Flatiron Books in 2017, Biden was represented by CAA. Neither the publisher nor the agency confirmed details to the WSJ, which says that Hachette Book Group acquired world rights.
Forthcoming: ‘Hostage’ by Eli Sharabi
Harper Influence will publish HOSTAGE by Eli Sharabi, on October 7 in the US. The book, which was originally published in Hebrew by Sella Meir Press, details the 491 days Sharabi was held captive by Hamas following the attack on October 7, 2023, and includes his transportation into Gaza, his experience with his captors, and the relationships he formed with other hostages.
Second Quarter Deals Set Another Record For Big Investments, Even As Overall Reports Moderate
Second quarter deals declined somewhat overall (-4.7 percent), due to a big drop in reports from digital publishers, though in our core categories — nonfiction; fiction; and children’s — the totals were nearly flat. (Those categories comprise the first three bars in the chart below.) That’s similar to, or ahead of the second quarter of 2024, following a strong first quarter which featured an early London Book Fair. As was the case a year ago, adult sales actually rose slightly in the second quarter, for the third year in a row, as children’s deals declined again, down 7.9 percent. Adult […]
First Quarter Deals Were Strong, As Big Fiction Reports Continued to Set New Records
On the heels of a soft fourth quarter in 2024 (-3.2 percent) capping a record year (+3.6 percent overall), PM deal reports show renewed strength in the first quarter of 2025. As was the case a year ago, early dates for the London Book Fair and Bologna Book Fair helped strengthen the pre-fair deal counts in the quarter, which could lead to a softer second quarter. Nonfiction maintained its comeback pattern, at least in total deals, rising one percent, as adult fiction remained the growth engine, gaining another 4.5 percent over last year’s record period. Children’s deals increased for the […]
Grand Central Wins Auction for INNER EXCELLENCE
Grand Central won the auction to reissue performance coach Jim Murphy’s bestselling INNER EXCELLENCE, the book that leaped to the top of the charts after Philadelphia Eagles star wide receiver A.J. Brown was shown reading the book on the sidelines during a playoff game. (The trade paperback has sold approximately 211,000 copies in the seven sales weeks since then, in outlets tracked by Circana Bookscan.) Brant Rumble and Ben Sevier acquired NA rights, represented by Pilar Queen and Peter Steinberg at UTA. Grand Central will issue their ebook and audio editions on March 11, and their trade paperback will follow […]