from Rogge & Smith's first book, Do One Thing Every Day that Scares You
Every weekday, Publisher’s Marketplace emails the latest publishing deals in print, digital, audio and foreign sales (over 200 deals/week). Here are some of my favs -- not necessarily the biggest names or the buzziest deal… but the ones that piqued my interest for one reason or another.
DO ONE THING EVERY DAY THAT CENTERS YOU by Robie Rogge and Dian Smith
Editor: Amanda Englander at Potter Style
Description: A year's worth of prompts for practicing mindfulness, gratitude, and intention-setting.
You know, I’m all for doing things that scare you. That’s how I was able to write/sell a book that may have turned out to be nothing, a waste of five years. But the older I get, the more I value the time-out. Rogge and Smith started with a book about doing things that scare you. Their second book will be about centering you. And their last will be about inspiring you. Sounds like the ideal trio of action and reflection.
TRAINWRECK by Sady Doyle
Agent: Melissa Flashman at Trident Media Group
Editor: Taylor Sperry at Melville House
Description: A feminist anatomy of the women we hate, mock, fear, and try like hell not to be--from Mary Wollstonecraft and Charlotte Bronte to Billie Holiday and Britney Spears--and an exploration of what it means to be a trainwreck now that any public form of self-expression can be the one that ends you.
Whoa. It’s the last line that really get to me: “any public form of self-expression can be the one that ends you”. I’ve been thinking about this more and more lately. The truth is that I’m a little scared of releasing my book into the world. Sure, it’s fiction, but it’s also an expression of myself, my values, my motivations. My former writing professor Amy Bloom once told us that your personality will shine in your writing no matter what. So better to just accept that rather than try to be someone else. I admit that I rubberneck when I see a trainwreck (though I prefer the French term which translates to “curiosity congestion”). But I also think of the woman herself -- can we blame her for cracking under the spotlight? Self-expression in a public arena will always invite public scrutiny. But in an age of anonymous trolling and snark over sincerity, is it fair that public scrutiny can take on a vicious life of its own?
IT'S NOT OKAY by Andi Dorman
Agent: Kirsten Neuhaus at Foundry Literary + Media
Editor: Abby Zidle at Gallery
Description: By the tenth and most recent Bachelorette, a tongue-in-cheek girl's guide to break ups, revealing never-before-told stories of her dramatic dismissal of Juan Pablo "It's OK" Galavis, her romance as the Bachelorette with Josh Murray, and what really happened after the cameras stopped rolling.
Speaking of women who put themselves out there… Andi! Yes, I’m a feminist. And, yes, I watch the Bachelor/ette. Andi was by far the smartest bachelorette -- both professionally (she’s a litigator) and emotionally (immediately shutting down Juan Pablo for his shocking narcissism among many other reasons). This actually isn’t the first book by a Bachelor/ette, but it’ll be the first I read. (Also kind of curious about Chris Harrison’s new novel, The Perfect Letter.)
TIKI COCKTAILS by Lynn Calvo & James Fraioli
Agent: Andrea Hurst at Andrea Hurst Literary Management
Editor: James Jayo at Sterling
Description: Tiki-style mixology secrets from Lynn's Hula Hut in Montauk, NY
And, finally, since it's officially summer... I'm so ready to put away the brown and red drinks and bring out the pink and green. Kinda scared by this drink though.