Fun and fascinating books on the way...

From Publishers Lunch Weekly:

FICTION/DEBUT:

Richmond Fontaine frontman Willy Vlautin's THE MOTEL LIFE, the story of two brothers from Nevada, who've taken to the road in an attempt to escape a hit-and-run accident caused by one brother -- and then goes back in time to tell of their failed dreams and unhappy lives, to Jennifer Pooley at Harper, for publication as a trade paperback original, by Camilla Smallwood at Faber and Faber. camillas@faber.co.uk

GENERAL/OTHER:

Author of Donorboy Brendan Halpin's DEAR CATASTROPHE WAITRESS, a love story about a man and woman whose respective exes achieve fame by writing unflattering songs about them, to Bruce Tracy at Villard, in a two-book deal, for publication beginning in spring 2007, by Douglas Stewart of Sterling Lord Literistic (NA).Domestic rights: rbernstein@randomhouse.com

THRILLER:

The Day of the Jackal, The Dogs of War, and The Odessa File author Frederick Forsyth's THE AFGHAN, a tale of modern terrorism, to Neil Nyren at Putnam, for publication in fall 2006, by Ed Victor at Ed Victor.

CHILDRENS/FANTASY:

Adrian McKinty's THE LIGHTHOUSE TRILOGY, to Susan Van Metre at Amulet, an imprint of Harry N. Abrams, the first to be published in fall 2006; the second in fall 2007; and the third in fall 2008, in a good deal, by Bob Mecoy at Creative Book Services (NA).jwells@abramsbooks.com

CHILDRENS/MIDDLE-GRADE:

Stanford University School of Medicine Associate Professor Audrey Shafer's THE MAILBOX, about a 12-year-old boy, who hides his uncle's death from his teachers and classmates while engaging in a secret correspondence, to Stephanie Lane at Delacorte, by Amy Rennert at the Amy Rennert Agency (world).

UK:

Camilla Way's MINE, about three children who discover some sand mines that tunnel deep under the Thames, to Susan Watt at Harper, at auction, in a two-book deal, by Claire Paterson at Janklow & Nesbit.

NON-FICTION/GENERAL-OTHER:
Founder of the website Fark.com (reported to get 1.8 million hits a day) Drew Curtis's IT'S NOT NEWS, IT'S FARK, a humorous analysis of the media patterns shaping how the news is reported, to Lauren Marino at Gotham, by David Vigliano and Celeste Fine of Vigliano Associates (world).

HISTORY/POLITICS/CURRENT AFFAIRS:

Former Vice President Al Gore's AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH, about global warming (Gore has narrated a documentary of the same name, just screened at Sundance, directed by Davis Guggenheim and produced by Participant Productions), to Leigh Haber and Tami Booth at Rodale, for publication in April 2006, by Andrew Wylie at The Wylie Agency.robin.shallow@rodale.com
HUMOR:
Maxim editor Chuck Thompson's SMILE WHEN YOU'RE LYING, a look at the travel industry and what goes on behind the brochures -- from Thailand's red light districts to a rock concert at a former Stasi prison, to Sarah Knight at Holt, in a pre-empt, by Joelle Delbourgo at Joelle Delbourgo Associates (world).Claire.mckinney@hholt.com oelle@delbourgo.com

ILLUSTRATED/ART:

Architectural historian and author of Skyscrapers, Bridges, and Churches Judith Dupré's MONUMENTS, a visual tribute to more than two dozen notable American landmarks -- from the Alamo to Gettysburg, Mount Rushmore to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial -- as well as more unconventional commemorations such as the AIDS Quilt, but also a book about finding grace and meaning in some of the most horrific events of the past, to Nancy Miller at Ballantine, by Alice Martell at Alice Martell Agency (world). Rights: ctisne@randomhouse.com

MEMOIR:

Former Attorney General John Ashcroft's memoir, focused on his four years as Attorney General and what he views as "his leadership of the government's public and secret war against terrorism," to Rolf Zettersten and Chris Park at Center Street, for publication in October 2006, by Robert Barnett of Williams & Connolly.

NARRATIVE:

U.S. attorney Kevin Flynn's THE PROSECUTOR RESTS, in which the author revisits, the crime (a brutal double murder) that haunts him to this day, and the complex and emotional homicide trial that followed, to Dan Conaway at Putnam, in a pre-empt, by Gail Ross at Gail Ross Literary Agency (world).dan.conaway@us.penguingroup.com

SPORTS:

Golf instructor Roberto Borgatti's A SWING YOU CAN TRUST, introducing his method to transform the game of professionals, upcoming junior stars, golf teachers and, not insignificantly, his own literary agent, to Judith Curr at Atria, by James Levine of Levine Greenberg Literary Agency (world English).

UK:

Norman Rose's FORGOTTEN VOICES FROM PALESTINE, the history of Palestine from the end of the Second World War until the creation of the state of Israel in May 1948, through the diaries, reminiscences, and letters of the British, Arab, and Jewish soldiers, generals, politicians, diplomats, and writers involved, to Will Sulkin at Jonathan Cape, by Andrew Lownie.lownie@globalnet.co.uk

FOREIGN:

Canadian rights to Adam Gollner's THE FRUIT HUNTERS: Inside the Fruit Underworld, combining travel, horticulture, and business, and tracing an array of colorful characters whose obsession for fruit results in their going to extraordinary lengths to obtain it (sometimes criminally), cultivate it, protect it and, not least of all, profit from it, to Amy Black at Doubleday Canada, at auction, by Michelle Tessler at Tessler Literary Agency.michelle@tessleragency.com

Wrap...