CRIPPEN

John Boyne’s CRIPPEN, a fictional retelling of the infamous British murder case of 1910, in which Dr. Crippen attempted to flee across the channel after murdering his wife accompanied by his mistress, who was dressed as a boy and masquerading as his son, to Beverley Cousins at Penguin UK, for publication in fall 2004, by Simon Trewin at PFD (UK and Commonwealth Rights). Foreign Rights: Nicki Kennedy and Sam Edenborough at ILA strewin@pfd.co.uk

JEREMY DYSON

Member of the BAFTA Award-Winning Comedy team The League of Gentlemen Jeremy Dyson’s debut novel STILL, a humorous and “haunting read, dealing with faith, fear and the power of the imagination,” to Antonia Hodgson for Abacus/TimeWarner UK, in a good deal, by Simon Trewin at PFD London (UK and Commonwealth, incl. Canada). strewin@pfd.co.uk Film rights: jirwin@pfd.co.uk Translation: ILA ila@ila-agency.co.uk

LIFE CHANGING

Creators of This Diary Will Change Your Life Benrik Ltd.’s THE COUPLE’S BOOK, a fun, slightly warped yet strangely useful guide to relationships, to Julie Saltman for Trena Keating at Plume, in a significant deal, by Scott Waxman, on behalf of Simon Trewin at PFD, and in the UK to Richard Atkinson at Hodder, also in a significant deal, along with THIS DIARY WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE 2005, which aims not just to change your life but to change society as well at no extra cost. strewin@pfd.co.uk judy@waxmanagency.com

CATCHING FIRE

Novelist and Weidenfeld military editor Keith Lowe’s FIRESTORM: The Allied Devastation of Hamburg, July 1943, a re-appraisal of the single night in 1943 when 40,000 civilians lost their lives as a result of a terrifying combination of meteorological and military reasons, to Eleo Gordon at Viking Penguin UK, in a nice deal, at auction, by Simon Trewin at PFD (UK/Commonwealth). Dan Mandel at Sanford Greenburger Associates is handling US rights. strewin@pfd.co.uk and dmandel@sjga.com

FIRST NOVEL

Jon Fasman’s THE GEOGRAPHER’S LIBRARY, the story of a small town USA cub reporter who stumbles into a mystery of international reach when assigned to write an obituary of a local university professor, to Simon Prosser at Hamish Hamilton, by Simon Trewin at PFD, on behalf of Jim Rutman at Sterling Lord Literistic (UK). US rights to Ann Godoff at the Penguin Press. rutman@sll.com

GERTRUDE BELL

Journalist (and Tina Brown’s deputy on Tatler) Georgina Howell’s GERTRUDE BELL: A LIFE, often described as the ‘female Lawrence Of Arabia,’ Bell was an archaeologist, a linguist, the greatest woman mountaineer of her age, and in Baghdad in 1921 she drew the boundaries of the country that became Iraq, to George Morley at Macmillan, in a very nice deal, by Simon Trewin at PFD in the UK (UK/Commonwealth). Zoe Pagnamenta at PFDNY is handling the US sale. strewin@pfd.co.uk

MAD ABOUT THE BOY

Anna Cherrett, Commissioning Editor of Arrow has acquired the memoirs of Boy George for publication as a Century hardback in March 2004 with an Arrow paperback the following year. The book will be written with Paul Gorman and was sold at auction by Simon Trewin and Claira Scott at PFD on behalf of George’s lifelong manager Tony Gordon at Wedge Music.

In the 13 years since the conclusion of the first part of his memoirs, Take It Like A Man, Boy George has reinvented himself. As that story closed, George was coming to terms with the fall-out from his drug addiction, the failure of his relationship with Jon Moss and the collapse of Culture Club. For lesser men this would have been the end but for George it became the start of a period of startling personal and creative reinvention.

Told with George’s trademark biting wit, brutal honesty and sparkling insight, this new book will bring his remarkable story up to date and follow his quest for personal happiness and creative success.

Take It Like A Man saw George’s struggle against drugs come to dominate his rapid rise to fame; this book will be an even more fascinating insight into what makes this superstar tick, tracing the momentous twists and turns of his personal and artistic life over the last decade-and-a-half to include his role as a world-class DJ spearheading the dance music revolution in clubs all over the world, his cutting-edge record label, and his role as the driving force behind and star of the theatrical sensation, “Taboo”, which soon celebrates one year of sell-out shows in the West End and due to open on Broadway in September 2003.

Boy George says, “I’m really looking forward to putting this book together. It covers my life from getting off the plane from India in 1990 to my first night on Broadway in Taboo this autumn. It’s been quite a ride, if you know what I mean, and I know you’ll really enjoy it.”

Anna Cherrett says, “Boy George is a cultural icon with a huge, dedicated following. There will be stories in this book that will certainly make the news, ensuring that it isn’t just a riveting companion volume, but a fascinating book in its own right. We are thrilled to be publishing it.”

Simon Trewin says, “I have always loved Boy George’s unique take on life – he is one of the most magnetically charismatic people I have met – and this new volume of autobiography will shock, amuse, delight and tantalise – all the things its author does so well.”

JOIN ME!

Comedy producer and newly appointed BBC Head of Development Danny Wallace’s JOIN ME!, the story of how he started a cult, by accident, after placing a newspaper ad on a lark that read “Join Me” that drew thousands of Joinees, also described as a chronicle of his efforts to realize his uncle’s dreams of a utopian society, keep his girlfriend, lead a cult, and make the world a better place, to Ryan Harbage at Plume in a pre-empt, by Daniel Greenberg on behalf of Simon Trewin at Peters, Fraser, and Dunlop. Ebury/Random House will publish in the UK. dgreenberg@levinegreenberg.com

PERFECT MILE

UK rights to Neal Bascomb’s PERFECT MILE to Michael Doggart at HarperCollins’ Collins Willow imprint, for mid five-figures sterling, at auction, by Simon Trewin at Peters, Fraser and Dunlop on behalf of Scott Waxman. scott@waxmanagency.com

THE PERFECT MILE

Neal Bascomb’s second book, THE PERFECT MILE: Three Runners and the Race to Break Four Minutes, the epic tale of the battle among Roger Bannister of Britain (the victor), John Landy of Australia and Wes Santee of the United States to pass a barrier many thought unbreakable, to Susan Canavan at Houghton Mifflin, at auction, in a very good deal, to be published on May 6, 2004 to coincide with the 50th anniversary Bannister’s heroic run by Scott Waxman (NA). UK rights are represented by Simon Trewin; translation by Danny Baror. scott@waxmanagency.com